Although it's not my primary line of work, I recently staged a home for a client who was planning to put her home on the market. The plan was long-term; there was no need for an immediate move, and the client had plenty of time for renovations.
In this particular case, the staging and preparation for showing her home included two bathroom renovations, a complete interior paint job, an evaluation and placement of the client’s existing furnishings and accessories, and selection of new furniture pieces and accessories to create an appealing look that would not come across as either too fussy or too crowded.
The house was open and contemporary, with a kitchen that needed only some minor carpentry work and repairs, but with a master bathroom and guest bathroom that were very dark and dated. The client was amenable to gutting the bathrooms, and I selected tile, granite, vanities and plumbing fixtures that created a neutral, light and airy feeling in each bath. I also redesigned the master bathroom to allow for a good size walk-in closet off the master bedroom, which I felt would excite prospective home buyers.
For paint specs, we went with warm neutrals that would appeal to just about any potential buyer, providing some color while not overwhelming with color. Working within the client’s budget, I selected furniture, area rugs, lamps, bedding and accessories to pull everything together. We were able to use most of the client’s furniture but removed some older, darker pieces and numerous extras that were hanging around such as baskets, old lamps, old rugs, and the like.
The result is well organized and nicely contemporary, but with plenty of warm colors and welcoming touches. The client and realtor were each very pleased with the renovations and staging.
With the few clients that I've worked with to prepare their homes for sale, my experience has been that homeowners can accomplish quite a lot with a small investment in design consulting services, paint, and accessorizing.
I’d love to hear from other designers who may have branched into staging, or who even focus primarily on staging, and what their typical staging jobs entail.