Home staging

B - Staging Tips: Want some free advice ?

 

Here is a sampling of staging tips and advice that stagers could recommend. Note how so many of them are inexpensive and really quite simple.

• Add curb appeal by updating your entryway with new house numbers. Large black, nickel or brass numbers add a touch of class. Replace outdated house “numbers” that are spelled out in script, like Seven Eighty Five with 785.
• Create an aura of sophistication. Place lights that highlight walks and landscaping.
•  Add colorful annuals to an entryway, deck or patio with hanging baskets and large planters.
• Add a colorful potted plant in your kitchen and a cookbook displaying a smart cover.
• Every room should have a focal point or highlight. If not, consider adding an area rug or an impressive picture or mirror–something positive that catches the eye.
• Add a row of fashionable or artsy pictures (not family pictures) to a long, bland hallway.
• A large colorful potted plant or tree can mask a bare corner or add “height” to a room.
• Each week, get fresh cut flowers for the dining room table or other strategic locations.
• A new plush comforter and extra pillows are a great investment for bedroom appeal.
• A nightstand with a carefully placed novel creates a relaxing presentation.
• A card table in a rec room that displays a partially finished puzzle, a dollhouse or any of a variety of hobbies helps solidify a feeling of home.
• Reposition a bed at an angle from the corner, with a table and decorative plant behind it.
• A fireplace in the summer can still project a romantic look by filling it with birch logs.
• Bathrooms deserve new, plush towels, a fabric shower curtain and vanity accessories.
• A tri-fold screen can help hide a messy area like an equipment laden office corner.
• Imitations of updated, expensive ceiling fixtures from major home centers willl add immediate appeal.
• A bare dining room table takes on drama with a fashionable runner and centerpiece. Avoid the tendency to over accessorize and draw attention away from the room itself.
• Group decorative items instead of having them spread throughout a room.
• A closet, pantry or laundry room takes on a smart look by organizing items into stylish bins and baskets. Cut down on excessive canned goods. Neatly arrange what remains.
• If moving out and selling a vacant home, leave a few larger pieces of furniture as it helps buyers to better envision size and arrangement potential. 
• Strategic wall switches with light dimmers can help create a romantic mood.
• Unfinished basement? Carpet the stairs to this lower level and stir the imagination of the buyer as to it's potential.
• Float your sofa and coffee table away from walls to achieve a designer look.
• Quickly change the look in a room by using accessories like area rugs, sofa pillows, slipcovers, a picture, a mirror or a throw blanket.

                       Clutter or enhancement?

The addition of props and enhancements would appear to clash with the recommendations to eliminate clutter and scale down your furnishings. There is a fine line here, and a professional with an objective view can make acceptable proposals from inside your home.