How many times have you
started a project, like painting your home office or choosing new throw pillows
for your living room sofa, or organizing your junk drawer and not followed
through? If you’re like me lately, a lot!
I’ve been planning a big move. I’m selling my home and relocating life and business to Sacramento County, California.
For four and a half months I
lived in disorganized despair. However, that all changed this week. My home is
back in order and better than ever. With less furniture and fewer accessories the
focus is now on the architecture.
Here are some tips for staging that I’ve picked up in my almost twenty year design career.
Here are some tips for staging that I’ve picked up in my almost twenty year design career.
Shiree’s Style File: Staging an Owner Furnished Home For Sale
All large surfaces like
windows, windowsills, carpets, lighting, chandeliers, floors and walls should
be clean and freshly painted where needed. Just because you can’t see the dust
doesn’t mean others won’t.
Furniture and draperies should
also be clean and in good condition but unfortunately not everyone selling a
home has that advantage. Services like Coit Drapery Cleaners do come to the
home and will clean upholstery provided it’s not frayed. If it’s frayed,
cleaning will cause the fabric to further deteriorate.
If the sofa or chairs are
especially unattractive, discount stores such as TJ Maxx have a great selection
of fine quality pillows. I like to use three matching twenty inch down blend
throw pillows on an average sized 90 inch sofa. Red is always a good pillow
color for neutral color schemes. Cream colored throws also hide a myriad of
sins.
Keep small table top
accessories to a minimum. Instead use larger items like stacks of hardbound
design books, lamps and faux or natural plants in decorative pots or
jardinière.
Keep framed family photos to a minimum. For selling my own home, I removed all table top photos and retained my rogue’s gallery in the stairwell and at the top of the staircase.
Keep all mail and clutter
under wrap.
Sanitize bathrooms with a
little Clorox here and there. Yes it is toxic so use sparingly but it gets rid
of household germs and smells and gives the rooms a really fresh, clean
feeling.
Fluff the pillows and throws. This makes a bigger difference than you might realize.
Open the windows if possible.
Nothing beats clean, fresh air. It not only smells better, it feels really
healthy upon entering a home. Like a walk in the woods.
Fluffy white towels, white sheets and white toilet paper give bedrooms and baths a spa feel.
Lastly, a few small vases of scented fresh flowers are a nice touch. Scatter them in unexpected places too like the hall, kitchen and bathrooms. I like just one variety of flower and color per arrangement, for instance all white roses or all lavender lilacs.
