Home Staging Tips

Now that your house is gleaming, it’s time for the magic. We’re going to tell you how to tart your house up and help her get her glad rags on… There’s life in the old girl yet. Staging your house for sale is about so much more than simply making it look nice. It’s about creating a mood, an atmosphere, it’s about giving a feeling of warmth, space and light. That might sound a little OTT but believe us, this stuff works. Did you know that there is such a thing as professional home stagers? Their job is to dress your home so that it appeals to everyone and plays on the desires, needs and comforts of the buyers. Here we will let you in on some of their secrets to increase chances of selling your house.

1. Lighting

The lighting in your home is a key factor on how it is presented. You want there to be plenty of natural light and for it to seem bright and airy but at the same time, you want there to be warmth and cosiness. Use table and floor lamps, even dimmers if you can to set a calming and soothing scene. Remember to create a relaxing quiet sense in the bedrooms, a homely, warm feeling in the living room, clean and white light in the bathroom and natural light in the kitchen.

2. Use Beautiful Home Accessories

When staging your home, you will have already cleared out a load of your personal clutter but you don’t want the rooms to be left looking sparse. It is a good idea to use beautiful home accessories that are neutral and add allure to your home. Try placing a generous bowl enriched with juicy and luscious fruit on a kitchen island or table, use wax fruit so it’s purely for show but will create a wholesome, organic feeling. Organic themed or shaped accessories add an element of calm to your home, think about using corals or large shells. Mix textures and tones, keeping all tones neutral and ethereal. The placement of knick-knacks and accessories is key in home staging. Many professional home stagers use a vignette style. Vignette is a word used to describe a method of displaying items in an aesthetically pleasing way. Usually, this would mean three or more items placed in an area on display. Imagine a large marble vase with a textured appeal, next to it, a crisp white coral and a stone coloured candle as well as a delicately placed stack of brown leather bound books. This little touch will add a wonderful element of intrigue to the area but it won’t look cluttered and will have a wider appeal than a school photograph, a pink vanilla scented candle and a couple of coasters. Consider creating these charming displays to showcase areas of the home, a shelf, a cabinet in the corner or a sideboard.

3. Dress your home in luxurious fabrics

Window dressings will play a part in how much natural light enters the home. You’ll want the rooms to feel bright and airy but also offer a sense of privacy or the option of privacy at least. As part of the home staging when selling your house, consider a draped window covering. There is an achievable level of opulence to it, whilst still holding on to a relaxed vibe. Soft and luxurious fabrics cleverly placed around the home will also add texture, warmth and comfort to the overall sense of the house. Use silk (or a cost-effective alternative) and wool, chunky knit or faux fur throws and a delightful plethora of cushions and throw pillows. Remember to keep tones and colours calming and neutral but don’t be afraid to mix shapes, sizes and finishes.

4. Be clever with props

Another great tip - use mirrors to create a sense of space and light. A large mirror in a small room with a shortage of natural light will help to open the room up and carry the light through. Plants and flower arrangements offer a certain charm to your house. Consider adding a clear vase with short stemmed white flowers to your displays. Plants always look great in the kitchens and bathrooms. They present a feeling of life and longevity so may evoke thoughts of a life to be lived in this lovely home. If you have a spare bedroom that is missing a bed then a cheap way of giving the buyer an impression of how the room can be used is to buy a full sized inflatable bed. Once there is a duvet and bedspread on it, they’d never know it wasn’t a proper bed. Add a shelf to the room with a small mirror above it and some beautiful scented candles on the shelf… Voila, you have a welcoming, relaxing bedroom.

5. Turn the bathroom into a spa

The bathroom will be a huge selling point. It’s an intimate space and it’s imperative that it is clean and airy. Use plenty of white, make sure the bathroom suite is gleaming, the tiles are spotless and the seal is new and bright white. Place wicker baskets in the room with luxurious looking toiletries and spa treatments in them. Have a plant and a few candles dotted around but don’t clutter the place. Crisp, white towels are a must and make sure they are perfectly folded or draped with stylish symmetry. Think about using gorgeous scented soaps and lotions so that the room smells fresh and like a place to be pampered.

6. Home Fragrance

Part of preparing your home for sale means cleaning it, but the home must smell as clean and fresh as it looks. It is a good idea to use fragrance plugins where they are out of sight but the fresh, clean scents will permeate. Don’t go for musky smells or anything too sweet. Opt for floral, lush green and clean linen scents.

7. Lay the table

Ever been to view a show home? You’ll notice that the dining table is always laid. Get some neutral table mats and plates, go for a tone on tone look and put a mat and plate out for every seat of the table. This should trigger thoughts of mealtimes for the buyer if they lived there. If you are selling your home during the spring or summer then you could put some brightly coloured plastic cups and a jug of juice on the garden table. There will be a huge appeal for the buyer as he/she imagines sunny days sitting out the new garden.

Scrutinise

Now for the final test. It’s time to really, truly scrutinise. Go outside and look at your house. The fresh paint on the door, the clean drive and the flowers, the freshly cut grass… Does it make you want to go inside? As you get to the doorway, is it welcoming, does it seem clean, smell fresh? Walk around every single room asking yourself if you would live there. Ask friends to do the same. If you find yourself wondering if you should stay then you know you’ve done a good job and people will struggle to resist the allure of this house!