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Home Staging vs. Redesign: What's the Difference?

By
Home Stager with Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia

What is Home Staging?  Home staging is the process of preparing a home for the market in such a way that it appeals to the widest possible audience.  This is accomplished by depersonalizing, updating and neutralizing the space.  It also encompasses minimizing the negative and emphasizing the positive elements of the house.  Home staging transitions a dwelling from a home to a house to a product

Home staging involves, in varying degrees, the following:

  • decluttering
  • removing personalized items
  • neutralizing and color coordinating rooms
  • rearranging furniture, rugs and accessories
  • eliminating offensive odors
  • ensuring that the home is clean

Shown below are a couple of before & after photos of a recently staged master bedroom:

home staging beforehome staging after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These homeowners were dream clients.  They knew the value of staging and did everything I requested.  While clutter was not an issue, they did need to tear down the water bed and replace the furnishings with a nice bed and dresser from the back bedroom.  They neutralized the paint color and updated the light fixture; then I brought in new bedding and accessories to complete the look.  These photos illustrate the basics of home staging.

What is Redesign?  Redesign is the process of decluttering, rearranging, and revitalizing the furnishings already in the home to make the best possible use of the space, streamline traffic flow, and showcase the home in the way that best suits the homeowner.  Many times homeowners have beautiful furniture and accessories but simply don't know how to position or group them so that they work together to form a cohesive unit and are reminiscent of having the "designer" look.

The process of redesign is similar, in many ways, to home staging.  The main difference in the two is that home staging neutralizes while redesign customizes.  

Shown below are the steps used in redesign:

  • Assess each room's purpose, problems and desired presentation
  • Declutter
  • Remove accessories
  • Rearrange furniture and rugs to direct traffic patterns and give proper balance to the rooms
  • Add accessories piece by piece, being careful not to "over dress"
  • If necessary, bring in additional furnishings to complete the desired look

Here are before and after shots of a redesigned space:

upstairs hallwayupstairs hallway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a very spacious upstairs hallway which constitutes the children's wing of the home.  Little girls' bedrooms, bathrooms and playroom all flow from this space; hence, the fluffy pink rug and hanging ballet costume.  In the "before" photo to the left, there was not enough walking space.  The two matching chairs were removed to the master bedroom and the bench was repositioned.  The antique chest with mirror was taken from a bedroom and placed at the end of the hall to give that space a focal point.  The ballet costume helped lighten the feel of the heavy antique piece and added a bit of whimsey.  The blue and pink victorian paintings were found in a closet downstairs and appropriately hung.  For the finishing touches, I added a plant and brought in the pink rug.  This space was totally personalized; not so much to the individuals but to the hallway's surroundings.

In addition to simply wanting that "designer" look, there is another purpose for redesign.  It involves people who are experiencing life's transitions. 

Consider the following situations:

  • Setting up a household in a new home
  • Downsizing due to an empty nest
  • Melding two family units together
  • Downsizing for the elderly moving into assisted living quarters
  • Adding furniture or antiques which were recently inherited
  • Removing childhood furniture to repurpose living space

Whether you are moving or staying, upsizing or downsizing, Stage, Show & Sell Home Staging Company is here to serve you with all of your staging and redesign needs.

Posted by

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy overton Interiors.  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.  770-843-2307

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Patsy Overton, AHS, CNRCP

Accredited Home Stager * Certified Color Consultant

Patsy@POInteriors.com    770-843-2307    www.POInteriors.com

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Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

Hi Patsy, great post on how you can make simple and effective changes to ones living space whether they are selling or staying. Atlanta is lucky to have you making a difference in peoples homes.

Mar 29, 2009 10:18 AM
Randi Steckler
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Patsy,

Changing the look can be the selling point!

Mar 30, 2009 12:35 PM
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Michelle - How sweet!  I needed that.  Thanks.

Randi - You got it!

Mar 30, 2009 01:58 PM
Anonymous
Barb Mihalik

Thanks for this great explanation of the differences.  Love what you did with the master bedroom.  It looks much more serene and sophisticated. 

 

Barb Mihalik (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, Four Seasons Home Stagecrafters, Wilmington, NC)

Mar 31, 2009 02:23 PM
#23
Sheila Kennedy
J29 Project - Rochester, NY

This is a fabulous post Patsy!  I love how simple you made it and are right on target with your definitions.  Thank you for putting this together - sometimes the right words escape me to help potential clients understand the difference.  This is a gem! 

Mar 31, 2009 02:32 PM
Annie Pinsker-Brown
Stage to Sell - LA Home Staging - Los Angeles, CA
Stage to Sell, Los Angeles Home Stager

Patsy, this is a great post! It really shows the amazing and dramatic impact both Staging and Redesign can have, depending on what the client needs. Great work!

Mar 31, 2009 02:33 PM
Connie Tebyani
Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA
Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Great post on giving the differences (or definitions) between the two.  So often they get confused with each other, and you gave great examples of each.  Congrats on the feature!

Apr 01, 2009 01:52 AM
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Barb - Thanks.  I think the painting alone transferred the master BR.

Sheila - Thank you.  I'm all about keeping things simple.  It's all I understand!

Annie - Thank you.

Connie - Thank you.

Apr 01, 2009 02:04 AM
Pangaea Interior Design Kitchen & Bath Design, Remodeling
Portland Oregon - Portland, OR

Congratulations on the feature! Very clear distinction between the two disciplines. LOVE the little ballet outfit in the girl's hall. I also dislike the term 'staging to live'. It just sounds phony somehow. Redesign says it so much better.

Apr 01, 2009 04:41 AM
Anonymous
Judith Lowe, Twiqued homes are Unique!

Patsy,

Great way to distinguish between Staging for Selling and Redesign for living.  Being able to help people redesign their spaces using what they already own to customize the space for living just makes sense.

Apr 01, 2009 06:20 AM
#29
Anonymous
Linda Sluiter Interior Artistry Home Stager-Redesign

You are so right.  Thank you for sharing a very clear and consice statement distinguishing the differences between Staging and Redesign.  Your photo's shared also made the point even more clear. The Master Suite really shows what a little paint and staging can do for a rooms appeal.

Great post-thank you for sharing.

Apr 01, 2009 07:42 AM
#30
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Pangaea - It always seemed to me that if you use the term "staging to live", that "staging to die" would have to be somewhere in the mix.  Not on my watch!  Thanks.

Linda - Thank you!

Apr 01, 2009 09:12 AM
Kathy Booth, Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage - Newmarket, ON
Home Staging and ReDesign Professional

I love the distinction staging neutralizes while redesign customizes!   

Apr 01, 2009 01:00 PM
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Kathy - Thanks.  I thought it was a simple means of conveying the difference to clients.

Apr 01, 2009 01:14 PM
Anonymous
Sharon Shepherd

What a great discription of the difference. I am married to an Interior Designer who does my staging for free and he  has never  explained so clearly.  I intend to remember exactly how you said it.   Kudos to you and your work.

Apr 01, 2009 02:26 PM
#34
Kelsey Barklow
Hurd Realty - Johnson City, TN
423/948-9154

Thank you for explaining Redesign to me. I had no idea. Your before and after photos are great.

Apr 01, 2009 02:30 PM
Jess Graves
JessGravesDesigns.Com - Bristol, PA
Bucks County Decordiva of Home Staging

Love the definition! "Home staging neutralizes while redesign customizes."  great blogging and nice before and after pics!

Apr 01, 2009 03:03 PM
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Sharon - Thank you!  You have made my day with that statement.

Kelsey - Thanks.

Jess - Thank you!

Apr 01, 2009 11:53 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Said very eloquently, I will remember it now.  Thanks.

Apr 03, 2009 04:58 AM
Patsy Overton
Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Lyn - thank you!

Apr 07, 2009 02:21 PM