By Ron Wynn
It’s become almost an expectation walking into a home or condo on the market, that you will see the dining room table set with candlesticks, placemats, and wine glasses; and the kitchen with stylish canisters, dried pasta displays in glass flasks, and a colorful basket of fruit.
I’m being a bit facetious because, in fact, those are not at all the true elements of current time professional staging, but you get my drift.
Staging starts with an emotional direction or theme. Stagers are not realtors and realtors are not stagers. With that said, there should be a meeting between the Real Estate professional from the beginning to establish the theme and how to best stage each room, knowing in advance who the target buyer is likely to be and what any particular buyer’s needs are i.e, for sleeping, working, playing, entertaining or maximizing the usage of the floor space.
There are certain ground rules to work with from the beginning regardless to whether it is a home, or a condo, geared to appeal to a young, middle age or older; single, couple, or family.
The current trend to go for is “Zen-like”, minimalistic and clutter free. The goal is to set a vibe of “soothing and functional”. Everyone aspires for a good life; stress-free, calm and without drama. “Painless”, easy to care for, and non-demanding is what we internally crave after plunking down our big down payment. We want to just move in and let the good times roll.
Even though life always has its ups and downs, we secretly hope that moving into our new home will start a new chapter for us of “good times, prosperity, friendships, new experiences, financial growth, and security. For some people, it might be one of these things, and for others, it might be all of the above. One thing for sure, buying a house or condo can be a stressful experience, so we are focused on the joy we will have after moving in. The staging needs to remind a buyer of how close they are to “living their dream”.
It all starts with a good plan. Start by thinking “clutter free”. Remove unnecessary, “stuff” from your home; either donate it or toss it. The complete transformation of space includes all your senses. The subtle use of color probably evokes the most emotion over your entire canvas. All the organic colors that come from nature make the look soothing and comforting. Using organic materials, soft colors and avoiding clutter will enable you to best show your beautiful place.
Whether you have a large or small space, it’s about “opening it up” and making the space fitting and functional. Concentrate on “less is more”. “No Chatchkes”. If you us a prop, it should have significance and offer a lifestyle suggestion. Concentrate on clean lines and simple shapes, and always focus on making your rooms to feel welcoming and relaxing to be in. The warmth of real wood for example under your feet gives an incredible organic tactile feeling.
Lighting is also an important consideration. The best lighting is a combination of natural sunlight, overhead can light, and accent lamps. Mood lighting can be adjusted at night and natural light will make a statement of “cheerful” in the daytime. Installed lighting is a needed backup to the natural organic sunlight.
In conclusion, think “Zen”, clean lines, minimalistic, and soft colors all focused on “easy living”. Decide in advance the function of each room. Will it be an office or a playroom; a gym or a studio? The rest is up to making your home feel that it meets the expectations of “I could live here…quite happily! As an agent for over 30 years, my job has changed in many ways. Our full-service advisory also focuses on pre-marketing, home preparation, staging and design coordination. For information please email me Ron@RonWynn.com.
