Why Does Home Staging Work?
MatiDesign is an interior decorating company, but we also offer a home staging service as well. It’s similar to decorating because I’m still arranging what’s in your home, but that’s where the similarities end. Interior decorating means personalizing your home to make it work for your needs, whereas home staging means depersonalizing it so it appeals to more buyers on the market. So really, home staging and decorating are two very different things.
But why is home staging important in the first place? Why would you want to decorate your home when you’re moving out of it? If you’re going to spend anything on decorating, why wouldn’t you spend it on decorating your new house?
See, here’s the thing. Most people don’t know how to see the possibilities in a home. You might think it’s beautiful because you’ve lived there for a long time, and for you it is. It works perfectly for your life and your family.
But is that perfect for what someone else needs in their home? Probably not. This is how you need to look at your home now. It’s kind of hard at first, but you need to start thinking about your home like it’s a product on the market – because it is. You’re preparing it to be sold
And the way you live in your home and the way you prepare it to be sold are two VERY different things.
Home Stager And Decorator In London Ontario
So, what comes next?
A good realtor will put you in touch with a reputable home staging service. Your stager will explore your home and critique things the way a buyer would.
Don’t take this part personally! It’s not about your home, your taste, or your lifestyle. The whole point of hiring a home stager is to get top dollar for your home, so we need to look at your home from a critical, objective perspective to see what you need.
From there, we’ll put together a plan that works within your budget to help you get top dollar for your home without breaking the bank.
Does Home Staging Work?
Instead of explaining how well home staging works, let me show you an example.
This is a recent home staging in London Ontario I did. Take a look at the “before” photo below:
The first thing I noticed here was the dated brass light fixture and the 80’s oak trim. Combined with the old cart in the corner, the old fashioned wallpaper, and the frilly tablecloth, it looked like your grandparents’ house. That’s to say it’s a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there!
The home owners didn’t want to replace anything, and that’s fine. One of the nice things about decorating and staging these days is that people are loving eclectic styles. In the past, mixing metals and woods and eras would be weird, but these days people love it.
But that’s not to say anything goes. You still need a decorator’s eye and some intelligent design techniques to make it work.
In the before picture, all the antique furniture made the whole room seem heavy and dark.
So what did this decorator’s eye deliver?
Before And After
So you’ve seen the before photo. Here’s what it looked like after I was finished:
Looks a little different, huh?
So what did I do here?
I didn’t have to gut the place. We didn’t have to tear out the wood or knock down any walls. Instead, I worked with what we had, and toned down the oak by adding some big wall art and more modern furniture.
And instead of toning down the brass, I actually played it up with a couple of beautiful brass lamps. These lamps are pretty modern looking though, so while they accent the brass light fixture they actually help tone down the dated look in general. Here’s another angle where you can see the artwork better.
You can see too that the black wood hutch also helped tone things down, and it works wonderfully.
But Did The Staging Actually Work?
“That looks great, Mati,” you may be thinking, “but why should I care? Did the staging work?”
Good question. It doesn’t matter how great it looks if you don’t get your money’s worth, right?
Get this – this home sold in just one week, and for $55,000 OVER its asking price. And this isn’t unusual either – staged homes consistently sell quicker, and for more money, than their un-staged counterparts.
If your agent hasn’t suggested a home stager yet, talk to them about it. The best real estate agents in the business see the value in using a home stager because it helps their homes sell quicker and seals their reputation as a deal-closer.
So does staging work? Yes, it does!
Contact MatiDesign
Do you have a home you’re about to put on the market? Or are you a real estate agent wondering how to move your homes quicker and for more money?
If so, contact MatiDesign to book a home staging consultation today. We’ll tour your home and find out how you can sell your home for top dollar.
Contact MatiDesign today, and let’s get your home sold!
Find additional tips on interior design, decor, and style at: london's best interior decorator