As we hit spring, the housing market starts to come alive! One of my favorite services has me transforming properties for potential buyers. I’ve put together some staging tips for your living room if you who want to do it yourself or to just refresh your home.

Tip #1: Remove Clutter

Amazingly, removing the day to day mess of our lives can make a huge difference. That’s not only for potential buyers, but for those of us still trying to live in the home. Have a place for everything since most of us live in our living rooms. Those rooms have also become dining rooms as well as an extension of the bedroom. It’s important that these multipurpose rooms have enough storage to house everything or that you regularly clear it out.

Add baskets for extra blankets, utilize media centers for remotes and electronics and don’t forget to clean surfaces. TV’s and tables love to show off that lovely layer of dust and fingerprints.

I staged these homes while the owners were still living in them. I created easily managed designs so that they could continue living while selling their home. Both sold within the first 6 weeks after we staged. One spent 6 months on the market before I was called.

Tip #2: Create a Conversation Area

Create a conversation area by letting your furniture have a relationship with each other and not with your wall.

I love floating pieces away from the confines of the room. Having that space creates depth (i.e. makes your room feel bigger!) and it eliminates the dance floor you can find in so many homes listed for sale on line. Your walls will stand up without your sofa touching it.

Feel weird about that space behind the sofa? Add a table with accessories or a gallery wall to help occupy that open space without making if feel cluttered.

Both of these homes were vacated and needed some identity. Everyone loves open spaces, but empty is hard to envision. I created rooms that showcased the homes. The living room was visible from the entry and I set up first impressions that ultimately resulted in sales within the first month.

Tip #3: Dress Up

It’s all in the details, and that is what staging does for your home. Pillows and throws make a sofa so much more inviting and add color and texture.

A tray on your cocktail table contains items, but also adds interest.

Rugs are always underestimated. I use them whether the room has a hard floor or carpet because they help define areas and add the same components as pillows and throws.

Don’t forget the accessories! They are those details that create a finished look! Layering items on side tables and mixing in florals or greens create that welcoming and lived in feel that every potential buyer or guest wants.

The details make or break your design and we never want to overdo it. Everything has a place and these spaces have just the right amount of jewelry. You want to add just enough but avoid over cluttering the space with “stuff”.

Looking for more help? I would love to help stage your home whether it’s for company or you are selling your home. Contact me to set up an appointment. I offer services ranging from advice to full service staging.

More of a DIYer? Shop my curated pieces to bring your home to life or check out my post on why you shouldn’t stage.