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Home Staging Tip - Space Planning is Important - Home Staging Vancouver

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Home Stager with EXIT STAGE RIGHT

Home Staging Tip - Space Planning is Important - Home Staging Vancouver

Home Staging Vancouver-Before & After Photos



My company, Exit Stage Right, was hired recently to prepare this cute bungalow for sale.  This home has a lot of great features, including beautiful, refinished, hardwood floors with inlay, and a wood-burning fireplace.

When I first visited the home, it was clear that two young children had invaded the space with all their toys, bouncy chairs, cute baby pictures, sippy cups etc.  This is life with young children, and completely understandable.  However, when selling the home, the "day care" look had to go!

Home Staging Vancouver-Before & After Photos

Vancouver Home Staging - Before & After Photos



The other item that immediately struck me upon entering the living room, was that the focal point, the fireplace, was almost completely covered by a big, leather lounge chair.  It was almost as if the most important feature in the living room, the fireplace, was being ignored as an after thought. 

Vancouver Home Staging - Before & After Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver Home Staging - Before & After Photos


All these obstacles to a quick sale can easily be rectified by an experienced home stager.  By space planning, we were able to remove the children's furniture, place the sofa under the window, and relocate the large, leather lounge chair to the far wall.  This completely opened up the space, leaving the fireplace front and centre, and creating more space for the dining room table.  The room suddenly opened up and appeared much more spacious.  Buyers want space, so we gave it to them!

Don't be afraid to rearrange furniture.  Move pieces around until you feel you have the best layout, both in terms of space, and in terms of being able to have a conversation with the person seated near you. 

Vancouver Home Staging - Before & After Photos

 

Vancouver Home Staging - Before & After Photos

Anna Dovger
Add Value Home Staging LLC, 281-704-6607 - The Woodlands, TX
Home Staging -The Woodlands, TX

Sally, very impressive transformations. I love those fluffy white pillows on the cold leather sofa. Also great advice on moving furniture around until you feel it's right. I've never been lucky with planning on paper, I need to see how it looks in reality. 

May 06, 2011 02:41 PM
Janet Jones
Just Your Style Interiors, LLC - Kihei, HI
Home Staging, Interior Redesign Kihei, Maui, Hawaii

Sally--love the art over the fireplace and how you made that room really work.  The interior of the home now matches the inviting feeling of the exterior. 

May 06, 2011 04:59 PM
John Pusa
Glendale, CA
Sally - Excellent information and tips about home staging and space planning. Thank you for the detailed quality blog. Very beautiful photos.
May 06, 2011 05:01 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Space planning is so important Sally, as well as the scale of the furniture to the room.  Well done my friend.

May 06, 2011 10:25 PM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Sally,

It certainly looks quite nice now. I wish I could spot these things ahead of time. Thanks for the post.

Brian

May 07, 2011 03:42 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Anna - Those fluffy white pillows really to soften the hard lines of the sofa - good eye!  I don't mind space planning on paper, but when we're staging to sell, there's no time for that! 

Janet - The original art seemed a bit dark for the space.  I wanted to lighten and brighten the living room, and started with this bright, sunny, yellow painting, perfect for spring. 

John - Thanks so much.  I love backing my staging stories up with "before" & "after" photos.  It helps illustrate the point much more easily.

Roger - Thanks, and I couldn't agree more.  The elements and principles of design need to be considered at all times when staging a property.  The results are that much better with a little forethought.

That's ok, Brian, just hire a home stager and they can spot these issues ahead of time for you!

 

May 07, 2011 04:16 AM
Vickie Nagy
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - Palm Springs, CA
Vickie Jean the Palm Springs Condo Queen

It's so trenedously important to make the best possible first impression. Staging is a crucial componenet of a successful sale.

May 07, 2011 06:04 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Sally ~ your staging and proper furniture placement in each space made a huge difference in this home!  Now the home's features are highlighted, especially the fireplace.  The Day Care look has been banished!

May 07, 2011 06:56 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Vickie - It's so true - a home that is staged is just much easier to sell.  "Shows beautifully" comes to mind.

Maureen - It really was amazing how moving the furniture created a big much bigger looking room, with lots of breathing space.

May 07, 2011 11:04 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Valerie - Yes, North Van - listed for $939,900 (57 X 135 ft lot).  The basement has a mortgage helper suite!

May 07, 2011 12:45 PM
Sheila Newton Team Anderson & Greenville SC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - C. Dan Joyner - Anderson, SC
Selling the Upstate since 1989

it is amazing what a little re-arranging and some accessories can do!! Great job!

May 07, 2011 04:28 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Wow. What a difference, Sally - the changes you made were perfect.

Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.

Kathy

May 08, 2011 12:07 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Sally- I love seeing the Before and After photos of occupied homes.  Moving the furniture around for better visual flow and adding just the right accessories can make a huge difference.

May 08, 2011 04:10 AM
Julia Maher
Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT
Connecticut Home Stager

LOVE that you moved that glass cabinet to create a little more "wall" and direct traffic!  Great job!  Lucky clients -

May 08, 2011 08:15 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Sheila - Yes, it's funny how homeowners are used to seeing their furniture placed a certain way, and don't think to rearrange for better look or flow.

Kathy N- Thanks so much for the "Before & After" Group feature!  

Kathy S. - As you mention, staging isn't only for vacant homes.  Occupied homes can really get a boost by furniture placement and an accessory package.

Julie - We actually didn't move the glass cabinet - sorry, my before photo wasn't quite lined up with my after photo.  What we did do was fill the cabinet with interesting curios, and add a plant to the top.  I think that makes all the difference.

May 08, 2011 08:22 AM
Michelle Drewry
Signature Real Estate Group - Henderson, NV
Realtor - Signature Real Estate Group

Sally - Amazing what rearranging and adding accessories can do.  Of course, it takes knowing how to do it, and you sure know how to make this house sell!  Beautiful work!

May 09, 2011 07:51 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Michelle - Thanks, Michelle!  The homeowner had nice furniture, it was just a question of lightening things up and adding a bit of pizzaz with accessories and art. 

May 11, 2011 02:50 PM