CASE STUDY: Showcasing the Room, not the Things in the Room

By
Home Stager with House to Home ReDesigns & Real Estate Staging Vancouver B.C.

Are you familiar with the saying "You can't see the forest for the trees"? Successful home staging corrects a situation where "You can't see the house for the things". 

THE CHALLENGE:  BEFORE:  In this family room, the furniture overpowered and crowded the space, and distracted from appreciating the dimensions of the room itself.   Though quite spacious, it felt cramped and crowded.  A room arranged for living, the TV unit was the focal point and the fireplace ignored.  The wall color and window coverings needed updating.

 can't see the room for the furniture

THE SOLUTION:  FAMILY ROOM AFTER:  Redesigned to sell, the fireplace and view became the key features of the room to draw attention to and showcase.  Staging repositioned the conversation area to face the room's primary focal point. Extraneous pieces of furniture were removed to enlarge the sense of space, and allowed the room to be captured favorably visually, in a glance.  Fresh paint and a new lampshade completed the restyling of the homeowners own furnishings.

family room after editing furniture

THE LESSON:  The way we live and the way to sell are two very different things.  Edit furniture and possessions to increase the sense of space.  Restyle positioning of furniture to focus attention on the room's focal point.  Remove any distractions that hinder a buyer from capturing a snapshot view of the room with only a glance.

By Leah J. Armstrong House to Home ReDesigns Port Moody, B.C. 604.469.9324 www.RealEstateMakeovers.ca   email:  leah@realestatemakeovers.ca

Copyright 2008 Leah J. Armstrong, All Rights Reserved "CASE STUDY: Showcasing the Room, not the Things in the Room".  Photos published with written permission of client.

Comments (6)

Michelle Molinari
FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA
Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Wow, that pink was just sucking all the class out of that fireplace! Excellent work and I LOVE that pic over the mantle.

~michelle

Aug 18, 2008 09:00 PM
Elaine Manes Gage
Home Staging Online Services - Denver, CO
Staging done ONLINE!

Leah- I love how you phrased that: "allowed the room to be captured favorably, in a glance"! I may have to steal that from you! Great job!

Aug 19, 2008 03:15 AM
Alexandra Fletcher
Vancouver, BC

Hi Leah, great job on this room. I was checking out your website, am I missing where to view your portfolio? We get a lot of calls for your areas but don't travel out that far and like to refer clients to other stagers in their areas. Cheers, Emily

Aug 20, 2008 03:48 PM
Peg Prather
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver, WA

Beautiful transformation!  And just a hint for those who want to change out a brass/ fireplace "screen".  I recently did a quick dissassembly on my own, sprayed it with a heat resistant black spray paint, and it looks brand new and updated!  Just in case you need to do this for a client...

Aug 20, 2008 05:30 PM
Alicia Barrington
THE ORIGINAL HOUSTON HOME STAGING - Katy, TX
Houston Home Staging Presents Alicia Barrington

Nice work!

We like to say: "Our furnishings are attention directing, not attention getting........"

Happy Staging!

Aug 20, 2008 11:42 PM
Leah J. Armstrong
House to Home ReDesigns & Real Estate Staging Vancouver B.C. - Port Moody, BC
Home Staging Port Moody B.C.

Michelle - losing the pink was the biggest benefit to this house.                                           

Elaine - the phrase is not trademarked - happy to oblige!                                                     

Emily - it would be my pleasure to be interviewed for a referral.  I am slowing posting portfolio pics on my blog.  Thanks! 

Peg - I have sprayed a removable F/P screen with BBQ paint in the past, and it worked wonderfully.  This one was pretty solidly in place, and helped her brass lamps to "fit" the decor.                   

Tom - "attention directing"  Nice phrase!  Is yours trademarked?  :)                                      

Thanks everyone for your comments!!  - Leah

Aug 27, 2008 07:54 AM