Professional property staging is essential
When selling property in a competitive market you need to stand out and professional property staging is essential. There are now dozens of property portals and hundreds of images for buyers to go through. In the current climate especially, viewings are limited because of Covid, people are relying on the images to shortlist properties before viewing. It is essential your property is presented well if you want to be on this shortlist and get buyers through the door and making offers.
Presenting a property for sale, known as home staging or property staging is the best way to achieve this. In general, people buy using emotion rather than logic so you need to create desire with an environment that is aspirational and one that buyers can easily visualise living within. Empty or cluttered or too personalised spaces do not inspire or create desire.
Using our property staging experience and expert knowledge of interior design principles we have put together a few property staging tips to help you sell your property fast
Kerb appeal
The exterior of the property is the first thing a buyer will notice, and this will set their expectations. A beautifully presented exterior will also attract local or passing buyers who may not have seen the property online. So when staging a property to sell it is essential to, ensure that the garden area and path or drive are in pristine condition. Place planters by the door with lush green foliage and colourful plants they are a welcoming introduction.
Ensure the door is freshly painted and the door furniture is new or gleaming. In terms of colour when painting a door for the purpose of property staging, you should be guided by the house, what colour the brickwork or masonry is, the flags on the path or drive, what period is the house, Victorian, Edwardian, or a contemporary style. Dark blue and dark green are good choices for period property and dark grey is a good choice for a contemporary style property, sage green for a country property. Other colours can work well but in general, when selling it is better to opt for a popular colour and blues and greens are the most popular front door colour choices in the UK and the darker colours tend to look more expensive.
Lighting
Lighten and brighten the space as much as possible. Lighting can make or break a sale. If the rooms in the property look dark, it will bring down the mood of the buyer and this is something to avoid. Good lighting will always depend on the aspect and the weather! When you are staging a property there may be only so much you can do to lighten the rooms. If you have a particularly dark room then consider changing the overhead light to an LED daylight or cool bulb (neutral or blue tone) this will naturally brighten the space in the daylight without it seeming artificial.
Ensure the windows are clean and if there are curtains then ensure that they are drawn back as far as you can to let as much light in as possible. Consider repositioning the pole brackets or track to enable this. Place a large mirror on the wall opposite the window it will help reflect light back into the room.
Furniture placement
The correct placement of furniture will make space look bigger and enable a buyer to visualise living within the space more easily.
When you are property staging in a home consider the room as you stand in the doorway this is the first view a buyer will see. Have a focus in the room and centre around that focus which may be, a seating area, a bed, a dining table. Ensure the focus of the room can be clearly viewed and that it is dressed beautifully.
Only use furniture that is necessary to make the room look homely and comfortable, too much furniture and the room will look small and cluttered.
Declutter
If you are living at the property while selling, then you need to declutter. Edit each room and take out everything that does not enhance the furniture. Either neatly store it in cupboards or consider storage.
Too many accessories and items in a room will make it look too busy and take away the focus of the room. It is also distracting for buyers and takes them away from visualising themselves living at the property. Neat, tidy, and organised is the mantra here!
Beds
A bed should always be fully made up and preferably layered with cushions and throws to provide a comfortable and sumptuous feel. If you are living in the property, then a white or neutral bedspread to cover the bed may prove a useful ally to throw over before viewings. Beds will naturally be the focus in a bedroom and a beautifully made bed can also be a useful distraction if the room is not on the large side.
Colour & Texture
As an Interior designer, I always recommend a client not to follow trends but go with colour that they love and what makes them feel most comfortable and inspired. It is what makes your own space unique to you and a joy to live in.
This is not the case when selling a property. When staging a property for sale, you need to appeal to the many. Neutral is the key. I would advise on warm neutrals for walls and accent with a little colour in the cushions, art, and accessories to give the space vitality.
For 2021 beige is back on trend and in my view a great neutral as it is warm and inviting. Taupe/greige works well too these are the warmer shades of grey. Grey is still on-trend, but I would advise not to have everything in grey it can be a bit dull, white is a good companion and will make the room a bit brighter. A warm white for the walls like Farrow & Ball Wimborne White or Little Greene Slaked Lime are both in my view, a perfect neutral backdrop and will suit any style of property.
Add texture with rugs, cushions, and throws this will add warmth to space.
Art
Art can bring a room to life. Bare walls will make a space look empty even if there is furniture in place. I include mirrors in this as they add so much to a room and will also help reflect the light around. If you have small pictures then group them together do not hang a small picture on its own, it will look lonely and a bit sad. Where possible ensure art is placed so you can view it from the doorway or can be photographed together with the focus in the room.
We are experts in property staging and we can help you stage your property to sell it quickly
Ready to find out more?
Contact us now
