Which is to say, most of the time, staging is about troubleshooting—assessing the best and worst features of a property and maximizing or minimizing accordingly. It is, in its essence, merchandising. Quality staging helps buyers dream… of what they could create with the home and what their life could become there.
Here is a recent home (perfect for a first-time buyer!) for sale in Benicia through Eileen Stern of Remax Gold (see link below). It is a perfect example of how staging can show a home’s potential.
Living Room: This long, narrow room is rounded out by an angled sofa vignette. Staging here focused on a single grouping of larger-scaled furnishings, showing buyers how easily character can be injected into even a smaller home.
Kitchen Nook: As the house does not have a formal dining room, we focused on showing how the eat-in kitchen could work for entertaining. Knowing our potential buyers would likely be first-time buyers or investors considering rental appeal, we aimed to design a youthful, cocktail-party atmosphere with a tall table, wine glasses and fun, fresh herbs. The art we selected is bold enough to neutralize the wallpaper yet itself neutral enough not to clash—that’s always a toughie!
Kitchen: The most impactful improve-ment we made in the kitchen was to move the refrigerator from one side of the stove to the other (betcha didn’t know you could do that…) It opened up the entrance to the room, which is always key to making buyers feel welcomed in. It also takes the subconscious narrative from
“What’s that dark hole to the right of the stove?” to “I wonder what we could do with this wall space—a bench? Storage? A bar? A desk area?”The rest of the kitchen picked up where the nook’s entertaining theme left off, with bread ready to be served, a fabulous cookbook and wine rack. An urn of hydrangeas camouflages the exposed crevice behind the stove.
Bathroom: The only bathroom in the house is full of cottage charm. We replaced the vanity and flooring, then focused staging on opening up the small space. Towels and a textured shower curtain soften the space; a large scallop shell adds beachy polish while leaving the shower curtain half open, not closed, keeps the space 
from closing up. Coordinating shell paintings hung above the shower surround lift the eye up and out, making the room feel larger while taking pink tile from “pepto-bismol retro” to “beachy-chic shell pink”.
Guest Bedroom: Working with the pink walls instead of fighting them, we installed a vignette that softly implies potential for many uses—a nursery, guest room or feminine home office. Once again, an oversized item—in this case the mirror—makes the room feel larger and more substantial than smaller items would have.
Master Bedroom: Youthful colors like lime, warm textures like rattan and fun angles (the rug, throw, pillows and bed are all set at varying angles) create a space that feels larger and cozier—a space full of potential.
As in with all design, selection and placement are all about minimizing flaws, maximizing features, inspiring and comforting.
Have a great week!
ROI Staging Portfolio: http://www.roihomeservices.com/roi_staging/portfolio-main.html
228 Hillcrest, Benicia, featured by Eileen Stern: http://www.redfin.com/CA/Benicia/228-Hillcrest-Ave-94510/home/2373724
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