Everyone has different taste in decor and furnishings, but most people want a home that is welcoming and organized. When sellers let go of their personal tastes and embrace the fact that selling their home means selling a lifestyle that conveys these key features, they can expedite the sale. Prospective buyers with varying tastes need to feel at home when they step foot inside of a listing. Personal decorating style should be put on the back burner while a home is on the market.
A sensitive conversation between a professional stager and homeowner prior to home staging addresses the distinct difference between decorating and staging. No one should be offended to learn that using their personal style is not the way to a fast sale. Decorating or interior design is the way we personally desire our homes to appear and function. Staging is a way of presenting the home so that it appeals to the broadest range of prospective buyers. With this key difference acknowledged homeowners begin to welcome the effort and change that comes with home staging.
Focusing on making the home welcoming and organized, homeowners can work room-by-room making adjustments to meet these ideals. Lightening, brightening, and de-cluttering each space transforms their personalized home to a neutral showcase in which a buyer can picture themselves living.
In the photos above a master bedroom was converted from personalized to spa-like and neutral. Prior to staging, the homeowner admired the burgundy color they had selected and painted behind their bed. By repainting, adding neutral art above the headboard and a light-colored lamp shade, the room went from decorated to staged. Although the homeowners liked burgundy, buyers were looking for a neutral space that felt welcoming and bright. The simple changes paid off when the home sold within one week for the full asking price!