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If Home Staging is not Decorating or Design Why are So Many Trying to Make it Fit the Decorating Mold?

It struck me today as I was writing an article that there seems to be an evolution of sorts in the Home Staging realm. Unfortunately, the evolution is not one of progress, but one of conformity - conformity to a standard that is the antithesis of the true essence of Home Staging. We need to be aware of this and remember what Staging is really about.

By one definition Staging is the process of preparing a house for sale so that it sells in the fastest time and at the best price. Staging is the opposite of decorating - which is all about personalizing a space. When was the last time you picked up a decorating magazine and found it full of ways to clear out the space and make it universally appealing to everyone? I don't see articles like that in decorating or home interior magazines. What I see are ideas on personalizing colors, fabric choices, and furniture styles - all with the intent of making a space personal to the owner and pitching the latest trends in the decorating industry.

Let's face it - there are a lot of Stagers in business, and I do believe we do the industry proud as a group. But, I am concerned about what I see as a push towards elements of decorating that really have no place in Staging. This is not a criticism of decorators or designers, and yet many from those fields promote themselves as Stagers, and have blended the lines, so to speak, between what Staging is and what it is not. And we are letting it happen.

As an example, when the windows of a house have a hard line at the top, Home Stagers often swag a simple drape of fabric over the top to soften the lines, and possibly to frame the window. It is cleverly done, a quick step in the Staging process and it works. Stagers that are focused on the decorating or design side of things would say "Tsk, Tsk! The fabric is not at the right length or no hardware was used." I say, "Who cares if the fabric does not go all the way to the floor? Do you really think a buyer is going to notice much less care?" To me, the fact that the window is framed is enough - and it is just for an effect, it is not for "living" and certainly is not there to win a style award. And yet it IS tasteful and does the trick.

And how about mixing woods? I can hear the collective groan from decorators and designers all over America dismayed by the use of more than one wood color or grain in a house - and yet is the buyer purchasing the furniture? No - they are purchasing the HOUSE! So - mix away, Stagers. By the way, the eclectic look is IN so free yourselves from the "matchy-matchy" mental attitude.

I know there are cross over elements in Staging that are common with Decorating and Design, but what I see more and more are "Stagers" that are putting these "D" hats - trying to compete with that "look," which in true form misses the boat of Staging completely. Yes we have to follow current color trends and styles with Staging, but not to the point where we over-do a Staging job, or get so wrapped up into the need for a particular style or look for our Staging, that we blow a budget, take too much time on a job, or forget that the average buyer is going to be in the house for a short period of time. Our job is to highlight the best features of the house, minimize the distractions, and give a buyer a reason to purchase the house, not our stuff.

Now I can already hear some of you shaking your heads at my commentary - but take a look at some of the Staging that is out there and you tell me you don't think it has crossed into decorating. It might look very nice - I am not saying it doesn't - but is it overdone? And ask yourselves, "Is this what we want?" Do we want the public thinking Staging is like decorating - and therefore you need to pour more than is needed into a house for sale or not bother because they feel their stuff does not measure up?

The television shows that are supposedly "about home staging" are really about remodeling, redesigning and decorating a house for sale. Tell me I am wrong. I watch them just like you do. These shows deliver the wrong message to the public and I yearn for a show on Real Staging - where purging, packing, and creativity are the focus. Not one of these supposed shows on Staging is really about Staging. That is a tragedy in my book. When will we wake up and begin to demand that the reflection of what we do is accurate? We were so happy to have "some" coverage that we never stopped to consider "who is delivering the message?" For me, I don't want the designer on the "Designed to Sell" (you see - even the NAME is wrong!) representing what I do as a Home Stager. How about you? Are you proud of how we are represented on these shows as the caustic critics or devoted designers?

What I am concerned about is Stagers forgetting the true roots of Staging - and stepping into Decorating or Design shoes and walking a path away from the true goal of Staging. Paths that end up making the staging more costly and time consuming than it needs to be. I also wonder why some Staging classes feel the need to include information on feng shui, color analysis, spatial planning and the like? Is this because there is the fear that if we don't "know it all" we cannot serve our client or are they too conforming to the misguided perception of what Staging is really about? If a Stager wants to delve into redesign, that's great, and I think it's wise to carve out multiple niches for business, but if I want information on those things, I can read a book. When I was trained, it was to learn to be successful as a Stager, I already knew how to decorate.

My advice is to stick to the true roots of Staging and remember what the goal is - get the house sold - not make it look pretty. In the process of Staging, a house does end up looking wonderful, but the original goal of selling the space and the house cannot be forgotten because of baubles and bling. Trying to apply the "rules" of decorating and design to Staging is like trying to fit a square block in a round hole. It doesn't work and the focus becomes on the fit and not the finished product - the house. Break free from the design or decorating mold, and express yourself freely with "simply Staging."

Posted by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP on 06/06/2008 10:39 AM

Comments (55)

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55 Comments on If Home Staging is not Decorating or Design Why are So Many Trying to Make it Fit the Decorating Mold?

JUN

2008

Great Post, and yes I do agree that decorating and home staging are two different things, including the cost, you can't decorate for the cost of home staging.

Have A Great Day

JUN

2008

Hi Jennie,

You are correct, that staging isn't decorating. It is hard, cold, target market packaging of property.

However, the tools of stagers are the tools of the design trade. Knowledge in this field is essential, and there is no possible way an education or background in design can be a hindrance. Selection, purchasing, and installation of decorative elements are how stagers solicit an impression of maintenance, taste, and a feeling of an upgraded lifestyle from a property to project to the buyer. To disregard the elements, principles, and trends in design is not productive in a field that has it's feet planted to straddle both the Real Estate Market and the realm if Interior Design.

Yes, I agree that there is plenty of over-staging, and a fair share of under-staging. It is a continuum. Interior designers cannot miss the difference between staging and interior decorating. I think it is the stagers who are getting caught up in the excitement of decor that are more prone to the over-dressing of a property. Interior designers appreciate that simplicity. and are attracted to it.

As a decorator, I will tell you that staging both easier and faster than decorating. I don't have to concern myself overly with a seller's taste. I am not trying to discover their personal taste button and hit it time and time again with every decision I make. I get more flexibility, and the goal is simpler...FEATURE THE HOUSE. My background and knowledge of current trends, pricing, resources, installation, and innate properties of materials makes my work professional, and not just a band-aid. I know how to invest and stretch a staging budget wisely, to both feature the house and increase it's actual monetary value. I don't have to offer a decorative band-aid, because I know an awful lot about the design trade, and how to elicit the most bang for your buck within that industry.

I think you are off the mark divorcing staging from design. They are certainly cousins, and not as distant as your post reflects. They have different goals, but use similar application methods and rules of scale, color, juxtaposition, and accessorization. Not exactly the same, but the principles of design are evident in EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT OF STAGING. And when suggesting a replacement or reconditioning of a design element, you don't want someone with no working product knowledge or experience touring the aisles of home depot with your charge account in hand and your equity on the line. You might want to leave that to the pros, and not someone who doesn't know the difference between the merits of sanded vs, unsanded grout, and is asking the pimply-faced teen that stocks the tile aisle.

Related? Heck yeah. The same, definitely not. But are designers hurting the art of staging? Not hardly, especially if it involves a home improvement budget in preparation for sale.

~Michelle Molinari

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

Michelle - I do agree with you -- Staging is design, it is a specialized study in form, function, human behavior and response, merchandising and marketing. It is actually a very intensive form of design when done how it should be, and like other specialized areas, say, automobile design, set design, theme park design, window dressing design... the desired outcome dictates the elements and strategies employed to achieve it. Designing is how it all happens!

Bravo! Thank you Jennie! I completely agree with you on this point. After seeing some of the pictures on AR I was beginning to wonder if staging had taken on a different meaning than what I was originally taught. Some of these so called "staged" homes look magnificent, but I can also imagine that it must've cost a fortune and a whole lot of decorator talent to get them to look that way.

My whole business objective has been the same all along and that is to get a house in "sell ready" condition so that it sells quickly and without spending a lot of money doing it. I have a talent and I know that my talent will keep making sellers happy. I'm sticking to my guns and refuse to go into the "D" direction, Staging is a completely different concept.

I love your last statement and I think it says it all "Break free from the design or decorating mold, and express yourself freely with "simply Staging."

I appreciate the plug for my company, it's why I chose the name - it says exactly what we do - Simply Staging. Take care, Emma

Well - interesting feedback - and I respectfully have to disagree with the statements that Staging is design. Look at the definitions of the two - and you'll see what I am mean when I say that they are not the same. In fact, you tell that to a group of designers and they will show you the door. I have had enough designers in classes to tell you that it is an EYE OPENER when they see the light - and realize that design is NOT the same. Not even close. The things a designer or decorator focus on are totally different than a Stager. Staging is a stand-alone field, and what I find are talented people from these other arenas see a viable income stream in Staging, and decide to join the ranks of Stagers.

This dialogue above is the perfect example of the lines being blurred to the point where people really think they are the same animal. They may be "cousins" and as I shared there are some similarities, but they are NOT the same thing.

What I see is that those that cross over from decorating or design can have a challenge with drawing a clear line in the sand and sticking to the inherent goal of Staging which is to sell the house. I did not say decorators or designers are hurting the industry as there are many talented Stagers that have degrees in design and/or decorating - but I do think that designers or decorators that put on the hat of Staging while still keeping their feet in the world of design or decorating DO cause confusion for the public.

I do believe projects become overdone, the focus is not on simple solutions for Staging, that can be tasteful without being overdone. I can tell the difference - the philosophy in Staging of "less is more," often seems to be disregarded. Or the "Staging" is so trendy that it loses the other principle of "being universally appealing to all buyers." Those are inherent truths of our business - and something we cannot forget when we Stage.

The representation of our industry in the media with these deceptive television shows that are NOT a real reflection of what is done for Staging is misleading, and will continue to be fed to the public until we that are Staging - and working to sell the house and not some technique or fabric or furnishing that is put in a house - stand up and demand a true reflection of our work. And unfortunately what I am seeing is a trend towards trying to fit the mold of the media instead of shaping the media to what we really do out there in working with clients. Not every house has to be a show piece, not every budget allows for excess, and sometimes working with what a client has works just fine - the house sells, and the goal is met . . .for a Stager.

- Jennie

Hi Jennie - If I see one more table set with silver and china like it is Thanksgiving I will throw up! Margaret

I agree, Margaret - you are too funny!

The other point Michelle made about Staging - is that she related it to remodeling a house. The process of replacing fixtures, flooring and updating a house is remodeling. That can be part of the Staging process, just like updating landscaping can be part of the Staging process. And being able to select colors and materials that will be appealing to buyers is something most Stagers can do easily, and yes, that does begin to enter the world of decorating or design, and yet when I recommend materials for Staging a house for sale, I am considering colors that are broadly appealing, and not what the Seller wants, nor what the latest "trend" might be - but what we know will help that house to sell. There are many people without formal training in design or decorating that have an eye for color and can make skillful selections without having to involved a "pimply teenager" in Home Depot.

What I did not see referenced at all in the posts above - is the placement of furniture, the strategic manipulation of the path of a buyer through the house, and the creation of focal points that help create interest in each room. I also did not see anything about the decluttering that has to happen in most houses, or the depersonalization that is the crux of Staging. Those are not words decorators or designers use as they are not part of the process or personalizing a space for a homeowner - and so the road do divide and go off in clearly different directions when you stop long enough to think about it.

When a house is upgraded with remodeling, the marketing of that house reflects the changes - and the price as well. But just because a homeowner may not be able to do all the cosmetic changes does not mean it can't be Staged. There are those that walk away from these "ugly ducklings" instead of helping them become swans - and Staged for the buyers in that price range, in that market. - Jennie

Jennie,

I am a stager true to heart, but my staging background spills over when I help a client with design. The same principles still apply. Many of my suggestions are the same. Bigger accessories and less of them, less is always more and creating focal points. My clients don't care that I don't over do it because they hired me because of my work and style, which is more simplistic than a desinger. Just like my home, it's decorated by me, but it also looks like it's been staged, unless I have several houses destaged, then as Fernando would say it looks like a house threw up in my Garage. It's Staged to Live:)

I help Custom Home Builders with design for their spec homes, because I think it is important to not have a potentianl problem with floor plans, color choices and interior selections, where a stager would be called in to help later on. Designers in my area are the ones helping builders make the selections and s a Stager I think it is important to offer these services. It's the complete package to help Design the home from a selling prospectiove, then stage it to sell. Full circle would be Design it to sell, stage it to sell and stage it to live......

I agree with Michelle that there is plenty of over-stagging, but there is a lot of under-staging out there, which I feel that hurts our industry even more.

Jennie - I'm getting clients who want redesign -- or as you call it, stage to live -- but they want to do it with an eye towards eventually selling their home in two to four years. I live in a transient area with military, government workers and FBI. There is a lot of moving in and out. They ask for guidance on selecting wall color, lighting, flooring, upgrades, etc. in the house they just bought. They want their choices to appeal to buyers, but they want to LIKE what is being selected because it will, for the time being, be what they have to live with. I think that staging and design blend more than you think. As homeowners get more savvy about what sells, they want expert guidance on making the right decisions so that they don't have to spend the money to redo things in a couple of years when they move.

I flip between staging and redeign clients all the time and I don't find it difficult to focus in on the purpose of and differences between each. And I have to disagree with your comment above that furniture placement and the creation of focal points "are not words that designers or decorators use." They most certainly are. Balance, scale, proportion, rhythm -- that's introductory interior design.

Actually, trends are very crucial when staging. And I have to say, they are not my regular cup of tea. For example, let's take the current trend of the aqua and chocolate theme everyone is running with. It is the country blue and mauve of the 21st century.

When I choose colors as a designer, I NEVER EVER recommend this scheme if I can help it. It's already dated. When everyone has it, no one wants it, and it's a trend that is absolutely seeing it's zenith. I know that, AS A DECORATOR because it is my job to keep my finger on the pulse of the current trend, and predict which look will be the next "it" look.

But when staging, the mass market in general doesn't recognize the demise of a look until it is far too late. Would I stage with that palette? Absolutely. Spa-like blue and bittersweet chocolate are what the mass market is clamoring for. Paint, and a bedspread from Walmart will absolutely do the trick, and to the layperson, be on-trend and allow them to feel the house is updated. Would I sell it to a client who is spending $8000 on new furnishings and custom bedding/draperies? Hardly. I know when to go out and beat the dead dog. I know this trend will be milked and adored by the masses another year or so in stores, and then it will be milked by the public of a good two or three years after that. Trends make a splash, and that particular one still has some ripples criss-crossing the pond.

Using this palette to CREATE A FOCAL POINT is a no-brainer for a staged house.

And layout and flow of a floorplan is the first class you take in design school. These concepts we not conceived by the staging industry, no way, no how. Staging is the specific target packaging for real estate market. THAT is the difference. That is something most decorators and designers do not have expertise in and know nothing of.

De-clutter is an exclusive term to staging, and one I do not use, because it has a connotation I dislike. I do not "declutter." That is something a housekeeper can do. I "eliminate distractions from the focal point." LOL.

I understand the over-staging, and I concur. I take issue with decor and design being separate entites from staging. The goal is different, the tools are the same. It's like saying a Sears mechanic is the antithesis of a race car mechanic. They have the same tools, they come from the same background and education, they just elicit different results from the car. They are clearly both automotive-related and mechanically related, and one begat the other.

Staging is absoltely and firmly based on the concepts of asthetically pleasing residential design and decor, and has been tweaked to also sell real estate quickly.

~Michelle

Jennie, very interesting conversation. Seems like I have heard this conversation play out in so many ways, so many times. "Staging is just a form of decorating!", "Parts of staging and decorating overlap", "You need to be educated on decorating or you'll never get staging", and on, and on. In my humble opinion the difference between the two, is plain and simple, the objective. I believe you can be both a decorator and a stager and even an event planner that includes elements of decorating, as long as you can truly understand the objective and truly focus on that objective. Here in lies the problem... Many can only focus on one objective. Whether you can do that or not should clearly show in the results. We can all discuss this until the proverbial cows come home but in the end you have to ask yourself "Did I meet the objective" "Did I meet my clients expectations" In many ways the answer to this discussion seems so simple to me, probably because I'm neither a Decorator or a Stager, and all I can understand to focus on is the end results "How did your client feel about the results?" "Did you meet their expectations?" Another sure fire sign of the results is your own personal statistics. I'm thinking that if a home owner has a house staged and it sells really quickly they won't care what you call what you did. Now, we as stagers care what they call it. It's how we differentiate ourselves from decorators, designers or even gardeners. So while I say the client doesn't care, I do believe that we should care so we can market ourselves and our results appropriately.

If the clients expectation is for you to make their home feel comfortable for THEM to live in, in the style THEY prefer, under the budgetary constrains that they commit to, then in the end if they are happy with the results, you have successfully decorated their home. If the clients expectation is that you make their house feel comfortable for the largest percent of potential buyers to see THEMSELVES living in, under the budgetary constraints that they commit to, and in the end if they sell their house and they are happy with the results, you have successfully staged their house.

Again, just one mans humble opinion.

Gary - love what you shared, and I agree. Michelle - I agree and disagree, respectfully about the path Staging has taken to get to the main stage where it is today.

Staging is rooted in real estate not decorating or design. I guess that is my main beef here - it did not just "spin off" one day when some designer or decorator decided they could add income to their satchel if they helped a lowly homeowner make their house look great for selling. And this fact seems to escape all the TV shows, and those that are trying to squeeze Staging into a decorating mold or out of a decorating mold.

The origin of Staging was about selling a house - and what to do to get rid of the things that a Seller just "loved" - because they had put them in their house. The personal items, the collections, and funky art or eyesores. It was about pathways and always taken from the buyer's perspecitve. It was a process born from knowing what a buyer would expect to see in a house - and not what the seller liked. That is not being taught in design or decorating school.

As Gary wrote (and I am paraphrasing) - What is the goal of decorating or design? To make the room or house more aesthetically pleasing. The goal of Staging is to sell the house. The pleasing look is a secondary part of the process. If I don't help that house to sell, I have not done my job. But a decorator who thinks they are Staging by making the house look fabulous is missing the most important piece of the puzzle - the house is supposed to sell - not just look fabulous.

Staging was and is a process that more than anything else involves the psychology behind getting a seller to do what we want - or allow us to do the work - so that the end result is a sale in the fastest time and for the best price. It was born by a Realtor intent on selling houses, not a designer or decorator looking for another avenue of income.

Color trends, decorating, stuff - really is a secondary or tertiary part of this. Declutter, edit, purge, or eliminiate distractions - they are all the same thing no matter how you slice it or phrase it. "It" is an essential part of Staging.

Michelle & Andrea, There are many Stagers that do remodling and redesign projects - even if they call it something else - and do a fabulous job, I might add. We are often brought in to help a client because they know we do not make our money on selling them on new furniture and marking it up - but will use what they have, and add a fresh outlook on it. Or we help with selection of upgrading their house - flooring, fixtures, etc.

But, with that said, even I know when to walk away, when a project goes beyond my personal expertise or desire to invest time with a client - for me this usually happens when fabric enters the equation. I have no time or desire to design window treatments or recover furniture. I happily refer extended design/decorating jobs to colleagues that are experts in that field.

When working with these clients, it is always wise to ask, "So how long will you be living in this home?" - to find out if their plan is short or long term - because that would make a huge difference in the selection of materials.

I am not writing about staying in one service area - we (whether we started as a Stager or Decorator or Designer) can step into decorating, we can step into remodeling or redesign, and we can step into Staging. Just be careful to put on different shoes so the "stuff" from these other areas do not filter in to Staging.

Jennie, I completely agree with you. I worry the HGTV "staging" shows frighten a lot of potential customers. I live in an area where people are putting their houses on the market because they can no longer afford them. They certainly cannot afford makeovers requiring construction crews or brand new furniture, draperies, etc. I strive to use what they have. It is usually enough, and the homeowner is thrilled with what was achieved using design knowledge and guidelines, imagination, and some hard work. Is the end result a "model home showroom"? No, not usually, but it is attractive, neutral, appealing, clutter free, provides a good first impression and allows a potential buyer to imagine themselves living there. Thanks for your post.

Anita

www.A1AHomeStaging.com

Palm Coast, FL

Of course, as an agent, I see more homes in a month than most buyers do. But still, I am tired of seeing the same stuff over and over agin. The so-called stagers plop the same accessories in a succession of houses and think that has done the trick, regardless of the style of the house. A house with very sleek, modern lines? Let's use a French country theme with china roosters in the kitchen. Traditional Tudor-style architecture? It's a trip to Tuscany with fake grapevines weaving around the pot rack! And where is it written every home must have a topiary? (and please for the sake of the Open House agent, could we leave one place setting bare so they could write that contract on the one table in the whole place? You know -- the table that has the massive flower arrangement, so large you could be sharing breakfast with Charles Manson and never notice?)

I all but break into giggles at the varieties of giftwrapping I see done on toilets in new houses but try not to do it in front of the buyers. I know it's a subtle way to say "Don't use me! The water isn't turned on!" but bouquets of red roses with streamers atop the toilet seat lid "just ain't right."

Many of the agents in my office use stagers. But until I find one I think truly understands how to highlight and showcase THE HOUSE not the accessories, I'll spend my marketing dollars elsewhere.

It seems if more stagers took your approach then more sellers could afford to think staging.

Aloha Jennie,

Thanks for the post. It comes down to time for me. Interior Decorating takes time, usually weeks if not months. Staging on the other hand should be done in an a day or two. Who has the time to do the fru fru when your staging? Not me.

Peace,

Jennie,

I thank you for this great post. This "confusion" that is being discussed here spills over in to a stager's client base in so many ways.... Homeowners and Realtors reluctant to stage because of the misconceptions. Homeowners who expect a total/rehab makeover in a few days and for next to no cost. Buyers and Buyers agents expecting certain amenities in even lower priced homes. There is a featured blog on AR by Jennifer Kirby "Are Buyers Spoiled" discussing what even first time buyers expect to see in a home now days that is an extension of this discussion I think.

We see lots of great before/afters here on AR and there is plenty of talent however it is just my humble opinion, honestly no offense intended, that they all do not represent what staging truly is and should be. The end game is to sell the house. Design principles do help accomplish this but I do not agree with the "selling the lifestyle" philosophy unless we are talking builders models.

Wow...you just wrote everything that I have been thinking lately and so eloquently....I wish I could write like that. There is a great difference in decorating and staging, plus a lot of agents feel that staging should be there personal taste, not the taste that will attract the buyer. Everyone it seems does have an opinion....even me. My opinion is that we need to stick with what we know is the essence of staging, get paid for it, and feel proud of the service that we offer to the sellers and to the Realtors. Thanks for saying it so well. "B"

Wow - what a debate! I often see designers who "over stage" and Stagers who "under dress" rooms or really don't seem very good at all. As a Stager who also offers interior decorating services I am careful not to pick on designers too much for Staging, but I clearly see the difference depending on the project and the end goal. Sometimes I think designers have a hard time seeing the difference between Staging just as I see some Stagers really have poor taste and do a lackluster job for their clients.

Wonderful article, I agree decorating is not staging. Yet, many people in this area think that if you're a designer you can sell my home faster. This shows you that you need to educate the public continously, so they can see the differences in staging and decorating. Thanks!!!!

;>)

Without utilizing design principles (whether learned or innate) staging would be pointless without it. As some have pointed out the tools are the same but the end goal is different; design to please one household, staging to please a broader audience.

I think it is the unskilled in design (please note I did not say untrained) who are in fact hurting our industry. I see it here week after week. As Sally points out above those who take the point of staging as you have defined it will only ever plop in the same old same old.

Staging is more than cookie cutter service.

You have to have an understanding of architecture so as not to mix period styles that will clash among so many other elements of Design.

Staging is a niche market of design just as designing hotel rooms is a niche market of design.

Another point, like any service there are levels. At one end is the staging you define and at the opposite end you are getting close to model homes.

Staging isn't static and as a new industry it is going to grow and change. Pioniers may or may not like how it will evolve but it will because it ultimately is the client who decides the level of service they and their home requires.

There is room for all levels of staging what we need to fight is the unskilled who are so prevalent and truly damaging our industry because they are told 'anyone can stage'. No they can't.

LOL, it was getting a little boring around here. Nothing better than a good debate!

Good to see the feedback and opinions shared! I think that those that are holding the torch up for design or decorating are missing my point of the blog . . . I have not disagreed that there are similarities but I do disagree that the goals are the same or that coming at Staging from a decorating or design angle is a good thing. I love what Sally wrote - we don't want cookie cutter looks - and most Stagers have a wide variety of decor to enhance a house when needed. The key is that she wrote that the decor becames the focal point, and not the house itself - which means that the house was decorated and not Staged. That is exactly my point.

One of the best analogies I have been taught about Staging is that Staging is like a piece of framed art. The frame and matting - that is the Staging. The work of art or the focal point of the painting or picture is the house itself - and that is what we want the buyers to remember, NOT the frame and mat. The frame and matting set off the picture or painting. They pull the look together - but are not the reason someone stops to pause or take in the picture.

Dane, not everyone can Stage and yet the media would have you believe differently. Just by following some quick tips and a list of do's and don't's a seller can do it themselves! What these so-called "experts" are missing is that a person has a really hard time being objective in their own house and ridding it of things they like.

Some of what we see is, of course, personal preference where one Stager might use more items and another is more streamlined in his or her approach to a house. Both finished products look good and so there is not just ONE way to Stage.

I am not adverse to change - evolving as an industry is a good thing, and we have evolved. I just don't want us molded by a group that is not really out there Staging. I don't think any Stager that is out serving clients and truly Staging houses would want that to happen.

- Jennie

JUN

2008

Applause applause! I do not like the home staging shows on TV because they devalue our worth. I have emailed every one of them and complained. A staging business is not about arranging flowers in high heels and makeup. I would love to have a camera follow me around as I sweat from start to finish.

I purchase my own furniture and accessories. I buy what I like and what I think would appeal to buyers. I buy quality because quality speaks quality and is a good reflection on the property. I just do the best with what I have and work with the style of the home.

As a Realtor experienced working with buyers - I know that buyers absolutely do notice the furniture and accessories. I have seen staging gone overboard, and staging done cheaply and badly. Thanks for the post!

Joan Inglis, Realtor, ASP, Charlotte, NC IAHSP Chapter President

Have I got this correct?

Staging is about accentuating the features of the home such as the architectural details which bring value to the property. It is about maximizing the flow through the house.

Is this right?

So are you saying decorators/designers miss this point?

HGTV is a valuable tool. These staging shows are not reality shows. They depict wonderful aspects of staging, but leave out the ugly, boring, and tedious parts. It's called editing.

That's just the way TV keeps viewers, by entertaining their senses in a positive way. The impact I feel is negative is that they make it seem like it's instant and super-cheap. That isn't a fair representation of labor involved. But that's Hollywood.

Staging in high heels? I don't see that going on. When the host or hostess of the show are actually doing the labor, they are dressed like anyone else doing a DIY project. When consulting/discussing the project when no actual labor is involved does require a professional and truly polished appearance, which can certainly be achieved in low heels. Makeup? Well, it's hard for me to sell my expertise in a visually result-oriented profession if I cannot dress myself to look fresh and put-together. That isn't being hoity-toity. That is taking the first and subsequent impressions seriously. It's just plain professional.

So what is it really about designers-turned-stagers that gets under the skin of certain stagers without a background in design? I doubt this actually has anything to do with T.V. shows, shoes, make-up, or window treatment choice. Are stagers without any actual design education whatsoever feeling uncomfortable by the stagers that have spent time learning about the "whys" of design? Instead of making a stance against over-the-top staging (which is not limited to designers...I see more of it. like I initially said, in stagers that are going ga-ga over the decor aspect cuz it's so kewl) and pointing to designers, maybe a better plan might be to get an understanding not just what tactics work but why they work.

"It looks better to buyers if you do this...," isn't a good enough answer when you have any competiton whatsoever in your chosen field. You don't have to be a degreed designer to back up your instinct. Even informal training and reading will give afford you a better understanding of why. Learning about design gives you a distinct advantage, and whether you see it or not is moot. The result is better when you know about your trade. If staging was just real estate, it wouldn't take the eye and artistry staging does.It's a blend of psychology, real estate, AND DESIGN.

Bury your head if you must. But this business is going to exceed everyone's expectations in the near future, and you can put your hands over your ears and eyes or you can get busy learning. If you don't, the other guy will, and you'll just be a "hack". Maybe a good "hack", but those who have more skill will eventually surpass you. I am not speaking about formal training specifically. But you should be digesting something more than substantial than catalogs and magazines in this field. You should be learning your craft.

This business of appealing to the public's taste and expectation is a contantly moving animal. Lay a trap and wish for luck, or get out there and start following the trail. The choice is clear, and it is all yours.

~Michelle

I'm with Dane on this one. Staging is evolving away from the original principles that Barb outlined in the class I took 4 years ago. And, we are the ones making it so. I cannot tell you the number of ladies that have contacted me to ask how they can get started in the business. I have spent the time and have concluded, that they want to have 'fun' and are 'great with crafts'. Please, if you don't study some aspects of design, you aren't gonna make it in this business. I don't appreciate the staged homes that give a cold, sparse impression when entering. I do appreciate the ones that are a breath of fresh air, make you actually feel good. The extra effort makes the difference. Design is a huge part of staging, and, any interior designer with all the credentials can ABSOLUTELY, HANDS DOWN do both and very well, while keeping their eye on the goal.

Jennie, I appreciate where you are coming from and it has been invigorating reading the responses. I do think that the industry is evolving and is richer than its original conception and all thanks to Barb and her original staff.

Hey Dane, You wanted a good debate - it looks like we have one! (LOL)

Now now, Michelle, this is not about "jealousy" or the division or thought that "only Stagers with a design background have talent and can stage and those that do not have that background are, as you put it, "hacks." Let's not even go there. And believe it or not, Michelle, I have seen people stage in high heels - I think they are crazy . . . I certainly don't look like that when I stage! LOL.

And "should be learning your craft" - again please do not assume that Stagers are not learning finding new ways to do a great job - there are lots of ways to keep gaining education beyond magazines and TV, that many tap into. But honestly, materials have not evolved so much that we have to go and "re-learn" what we already know how to do. Houses are not being designed so oddly that we have to go and re-learn how to create pathways that make sense. What we have to re-learn if anything is how to respond to changing markets and keep our service viable and in demand.

Staging is evolving because the service has reached mass numbers - but it has taken over 3 decades. My point of this blog is the industry is trying to be shaped by people that are not truly Stagers. The industry is being shaped by HGTV shows that actually HURT us - with their caustic approach to dealing with clients, or tells the public they need to overhaul their houses and spend a ton of money in order to put their house up for sale. In an ideal world, wouldn't that be great if EVERYONE could do that - and we had carte blanche to use their money any way we wanted? But THAT is not reality.

Come on - how many of you really believe that those shows do "us" (those of us that are actually out there doing this for a living) justice? Are YOU PROUD of how they depict the Stagers in these shows? Not one of these shows represents what I know my colleagues all over the US and I do for our clients. And I am talking about high profit and very talented Stagers, not "hacks."

Now - you tell me - if Joe and Sally Public are watching a "staging" show, outside of getting a few laughs and hopefully getting the idea that they need to fix up their house before putting it on the market, do you think most homeowners are going to willingly subject themselves to humiliation and criticism from a "stager" and pay them $2,000 to do that - or are they going to say, "Well, we aren't going to have someone criticize us - we like our things." Or "Well, we don't have that kind of money." THAT is what happens.

What is happening is a great divide - and I don't mean between Stagers and those with a D approach to Staging or a background in D&D. The divide is between the Realtors who want to serve their clients and homeowners that want their houses Staged, and the affordability factor of thinking that most clients cannot afford to re-do their house and spend $2K or more, and so guess what? Staging a house will become perceived as a service that is out of reach for the average homeowner. Do you want that? I don't.

It will - gasp! become like Decorating or Design - seen as a service for only those with discretionary income to toss towards a project, led by offensive and overpriced individuals. Whether that is a fair assessment of the D&D industry, it is a real one that 99% of homeowners have towards that service. And that is why most of them do NOT hire a D&D - they "do it themselves." Think long and hard before you just debate me on the D factor of Staging. If we don't keep it simple and a service for the public, we will not have any business. Then where will we run? I already have many D&D people asking ME for work!

And on the topic of pricing - what this is doing is instead of staying true to the roots of Staging which IS rooted in simplifying a space so that ALL buyers will appreciate and feel good there, I see Stagers running around trying to replicate the "look" of these decorating shows or D-Stagers pouring too much in a house or getting all caught up in window treatments or having to have a certain "look" with a house - and you know what, you are working for free my friend if you are caught up in that. Because the average fee for Staging does not cover all the time you take to do that, plus the planning and agonizing over tiny details. That is the truth.

There are many professional Stagers that are able to pull off a fabulous look with style, flair and pizzazz that are able to do it for less time and money than you who focus on details that really don't matter in the Staging and sale of the house. When the public shops around for the best person at a price they can afford, you just "decorated" yourself out of a job. And the "other" Stagers - that are just Staging are laughing all the way to the bank - and believe me, they are paid very well for their time and talent. They just know where to draw the line and maximize their time investment.

With all due respect, Nancy, this was not a blog about one class versus the other or the principles taught in a class versus something else (we've been there done that). And yet since you brought it up, to be true, ASPs that stay tapped in are taught via many methods after they graduate and stay on TOP of the trends and skills - and many are the ones leading the evolution of quality and change for the industry. We are having our convention in a month - and it will be FULL of NEW ideas to help us stay on top of the market with our both our Staging talent and marketing skills.

My point here is that Staging is NOT design or decorating - it never has been - and my hope is that those that are trying to make it into design (a.k.a. the TV shows, the "stagers" that are really decorating houses for sale) will cause those that are approaching Staging as a marketing tool for houses - and not a showcase for stuff - will rise up and put their collective foot down.

Jennie, I wasn't talking about a class or classes...I was agreeing with Dane and Michelle that design is a huge aspect of staging.

Nancy - you are right - there are definitely elements that are shared - and I acknowledged that from the start. I am not in disagreement on that point at all. But I do believe there is a clear defining point where someone that is Staging recognizes that enough is enough - and someone that is intent on a D&D approach would not. - Jennie

Jennie-

I WROTE : "Bury your head if you must. But this business is going to exceed everyone's expectations in the near future, and you can put your hands over your ears and eyes or you can get busy learning. If you don't, the other guy will, and you'll just be a "hack". Maybe a good "hack", but those who have more skill will eventually surpass you. I am not speaking about formal training specifically. But you should be digesting something more than substantial than catalogs and magazines in this field. You should be learning your craft."

Let me break that down in for those who skip over reading all the words I wrote:

If you choose to ignore the direction this business IS ALREADY GOING, BY YOUR OWN ADMISSION , and do not have the inclination to follow that flow, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE CONSIDERED A HACK.

I did not call anyone a hack. I did not call you a hack. The future of staging isn't up for your interpretation. You can't go back, only forward. This is where it is already headed!!! If you are open to the idea of evolution, are you open to what has already evolved?

I don't want this to come off as a negative blogging My post, it's entirety, was not meant or written to offend.

This is where we are, people. You can't undo the progress or direction. You can consider yourself a "staging purist," but what happens when you are left in the primordial ooze?

My whole jist all along: LEARN ABOUT DESIGN BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE EDGE IS.

It isn't about me being better than you or anyone else here. I do not have a design degree! My edge is that I have spent a vast majority of my life living in, learning about, and presently working in, the design field. How did I learn? I made an effort to find answers. I listened to and learned from designers in my life (shout out to my mom!). If I don't do as I preach, I too, will be destined for hackship.

I have not encouraged anyone to go to back to college and earn a degree. Just back up your talent with some understanding of the basic concepts of design. How can that be considered blasphemy, I can not possibly begin to fathom.

Oh, wait. Color consulting, furniture arrangement, floorplan layout, telling folks to get rid of their unsightly crap, hanging art and creating window treatments, and creating focal points are TOTALLY NEW CONCEPTS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF UNTIL THE WORD STAGING WAS UTTERED UPON THE EARTH.

And thus crawled forth the stagers upon the land. And the Realtors rejoiced, and said it was good.

~Michelle

This is fun . . . (LOL) Michelle I respect your opinions as I hope you respect mine and I don't think anyone, least of all me, is burying their head or putting hands over their ears or will become a "hack" - that is kind of crossing the line into judgment where you (nor anyone else) has the right to do. Just because "progress" might be happening (according to some), does not mean it is good.

And maybe I am the only "non conformist" that is up here shaking her fist, but I don't think so - I know based on the other feedback from this blog post that many agree that a Staging industry that is headed into decorating is not a good thing. Non conformists - speak up and be heard!

And I might use the word SNOB to describe the attitudes of those that see themselves as providing a "higher form of Staging" - because 1. They assume their work is better than someone else's, and 2. It is not always needed and 3. That also means they feel they are "superior" to those that have been doing this longer, better and very successfully. Are we now going to have a Staging caste system? Should we have a judge and jury system? "You are not worthy of Staging (loud lightning bolt sound) - I banish you to the depths of mediocrity."

A Staging industry that continues to serve the general public and help the all (including the average homeowner) achieve their goal of selling their house, is what we need. Not an elitist group intent on decorating houses and eliminating the majority of homeowners out there. We need to be able to serve ALL sellers - not just the ones with remodeling money or decorating budgets, and not just the ones with cool houses that we can create a zippy theme in. . .

Trust me - what Realtors rejoice about (I am married to one - so I know first hand) - is when we can help them do their job better, help them get more listings, and help those listings sell faster. They don't rejoice when clients can't afford to Stage at all, or rejoice when they realize they overpaid for the service. And they rejoice when we can help ALL houses to look better and sell faster - not just the ones we deem "worthy" or that can afford to have their houses decorated.

Define the industry - don't CONFORM. That would be going back to the proverbial evolutionary goo. Crawl back in an attempt to move forward and eliminate the very business we are in. Now that is a wise choice . . . NOT.

And Dane - I did not mean to ignore your question about D&D missing the points you put above - your post just got overlooked in my quick review.

In answer to your question - I am not saying that D&D miss the point, and I have said the work some of these individuals create is great looking. I love watching HGTV as much as the next person, even though I don't always agree with the outcome.

What I am saying is that some (not all) have a tendency to make the Staging about the stuff and not the house - and therefore to me, are missing the whole point about Staging. And the TV shows definitely do that - and this is mis-educating the public - who is supposed to be hiring us to work with them, and also mis-directing some Stagers who feel the need to copy the process.

I am not alone in my concern about what could possibly happen to our industry if we allow these shows and others that probably are not even out there Staging as a primary business direct our path.

My prediction (and it is open to my interpretation just as it is for anyone else's interpretation which is half the fun of being able to blog) is that the industry will head away from our main area of service and be looked upon as yet another "specialty" service available only to those that have excess $$ to burn.

That to me would be a travesty because Staging is not just for the elite, and we don't want to create a chasm that cannot be bridged.

- Jennie

Jennie,

You are herding cats.

~Michelle

Not sure what you mean by your comment - I happen to like cats - and don't see that I am trying to "herd anyone." I could say the same to those that don't agree with me - but instead appreciate the opportunity for a good bantering back and forth - but there comes a point when we just have to agree to disagree.

I also like to keep it professional - and not delve into the personal, though - please stay away from character assumptions and names. I find it only ruffles feathers that don't have to be ruffled and takes things off topic. The great thing about what we do and who we are is that we don't have to agree. I guess since neither one of us can predict the future or truly know what is best for Staging, only time will tell.

I would still like to hear from others who would like to see our industry represented accurately. Share your thoughts please!

- Jennie

I never went anywhere near personal. I never made a single disparaging remark towards you nor anyone else.

Herding cats= Attempting to do something that is fundementally impossible.

~Michelle

Hi Michelle - I am not the only one of the mindset of hopefully bring a fundamental togetherness for Staging - just check out blogs from the founder of SIF - he is the ultimate idealist. And - I am not saying that you did "go there" even though you did use words that were a little zinger-ish - but I sensed it could be heading that way - so just wanted to end our ping-pong and hopefully give others an opportunity to voice their thoughts. - Jennie

Well, Jennie, I'd rather take my spanking after I do the deed.

~Michelle

I think it is such a good idea to do. Do you also give advise to decorate let me know.

Well - I am not sure if the last poster was referring to the spanking in the post above (LOL) or to Staging to sell. I think I will assume the latter and post a reply . . . If someone that is not moving wants help in pulling their house together, we do that as well - and it falls under the category we call "Staging to Live." We can use what the client has and rework it with fresh eyes, or help them source new stuff. Most Stagers do both - and depending on how involved they want to get in the process can cover a lot of ground with new furnishings, window treatments, etc. - or they will pass the baton to a colleague that specializes in that aspect of the service. - Jennie

Disclaimer before I begin: not personally directed at anyone, just my opinion!!! I am not as eloquent as many of the comments above but here goes:

Great points on both sides have been made however I lean towards what Jennie is saying on so many more points and this is why. We are getting caught up in the technical aspect or definition of staging versus decorating but not discussing the difference in interaction with a client who needs staging versus the decorating.

Michelle said "As a decorator, I will tell you that staging both easier and faster than decorating. I don't have to concern myself overly with a seller's taste. I am not trying to discover their personal taste button and hit it time and time again with every decision I make."

To me it is far harder to compassionately and tactfully tell someone who has been in a home for years that this has to go and that needs changing etc, etc. This is a part of staging that gets completely ignored especially by TV shows that have dragon ladies entering and critiquing the "style" of homeowners.

I did a home for a couple who had been married for 35 years, raised 2 children and had been in the same home for 20. It took over two weeks to weed through it all. It was an emotional journey for husband and wife. They didn't have lots of money and the wife was very resistant. I do not define that as easy. She would not allow me to use before shots because she was afraid people would laugh "like they do on TV". While I don't believe you can cater in any way to the seller's taste you definitely must consider it on some level as they have to live in the place for a time longer.

What is easy is to take an empty room and guss it up and then take photos for everyone to ooh and ahh over the wonderful "decor" and "flow".

Over the months I have read comments in other blogs in thinly vailed ways denegrate Stagers who do the DYIs and Consultatons mainly... I mean that's not staging...hobbyists, unskilled blah blah blah... not worthy of respect unless they are plastering Before/Afters all over the web. "Oh any one can do that" I have seen that comment before. I beg to differ. I myself think this attitude comes from the design junkies who have jumped into staging educated or not. Quick to criticize other Stager's work but don't consider that it may have been all that Stager had to work with. Like Jennie said not everyone has that big budget. Are we going to "design/decorate" ourselves out of an industry?

Staging is not a platform to show our design sense or accomplishments it is a people business BIG TIME that involves the handling of someones "pride and joy" and in many cases life history. Let's not lose sight of that in this debate.

On the other hand Michelle is right about the change and necessity to incorporate both views so that we can provide a better service to our clients. Change is good but I am with Jennie, we should be the folks driving the change.

Ana - AMEN, Sister! You said it - and you get it! And you are right - It is NOT easy to work with clients entrenched in their memories - it is very challenging and those that have not done it can't speak to it . . . I actually share in classes that starting from a blank pallette (like a vacant) is MUCH easier than actually having to work with a client's things - and the client's emotions. Dragon Ladies - yes - what a PERFECT description!! Yes, yes yes!!! I know we will change - but I want to be at the steering wheel, not at the back of the bus, in the engine tooting the whistle not in the caboose. - Jennie

OK, sorry I came late to the party. There seems to be an assumption that decorators are driving up the price of staging. We have completely separate pricing policies for design and staging, and that we are very competitive on both fronts. The other stagers/designers I know have different policies also.

We have a solid grasp of the design & decorating end is a big advantage for our clients. Our skills save people tons of money because we do it all at a package price. And because we can do just about anything anyone could ever imagine, our clients end up with gleaming hardwood floors (we refinish), new custom window treatments (we sew), wonderfully refreshed artwork (we custom frame and mat, not to mention draw and paint), custom cabinetry and built-ins (we do carpentry VERY WELL), and when we are on the case, our approach has such versatility! Passion for design makes for creative solutions that allow us to offer diverse solutions.

And for the record, we sometimes don't use any of these abilities... we just use what we have, with a tweak tweak here and a tweak tweak there, and indeed, in only one day.

But if the situation requires a solution that can be solved using old fashioned design skills:

Our experience enable us to refinish an existing piece of furniture and re-purpose it. We can take a length of fabric and whip out "custom" pillows and a valance. Junk on the street corner becomes an incredible coffee table. Because we are decorators with a high level of experience and skill, it reflects on the result with a polish that surpasses anyone's expectations, sometimes even our own.

The house shows well, it sells fast, the sellers are tickled to death with the result, and in the end, we end up with a design gig that leads to more design gigs. Because it is all so very related, and talent reigns supreme.

I can't possibly think of a single reason why a background in decor and/or design is a liability, or deals the art of staging a blow in any way. Or is it not an art?

Also, we are very concerned with the feelings of the sellers!

Pressure and rudeness (dragon-lady mentality) have NO PLACE in staging. It's counter-productive to the sale of the home because the seller needs to be "on board". We do not paticipate in that, and NO ONE does in our area to my knowledge. TV is entertaining, and those shows are like that for the drama that leads to viewership. No one who actually did business like that would have a second customer. Plus, those two acidic women, I don't believe, are designers or decorators. They don't lift a finger...they just mouth off. I don't know about you guys, but I actually WORK.

The case against knowing how to move within, and utilize, the design trade, in a profession that needs creative design solutions, seems so strange. Our company is FULL SERVICE, which means, whatever you NEED, we do! Diversification is how businesses thrive. Locking your service and your skill into a pigeon-hole seems like an awfully short-sighted business plan.

Just my 2 cents.

Best of Skill to You All,

Sue

JUN

2008

Thanks, Sue, for your comments. And I have not said decorators are driving up the price of Staging, but the perception from shows that feature only decorators masking as Stagers IS not helping the public feel that Staging is something they can afford to do. And we do run the risk of continuing to feed this misperception when we too start to buy into the whole philosophy that we have to always remodel and/or decorate a house for it to sell.

There are many wonderful Stagers that have a formal background in decorating and design and some that don't - and all the successful Stagers I know are very talented - not just those that have a D&D background. From what I have read in posts - it is usually the person that has this background that assumes that those without are not qualified as "as good" - which is also not true. In both backgrounds there will be those that do great work, and those that don't. . .

I think that having a full range of services is wise so it's great that your company does that - and needed in a market like we have now - where fewer houses are on the market for sale so we have to find niches to fit our skills, talents and abilities in that continue to bring in cash.

- Jennie

The most important skill of a Stager is being able to communicate with the homeowner. Helping the homeowner transition their home > house > product. How to develop that conversation with the homeowner sincerely and with integrity is the key of Staging a home effectively.

Any one can tell a homeowner to hang a wreath, paint the walls and clean the house...it is getting them to do the work that's the hard part.

The Realtor does not want to offend the homeowner and 99% of the time that is why the Realtor calls our company. The Realtor knows we will help the homeowner make that transition.

Highlighting the features of the home is real estate based also. Which features should be highlighted when you have a neighborhood, fireplace and french doors to the deck? Again, these are all real estate concerns.

The center of the universe is not design - it's the homeowner!
Staging is all about the homeowner.

- Margaret

A staged property should not look lke a staged property. It should look like a wonderfull place for a buyer to call THEIR home.

The furnishings should be somewhat invisible to them - serving only to set the tone and amplify the features of the property.

Design elements are necessary, but not the focal point - too many stagers go overboard and it looks like an OVER STAGED property when they are done.

Think the dfifference between the phrases 'au natural' and 'too much' when describing someones make up at a party. ;-)

Great post. I agree to some points and disagree with some. staging should act like an aid to buyers imagination, it should just help enough to define the spaces and focal points. It should be able to appeal to both sexes.

Shobha

Well, here's a storm in a tea cup! Staging is marketing. Design is the tool. Staging is an art form. Just as design is. Staging is a game. If played right, ethically, honestly, authentically and transparently, everyone wins. The rest is just you roiling up folks for a heated debate. I am consistently impressed at how you do that. After all, isn't staging all about engaging the emotions...? <wicked grin>

Margaret, Shohba, Anonymous person who was not logged in and Juliet -

Thanks for the comments - Staging is ultimately about helping the homeowner sell the house. In the last post - the only thing I would change (and you know I have to) is that Design is not the tool - Creativity is the tool. We use our minds to picture how a room needs to be shown for buyers - that is done in our heads, and then the work is carried out. And I agree Staging is an art form and a game that can be "played" with the seller to get them to cooperate and help them sell their house.

I was not prepared for a heated debate about D&D vs. Staging - that is not what I was writing about - it was about being in charge of the direction of our industry - no matter what background we have - and not letting those that are truly misguided be at the helm. Some may have felt that the blog was pointed at dividing, and that is not what the intent was at all. But I have enjoyed reading the comments.

As I wrote before - I am not going to sit in the caboose or the drink car when someone is taking the train off course. I would hope that more would want to band together and get in the driver's seat - and that is what I am hearing here. - That is a good thing. - Jennie

Jennie,

That was me - not logged in.

-Akanke

JUN

2008

Juliette has it right, I've been meaning to make the same comment: 'staging is marketing' using 'design as the tool'.

The problem is not designers or decorators it is the producers and t.v. executives who need to entertain to draw advertisers. Unfortunately people don't want to watch the real 'reality' of staging.

Anyway, as in any service there will always be levels. Staging is no different. Melissa Marro posted a blog asking what kind of stager are you, Sears, Dillards or Neiman Marcus decide the market you what to serve and stage. There is room for all service levels.

I agree there are different levels of Staging and yet someone that might cater to the higher end is not 'Better" than a Stager that caters to the average homeowner. I don't like creating a caste system for Stagers and the notion that we even have to delineate what we do - Staging is Staging. The TV Producers do like to entertain, but I don't know about the rest of you - we have fun in Staging and work hard to produce results. I think the reality of the Staging would be of value - it is not so much that it is not entertaining than it is is misunderstood by the TV shows - that still try to make Staging fit the decorator mold.

- Jennie

JUL

2008

Jennie, I could not agree more. Simply, smart commen sense is always the best road. Helping free someone of an overbearing task. Having the ability to assist another soul with this "time to move, and how am I a going to get this done" thought process can and is so fulfulling and when done well is rewarding for both parties without all the glitz and glamour. Initials are good after a name, but when the rubber meets the road, results are all that matter. Yes, I agree a fair price achieved by the helper is good, but the prices for staging seem to being going up,up,up. I guess it is a natural process. I believe common sense is a gift that has lost its desirability over the years in a lot of areas. or me, I'm sticking with my roots and in doing this hope to help others as I develope my niche within this wonderful field. Helping others to realize their dreams and in doing so find mine. Here is a poem, written by Barbara Hoeft and with her blessing, she has allowed me to use it and publish it. I hope you will enjoy it as it speaks of the home owners point of view when it is time to move!

MOVING TIME! (Downsizing)

The time is near to presevere, to unabashedly shed a tear. There's work ahead, it is most clear, for moving time will soon be here!

There are pans to pack, dishes to wrap, pie plates to stack-no time for a nap!

You will find perhaps, you can beat the rap by taking it easy before you snap!

Many a night you'll stay awake dwelling upon just what to take! Many decisions you'll have to make, seeing as there is so much at stake.

Of linens and towels have you too many? Should you take them all or not any? Will storage cost you a pretty penny? Should you bother to take the roof antennae?

Then there is the garage that needs attention, so much stuff there, it is hard to mention. Then up to the attic you'll make your ascention taking a deep breath to relieve your tension!

What do you do with excess clothes, seldom-worn shoes and chapeaus? Need the snow shovel and garden hose? Do you really need those old radios?

What will you do with that old pool table? How many boxes will you have to label? Who'll be there for you, willing and able, to help you keep your mental health stable?

From one who's been there. a bit of advice:

One day at a time will surely suffice.

Hope your house sells at the asking price, and that your new condo is cozy and nice!

It is at these most stressful moments that bump us in life when we need help. Staging, in my opinion, is having the skills and experience and kind nature to see the stresses happening to another soul at this time of their life and offer (for a fair wage) assistance to make this bridge easier to cross. Just wanted to share. We hope you enjoyed the poem. SIFNH Common Sense Home Staging and Barbar Hoeft a good friend.

Read your comment on mixing woods in a room.

I learned a long time ago from Ray Staples...are all the trees in the forest the same colour?

Enough said.

ay yi yi! definitely a tempest....two cents worth or less:

what is in a word?????? call it 'design....' if you like, but that may put you where Jennie doesn't want us to go...it IS the stager's 'creativity.' so who cares what we call it? you call it creativity, i'll call it design, and we'll all get along and keep our finger-wagging out of it.

are there aspects of staging shows i'd love to change so they'd better reflect reality? of course. do i think we'd be further along as an industry without them, however flawed they may be from our insider perspective? surely no one is suggesting such lunacy!

one of the most useful principles of great staging: use the hand you've been dealt to your client's best advantage...whether it be your innate 'creativity,' your formal 'design' training, or imperfect but tremendously opportunity-expanding 'reality tv' which provides for 'teachable moments' and discussion starters EVERYWHERE we go.

dare i NOT leave it there and expose which 'side' i come down by questioning one statement made early on?

here goes: staging doesn't have its roots in design? i would certainly agree that staging came about as a 'response' to the real estate industry. if that's what is meant by where it has its roots, then i'll agree that staging has its roots in real estate...however, any time a wall is painted, a dust mite is collected, or a lamp is moved, that's a 'design' decision. (a little humility always helps...and maybe it would help if we all started thinking in terms of 'little d' design.)

not all stagers with formal training came out of an ASP course, and not all ASP members were motivated to become certified or whatever the ASP term is, by real estate....many ASP members and most members of other staging organizations seem to be motivated and have their 'creative' roots in 'design.' if you took away from the industry all those stagers who feel their roots are in design, our numbers would be dramatically reduced. so, before we go demanding that tv stagings shows demonstrate the true reality, maybe we could work a little harder at checking our own industry's reality.

I am in an airport and on my TREO so will try to keep this short...I appreciate the comments all have made and specifically want to address the last poster, Kathy. If you noticed in my post I did not single out ASPs and would appreciate the same courtesy as this is not a debate about my training versus someone else's and I was not stating that this post was about cutting those with a design or decorating background out of staging. I know you may not have been focused on that, but too many people on this site are ultra sensitive about what training they have (or don't have) and I don't want to go there in this post - thanks for understanding!

So now that is clear, what the post IS about is that design and deorating and staging are not all the same thing, in my (and many other's) opinion. Do decorators and designers get into staging? Of course, but I know that those that are staging are most likely approaching the whole process very differently than the other fields.

The TV shows are all about the drama of staging, or about remodeling with false budget expectations, and are misleading the public. My last 2 consultation clients both remarked that they were glad I was not like the people on TV.

So you can believe me or not and people can have their own opinions of course (that is what keeps life fun!), but the "art" of staging starts in real estate and begins with the understanding that we are not there to personalize and customize a space (decorating and design) but we are there to make the house or space appeal to all prospective buyers.

Jennie

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