I recently saw a staging show on HGTV in which the staged living room was beautifully arranged but, at the same time, was an example of poor staging. Poor Staging??? In a beautiful room on HGTV? How can that be?
Misuse of focal points!
Rather than put the emphasis on the room's focal point, a large picture window, the stager opted to put the sofa in front of the window thus preventing potential buyers from being able to walk over and see the view. But that was not her worst offense! You are NOT going to believe this!!! She brought in a RENTED fireplace to serve as the focal point. Not only did she neglect to play up the room's one and only architectural feature, she taunted potential buyers by focusing on a fireplace that would not be staying with the house.
Sometimes in our zealousness to make the rooms look inviting and functional, we neglect to highlight the home's best features....the one's that stay with the home after the furniture has been moved out. They are the home's real stars!
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Buyers want to walk over to the window in the living room and be able to see the neighborhood without having to lean over a sofa to do it.
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Buyers want to appreciate the uniquely arched windows without trying to imagine how they would look without the inexpensive topper cutting them in half.
- Buyers shouldn't have to stand up on a bed, that is using the window as a headboard, in order to see what the backyard looks like.
- Buyers love bay windows! They want to see them in all their glory; not have them half-hidden by a sofa.
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Buyers want to see the lovely hardwood floors without having to lift up decorative rugs that cover ¾ of the space.
There have been some discussions here on AR about the differences between interior decorating and staging. To me it comes down to the focal points. In staging, the focal point always, always, always stays with the house!
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