This log home in Orlando was a poster child for professional home staging. It was full of personality – the owners’ personality -- and full of distractions that would have called the buyers’ attention away from the home itself. Many of them, like the antique spinning wheel, were charming. Others were funny; some slightly off-color. Most of them had to go.
Where to start? The cowhide rug needed to be removed because it was too personal; plenty of buyers could be offended by it, and it wasn’t the kind of look we wanted for the first room they would see. For the same reason, the cattle horns over the door were also slated for removal. Although there was plenty of room for two full-sized sofas, the sofa nearest the door would be a barrier to buyers as they entered. The blankets on the loft railing added even more lines to a room visually full of lines, without adding color to a space that needed some color variety. The disco ball wasn’t the look we were going for, either. As for the stairs, there was too much stuff on and near them; it was crowded and distracting. And yes, on the taller cabinet that is a miniature of the leg lamp seen in the movie A Christmas Story. (There was a Red Ryder BB gun hanging in the dining area.) It adds color, but it drew my mind way off topic.
The home owner gave us a budget, and we went shopping. We looked for things with rounded shapes, and found a few things to add a little bit of color. During the staging, we replaced one of the sofas with an armchair from another room, making the space more open and welcoming. We moved some furniture around. Mostly, we streamlined the accessories and furniture. (The owner held a yard sale the day after we staged the home, and earned nearly enough to cover the staging fee!)
This home had so much personality before we staged it that it would have been hard for buyers to picture themselves making it their own. Now it still has lots of character, but it is a more general character that will appeal to people who don’t necessarily like moose, cattle, or A Christmas Story. If you are selling a home in the Orlando area, give us a call at Gloria Home Staging, and we will help your home appeal to buyers, too.
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