A Staged Home: Before and After

September 15, 2009 by Jennifer Hicks

Every home I stage has its own unique situation. Some people continue to reside in a home until it sells. Some move out before it has even been listed. Some homes have enough clutter and memories to fill up eight PODS in one week (true story). On the flip side are those dwellings that have very little remaining whatsoever. These are the jobs where furnishings are brought in temporarily and are ideal in my opinion because they offer up a blank canvas of sorts. Here’s a run-down of the “Before” and “After” photos of a recent staging; a 2400 square foot home that had seen its share of clutter.

Before: Every bedroom was crammed with furniture, including the spacious master bedroom. This greatly limited potential buyers’ ability to appreciate the actual square footage. The living room was appropriately furnished but the seating was spaced so far apart that cozy conversation was out of the question. The kitchen needed the least amount of adjusting by the time I had arrived. There were a few items that distracted the eye from the small-but important-details and these were easy to remedy. In many areas, the carpet was in crisis– a big turnoff for would-be buyers.

After: The master was emptied of its current belongings. So that guests would be drawn to the many windows and spacious layout we limited our staging furniture to one bed, one accent table and a bachelor’s chest. With such a roomy master bedroom, my goal was to get people thinking about the endless possibilities in regards to their own furniture in this space. The additional bedrooms (not pictured) were also de-cluttered. The living room furniture was rearranged to create a more intimate gathering place where people would not feel awkward talking to one another from across the room. Miscellaneous decor was removed from the mantle, as it was architecturally pleasing by itself. Barstools were removed from the kitchen to showcase the beautiful wood finish on the bar and the countertops were de-cluttered of any items that did not add to the overall streamlined look. Damaged carpeted areas were replaced and all carpet was cleaned in addition to general cleaning of things like windows, ceiling fans and wood furniture. This home is ready for offers!