STAGING WITH AN ECLECTIC MIX OF STYLES
When staging an occupied home vs. an empty home, there is always the extra challenge of working with the homeowner’s furniture and figuring out what accessories to bring in to tie everything together. We always start with the furniture placement so we can see what stays and what needs to leave (if possible).
SOMETHING HAD TO GO
There were too many sofas in this room. The ivory sofa under the blanket matched the blue and ivory chair better, but it was too long for the space. We decided on keeping the green velvet tuxedo sofa instead. I also didn’t want the large TV blocking the beautiful bay window. The beautiful fireplace is the focal point so it needed to look it’s best 🙌
The large ivory area rug softened all the colours and helped define the space. We were so happy to be able to use this true mid-century bookcase that has been in my family for generations. It completely matched the era of the house and all the other wood features. The shelving unit anchored the starburst mirror and gave us a surface for more decorative accessories. Also, notice how good the closet doors look since they were put back on. You don’t want to be looking at coats while sitting in your living room. We accentuated the bay window with cushions for extra seating. Since the window is another focal point, it was also necessary to lengthen the drapes. Adding blue and white cushions with the gray throw blanket blended the colours of the blue chair.
LIGHTING SETS THE MOOD
The homeowner wanted to take her chandelier and had already bought this silver drum with over 100 crystals hanging inside. Once it was installed it really set the tone of the space. That is why we used so much coloured glass and silver in our accessories.
The large 60″ X 40″ artwork was enough to look at in the dining room. A soft gray runner for texture and more blue glass with some greenery were the final touches. Please remember to keep your artwork large or at least a large grouping of smaller pieces.
FEEL GOOD ROOMS
This room was set up for when the grandkids came to visit. When staging your house, you sometimes have to live differently for a short period of time to showcase the rooms. We wanted to use the crib in the other smaller bedroom and just keep this room for a young child/teen. We were able to use the homeowner’s duvet but then added all the other furniture and accessories. By moving the bed up against the wall with the window, I was able to add all the fun and bright cushions. It also made the window look larger since the bed filled the gap under it.
HOW CUTE IS THIS?
This furniture was too dark and heavy for the smaller bedroom so the bed, nightstand and rocker were removed. We also removed the top of this dresser so it wasn’t overpowering in the room. The crib from the other room makes this the perfect nursery. The bottom of the dresser also serves as the changing table. The homeowner’s favourite colour is green so that is why we used it for the accent colour. It also flowed nicely from the other rooms. We just can’t get enough of this adorable bunny artwork 😍
SWITCHING THINGS AROUND
We found it interesting how strange it felt for the homeowner when we moved the bed into another position. This is so common since most people get used to their furniture in one position and find change hard. EVERYTHING we do in staging has a reason and EVERY piece of furniture has a purpose! With the bed along the longer wall, buyers can see that a larger bed will fit in the room. It also leaves lots of traffic flow to the closet. Also, notice the new pretty light fixture that she picked out. We balanced the room by adding the gray mirror, gray end table and gray chair. The bed works in front of the window since the headboard is still under the window. Since the ceiling light fixture had lots of bling, we brought in this pretty mercury lamp for a little bit more sparkle.
This house was transformed in such a short period of time thanks to so many in her community and close friends. Everyone wanted to give a helping hand, which says a lot about the homeowner!
THE RESULTS
Views on Realtor.ca | Facebook Reach | Direct Emails to Buyers |
1,834 |
2,837 |
674 |
Showings | Asking Price vs Sale Price | Days on Market |
25 |
104.1% |
4 |