Table Cloths, Hutches & more Chicago Home Staging Dining Room Don'ts

If you saw our recent blog, Home Staging in Naperville, Transforming Dining Spaces, then you saw that sometimes changing furniture can make a big difference in the way a space is presented and the perceived value shift for today's home buyers. In toda's dining room blog, we'll showcase that you don't necessarily have to remove your furniture. When it is appropriate for the space we prefer letting you keep what you already have. It is better for your budget and less work for us.  

Doing the work to properly prepare your dining room before selling

That said, we should never shy away from the work that needs to be done to best present your home for the market. The goal is to have buyers fall in love with your home online, then say YES! when they come to see it.  

This dining room has great bones, many of which you can't really see. While no doubt the colors, drapes, and wallpaper border fit the seller's taste, the home now must fit the taste of today's buyer. The personal touches that make this "your home" must now be removed to showcase what they want to buy.  

A lot of work was done in this Western Springs, IL home. The sellers needed to remove the wall to wall carpeting, showcasing the beautiful hardwoods that were hidden underneath. The wallpaper borders were stripped and the room was painted in a neutral color that makes it feel fresh, new, and modern. The corner hutch made the room feel lopsided. It was removed, opening up the window, making it feel larger. The heavy, old fashioned window treatments came down, modern panels replacing them. The old brass chandelier was retired and replaced with an inexpensive brushed nickel fixture. Finally we removed the table cloth, hung art, and minimally accessorized the space.  

Chicago Home Staging Dos and Don'ts

This Western Springs, IL home showcases what many other Chicago area homes do. It is in the taste of the homeowner. That's great when you are living in the home. When you are ready to sell, in order to maximize your equity return in both faster offers and higher offers, you must bring the home as close to new home model condition as possible. This means: 

• Do remove wallpaper and/or borders
• Do paint a neutral color
• Do remove heavy draperies 

• Don't hide your furniture under table cloths
• Don't block windows or walls with heavy furniture pieces
• Don't hide hardwoods under heavy rugs or carpeting

And the biggest Do/Don't of all. Don't try to figure this all out yourself. Do hire a professional home stager. We'll help you create a comprehensive plan on how to proceed in a way that will maximize your budget. For more information on how to prepare your home for sale in today’s market, call Margaret and our team of home staging professionals today 815-530-3566.