Is it Worth the Bother of Staging a Studio for Sale?

Li - Thanks so much.  A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

Linda - We need to chat longer at RESA next year!  Love your new photo!

Kathy B - Thanks, this was definitely a fun studio to stage.  It's in a great Italian area - only two blocks away, on Commercial, you can get the best lattes in the city, not to mention great biscotti, too!

Michelle - Ha Ha - I found those turquoise chickens last year, and have been dying to use them - the right project just never came along until now.  They are very retro '70's, aren't they?

David - So good to get that confirmed from a savy Realtor® such as yourself, David.  Thanks!

Kristine - Aren't those flokati cushions incredible?  I have 4 larger puffy ones, but they are all out right now.  All I had left was this little one, but I just had to include it!

Carla - Thanks so much.  I agree, the rooms looks so blah and generic before staging.  After staging they just leap to life!

Laura - Too true.  It's sometimes difficult to sell the idea of home staging, and yet the benefits far outweigh the investment.  Thanks so much, my friend, for your nice comments!

Wanda - I own a small inventory of furniture - all the pieces in these photos belong to me.  When I run out of furniture, I rent from local furniture rental companies.  I try to change up the look of my furniture pieces with different cushions and artwork, so it doesn't look the same all the time. 

Janet - Thanks.  I was going for a young, youthful look to attract the 'Y' generation.  The location alone is very artsy, laid back, Italian and casual. 

Janice - Well, I sure hope your nephew hires you to help him out!  I agree, I think virtually every space can benefit from home staging, no matter what the size or condition.

Anna - The owner had recently done some work on the studio - new floors, new paint, fixed up the kitchen and added new countertops and appliances.  I love the paint colour they chose - a soft blue - for the walls, so I took my cue from that, going with the turquoise, brown and hits or green. 

Kathy - Thanks for answering the question(!) and a huge thanks for the Before & After feature - always a pleasure!

Mannie - That's so funny, I was just complimenting you on one of your posts!  Thanks so much!

Valerie - I created the zones, ie living room zone, office zone, eating zone, and then made sure there was at least a 3 foot path to walk through, thus producing a perfectly functioning floor plan than really flows well.  There's even room to move the two black chairs to the side if you want to open out the hide-a-bed (which is really just a sofa - the movers would walk out on me if I ever added a real hide-a-bed to my inventory!). 

Roger - Isn't it wonderful to prove nay-sayers wrong through before & after photos?!!  You're the absolute original bomb, Rog!

Roger - Oh yeh! 

Cindy -  Thanks!  "Punch" is definitely what I was going for...

Penny - Thanks so much!

Barbara - I love your positivity!  Thanks so much!

Zenflo - Whoa - I'm so sorry to hear your bad experience.  That is an outrageous quote!  You're absolutely right, you could have purchased the furniture for that amount of money.  Glad you didn't fall for that.  Like everything, there are good Stagers and Realtors® and bad ones.

I only use good-quality furniture that enhances a space, rather than "covering up".  An empty space can really appear cold and uninviting.  Thanks for your comments.

Zenflo - I'm so glad you came back!   And yes, Barbara is a really nice person - I met her down in Vegas!  I completely understand your frustration.  The home staging industry isn't regulated, and every now and then we hear of crazy stories such as yours.  Thanks so much for your compliments, and I shall forge ahead, staging one property at a time!  All the best, and thanks for making me smile!