Living Room Before

Here was the living room in its original state. The piano took up so much of the space that there was no room for a proper seating area. The furniture was not in scale with the size of the room and did not draw your eye to the beautiful fireplace or the high ceilings.

Living Room After

By removing the piano and adding two large sofas flanking the fireplace, we focused the buyer’s eye on the features of this room that we wanted them to notice. A rug and throw pillows warmed up the space and added some much-needed color. We used the homeowner’s coffee and end table that were originally in a different room.

Family Room Before

This room had a perfectly good sofa set, but the coffee table and end table blended into the rug and didn’t pop at all. There was also no cohesiveness between the colors in the rug, throw pillows, and art.

Family Room After

By adding new occasional tables in a dark espresso finish, the light sofas didn’t feel as washed out. We tied in the black and gold in the rug with the art and throw pillows to create a finished elegant look. New lighting and accessories finished the transformation.

Bar Before

This is how most occupied homes look when I first come to see them – they are chock full of family photos and personal items. Remember sellers… we are not selling your stuff, we are selling your house. And with all that stuff everywhere, buyers won’t be able to see the features that DO come with the home.

Bar After

By removing the clutter we were able to see the added functionality of this wet bar. We also tied this space into the adjoining family room by using the same colors in the art.

Master Bedroom Before

This master bedroom felt anything but restful. The bedding did not fit the bed properly and the extra lamp and chair felt out of place.

Master Bedroom After

We added a chest dresser to show buyers there was plenty of room for storing their clothes. Then we moved the seating area to the opposite wall (you can see a chair and end table peeking out in the foreground of the above photo). We updated the bedding, art and pillows and used a plant to create this luxurious and restful space.

Guest Bedroom Before

This headboard and matching bedding felt like they belonged at grandma’s house, not in this elegant and updated home.

Guest Bedroom After

We switched out the headboard and bedding for more neutral ones, added updated lighting, a reading chair (the same one you saw in living room “before” shot) and a plant. That’s all it took to transform this room.

But the proof is in the pudding.

According to the Realtor,

“I got an offer on my sister’s home at the first Broker’s Open…The wife came on Friday, she brought her husband on Monday. They fell in love with everything in this home.”

Now that’s what we like to hear!

Built-ins provide a wonderful storage solution, but if they are bursting at the seams a buyer will get the impression that the home does not have enough storage.

We want to give buyers the idea that “there is SO much storage space, they can’t even fill it all!” Now of course we know that the longer we live in a home the more cluttered our bookshelves, closets and cabinets become. It’s just the law of accumulation — I think I just made that one up, but it’s true! So when a home is on the market it is crucial to highlight the built-ins by Staging them like a pro:

1) Keep some shelves EMPTY!
Remember the idea here is to show an abundance of storage space. So if you have a built-in or bookcase with lots of little shelves, it’s a good idea to leave a couple empty to show your buyers they have room to grow.

2) Create balance.
Try to balance each side of the built-in or each shelf on the bookcase. Don’t put all your books to the left of the fireplace and all your vases or statues to the right. Spread them out to achieve balance. When you stand back to look at your work, the overall weight should feel about equal on both sides.

For bookshelves, my rule is that no shelf should be more than 1/2 full. I alternate which half I will fill on each shelf. For instance, on the top shelf I might put a plant on the right side. Below I would set out a stack of 3-4 books on the left. Don’t forget to use the middle of the shelves to create variety. A low bowl or a tray with candles in the center of a shelf can be the perfect decorative item.

3) Remove personal items.
I see many homes where the built-ins are chock full of family photos and the kids’ trophies. Remind your sellers that buyers want to picture themselves and their family living in the home. If they are bombarded with photos of the homeowner’s family, they get too involved with your personal life (“Oh, look, they vacationed in Hawaii! Oh, their son plays Little League!”) and forget all about the home. We want buyers to start “mentally moving in” as soon as they walk through the door, but it’s hard for them to do that when the personal photos and belongings of the current homeowners are so prominent.