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Tales of an Interior Stylist - Pushing all the Right Buttons when Staging a Living Room

By
Home Stager with Reinventing Space

ElevatorI'm your personal Home Elevator Operator, educated on every level of all your decorative needs no matter which floor you may require. Whether you wish the 1st floor - "Moving In," or top floor -"Moving Out," I'm there to help push all the right buttons (I also have the talent to stop in between floors, but that's another tale...)
If requiring a trip to the top floor "Moving Out -" I've got some helpful  tips on which buttons to push to get that Living Room in top shelf condition.

  • The Home's 1st Impression - One of the two rooms that flag the foyer, this space needs to set the collective tone for the whole home and impress the potential buyer.
  • A Whole Lot of P's - Once you've reached this floor, there may be packing, depersonalizing, pulling (as in wallpaper,) and painting in this space.  May I suggest a calming, classic & reserved tone such as SW-7694 Dromedary Camel.
  • Give the Space a Spa Day - Refresh that Space!  Clean the carpet or buff the floors, touch up the trim, vacuum the cushions, polish the wood, and Windex the glass. A bit of spit and polish will make everything shine. You get a 578% return on your investment.
  • Fixate on a Focal Point - Every space has a great feature, it could be a beautiful picture window or fantastic fireplace.  Showcase this wonderful selling feature by arranging seating and furniture accordingly. 
  • Queue Home's Style & Stature - Make sure that your furnishings and accents are in tune to your home's style and stature.  There's nothing worse than the wrong shoes with a great dress.
  • Selling Square Footage - Keep in mind when creating your seating arrangement - you're selling square footage. Keep your HGTV angles and furniture to a practical minimum. Picture
  • Corral your Collections - Although you may love acres of family photos, Thomas Kincaid's, or candles, when selling a home the collections must be minimized.  Too many multiples are distracting,  take up space, and may trigger personal opinions. Floral
  • Making Positive Sense - Push the emotion button by evoking the senses.  Try a large vase brimming with bright seasonal blooms either store bought or from your own back yard.  (A personal favorite is simple fresh hosta leaves in a clear vase. )  Open the windows and let a gentle breeze stir, and try some tactile accents such as knobby throws or bamboo containers as a foil to smooth fabrics or shiny woods.

 

Set the stage for your home by presenting the Living Room in its best light.  By showcasing the room's selling features, creating an emotional connection, and setting the style and stature of the home - You'll be pushing all the right buttons for a successful sale of your home.  

 

Interior stylist Julea Joseph specializes home staging, room makeovers, & traditional design services in the Chicagoland area. Her work and design philosophy have been featured on HGTV and in numerous publications. She can be reached at 708-448-7500 or www.julea.com.

  

Jeremy K. Frost
Keller Williams Realty - Dripping Springs, TX
Associate Broker, ABR,CNE,CRS,ePro,PSA,RENE,SRS

I loe staging tips...great post!

Jun 29, 2008 10:33 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

This is a really wonderful post Julea!  Great tips you have shared here!! Thank you.

Jun 29, 2008 10:39 AM
Debbie Wheeler
Real Estate Staging/Rooms Rearranged, LLC - Chandler, AZ
Chandler, AZ Rooms Rearranged RESA, IRIS

Nice post.  I love the tips and the way you presented them.

Jun 29, 2008 11:38 AM
No Longer Active in Staging. No Longer Staging
Hickory, NC

Julea, Great post and great tips for putting the best foot forward.. God bless,

Jun 29, 2008 12:14 PM
Susan Smith
Rooms That Work LLC - Sandy Hook, CT

Hi Julea - very timely post - I've been doing some painting at my house, and have discovered an addiction to painting trim.  I can't stop!  It has made our entire house look better (except for where the dog leaned up against it to nap!) 

Jun 29, 2008 12:18 PM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Susan,

I know what you mean.  It's like power washing, once you start - You can't stop!

Jun 30, 2008 12:09 AM
Patrice Estess
PB APPRAISALS - Kerhonkson, NY

Good tips, thanx for sharing.  I love staging, I'm going to have to find someone to work with around here...

Jun 30, 2008 01:52 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Thanks Patrice -

Love your horse in your picture - Is it an Arabian? Also, I'm sure there is a great AR Home Stager in your area too.

Jun 30, 2008 09:06 AM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

What an awesome post, Julea.  You've got the pulse/push of the buttons down pat!

Kathy

Jun 30, 2008 09:27 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Ya gotta push all the right buttons!

Jun 30, 2008 12:06 PM
No Longer Active in Staging. No Longer Staging
Hickory, NC

Julea, this post was as beautiful as your staging.. Great format with wonderful tips, thanks for sharing. God bless,

Jul 08, 2008 10:04 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Cheryl,

Why thank you!

Jul 09, 2008 01:17 AM