Staging versus decorating… Are they really the same thing? Can't you just decorate your home when you plan on selling it? Well, not really. Staging and decorating are definitely different. But you probably don't necessarily decorate your home to sell nor do you stage your home to live in it. But, the reasons you do either is not necessarily what differentiates these two.
Selling your home means selling a lifestyle and that doesn't necessarily mean showcasing all the things you think to decorate your home.
When you stage a home, you want to look that's fresh and welcoming yet not necessarily taste specific. Buyers don't want to look at your grandmother's teacup collection, a plethora of personal family photos in the hall, or your baseball memorabilia in the den. The distinction between decorating your home and staging it to sell can be difficult to understand at first but once you know the difference, you probably won't decorate and stage the same.
Everyone has different tastes in decorations and furnishings but buyers want to see themselves in the home so you have to set a lifestyle that works with just about any type of taste. You don't want to have specifics in your room meaning that you want neutral colors without being completely devoid of colors. Keep color schemes simple and offer a few on-trend neutral features like soft grays, pages, or warm whites.
If you have a distinctive decorating style like shabby chic or modern, you might need to scale it back a bit to cover just about anyone's tastes. If you have a taste that will only appeal to a small percentage of potential buyers, you might lose out on offers. Staging is about strategic editing and depersonalizing rather than decorating to your personal style.
Staging means updating outdated items, features, furnishings, appliances, and fixtures. You want the space to fill current and fresh. Little punches and accents of color are great but use them sparingly. Symmetrically centered architecture and furnishings create a peaceful environment and our pleasing aesthetics to just about any buyer.
Keep color palette simple and easy on the eyes to be attractive to both men and women. Potential buyers remember a room that they felt peaceful and calm in long after they've left the house. Clever arrangements can draw attention to different architecture, space, and the benefits of the house in general without detracting from the actual home or being distracting.
When updating a kitchen or bathroom, keep finishes neutral and classic. This is not the time to show off personal style and decorations. Broaden your buying potential by appealing to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Your selling an idealized lifestyle, not reality, and not even the buyers reality.
Bottom line, decorating is furnishing a home for your personal style and tastes for you to live in and enjoy. Staging is decorating home for the current real estate market. It's about taking personalized spaces and making them welcoming for all. You want to create a calming and memorable space from a buyers perspective and that's much more neutral than decorating for your tastes.
If you're having a difficult time staging for today's Denver real estate market, give us a call. We'd be happy to offer tips and suggestions on staging your particular home and how quickly could sell in today's market.
More Information for Homeowners and Sellers
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5 Issues Homeowners Have When Selling On Their Own
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