Real Estate Staging Tricks or Tips?

In real estate staging, interior redesign or decorating-choosing the right scale of furniture to fit a space and the purpose of the room is a matter of common sense. 

Using only small furniture doesn't necessarily make a small room look bigger so the idea that sometimes circulates out there that we as home stagers or interior redesigners use small furniture to trick buyers is absurd. In fact, a few larger scaled pieces can actually make a small space seem bigger because the eye registers that the space can accommodate such furniture. 

Obviously you wouldn't try to squeeze a piece like this into a small room:

but it could be perfect in large home with 20 foot ceilings that needs large scaled furniture to make it feel more cozy.

Using mirrors, reflective surfaces, and oh yes, lighting, can make a space appeal more appealing and brighter. Creating window treatments to control light and privacy are common practices.

So is any of this trickery?  Any decorating, arranging or staging of a space to make it look its best should be a reality check.  It says, "this is the space and this is one example of how it can be used".

Buyers have a limited amount of time to see a lot of homes.  Some have likened it to speed dating.  They don't have a lot of time to stop to consider how a space might be used or how their furniture might fit in the rooms.  They need to have it spelled out for them in the quickest, easiest and most memorable way. 

The phrase, "tricks of the trade', does not refer to trickery. Trickery is hiding or obscuring, something no professional stager would do. Perhaps we should instead use the phrase, "tips of the trade" to avoid confusion-and maybe suspicion.