When preparing to put your house on the market it is worth considering the benefits of home staging.
By showing your property off to its full potential, home staging not only makes it more appealing but can lead to a faster sale at a premium price. Showcasing your home’s best features, optimising the space, and adding flourishes to create a homely feel can have a huge impact.
In this blog, local interior designer, Tanya Selway from Stelly Selway talks about the benefits of home staging and shares valuable insights on how to wow potential buyers, emphasising the little touches that make a big difference in their purchasing decisions.
The Difference between Home Staging and Decorating
Home staging and decorating can differ vastly:
Home Staging
Home staging is aimed at attracting a potential buyer, so the considerations are different such as the demographic, what aesthetics are likely to appeal to a wider range of viewers, and what will be aspirational to encourage prospective buyers to imagine themselves inhabiting the space.
With home staging, you’re working with the existing elements to present your home at its best. Tanya advises that Stelly Selway has completed many staging projects that involve furnishings, art, and accessories. Being inventive, they have worked around permanent installations without the need for electrical changes.
Decorating
Tanya goes on to say that decorating projects are much more personalised and suited to the client’s specific tastes and involve a more collaborative approach to decorating the space through paint colours, fabrics, and more permanent decorative elements.
Main benefits of home staging for sellers
Cleverly thought-out furniture placement can give a potential buyer a clear idea of functionality as well as being aspirational for the type of lifestyle they could have by investing in the property. Also, a beautifully staged home will photograph better, in turn attracting more buyers and potentially leading to a faster sale.
Top Home Staging Tips
Among Tanya’s tips for home staging is decluttering – remove those very personal items and clear your surfaces. Also, highlight the best features, if you have a beautiful fireplace or big windows make sure they are the hero in the room.
Layer lighting, use floor lamps, table lamps, and ceiling lights to make sure the light is always soft and atmospheric no matter the time of day or year. Make sure your furniture layout makes sense – Is it functional to a viewer? Does it need to be rearranged so it is a better fit? Do you need to add or remove pieces?
A quick and easy home staging tip is to add plants and cut flowers – having some greenery in the home makes a big difference.
Key areas to stage
- Living Room: Make it cosy and conversational,
- Kitchen: Keep it clean with a few decorative touches,
- Master Bedroom: Go for a neutral colour palette with lots of different textures through rugs, bedding, and window treatments,
- Bathrooms: Clean and simple with fresh towels and minimal décor,
- Entryway: Make a strong first impression with a neat and welcoming entrance,
- Outdoor Spaces: Stage patios or gardens if you have them.
Can home staging be effective on a budget?
Home staging can be effective on a budget. Look at rearranging existing furniture and decor in the space. If necessary, rent key pieces rather than buying new ones – there are fantastic vendors for art and furniture rentals.
Can you stage your home yourself or should you seek help?
You can stage your home yourself, especially if you are on a tight budget or have a good eye for design. However, seeking professional help can be beneficial for several reasons.
A professional offers expertise and the experience to know what works best in the market. With an objective view, they can provide an unbiased perspective and make recommendations you might not think of.
Tapping into the resources of a professional can be highly advantageous. With access to a wide range of furniture, decor, and accessories they can create a polished look.
Also, the time-saving element of hiring a professional is a huge benefit. They can stage your home more quickly and efficiently, allowing you to focus on other aspects of the sale.
The Benefits of Home Staging
From choosing the right colours and textures to highlighting the best features, staging is an art that can shift the focus from what’s lacking to what’s lovable.
With home staging, you can transform your property into a coveted gem that potentially sells faster and for the right price.
Contact Stelly Selway to explore professional guidance when staging your home, or to talk about your interior plans and how they might be able to assist.
To discuss your plans to move home, please get in touch with the team at Horton and Garton, without obligation.
