Living room staging is well known for really setting the ideal conditions for buyers to respond to the tempting aesthetics of your interior décor. The living room may be formal or casual, but it is likely to be an area which is deemed very high on the priority list for most potential buyers. Typically, the living room is designed for family use, as well as formal entertaining applications, so it must be well suited to provide the optimal environment for a a diversity of needs. By perfectly staging your living area, you are sure to wow buyers and create the right circumstances to receive a profitable offer on your house or apartment.
This resource section provides expert guidance on staging a living room perfectly every time.
Living Room Staging Troubles
Being that the living room is often a multiple-purpose area, it is typically burdened by being cramped with far too much furniture and accessories. The general look of most living rooms is cluttered and overly personalized. However, fixing these issues is not difficult at all.
Some sellers may take issue with a home stager’s choice of furniture or décor, citing that it just does not suit their family’s needs, since they must remain living in the home during the sale process. Additionally, rented or loaned items are often subject to wear, tear or breakage in families with small children or pets. These concerns can make hiring a home stager a mixed blessing. It is important to work with your stager to make a room which will sparkle, without making it unusable for your family.
Den staging will prepare a casual living area to receive potential buyers, adding beauty to the most informal spaces.
Family room staging will help to balance shared living areas between pure aesthetic form and practical functionality.
Great room staging is a necessary component of optimizing the impact of large open-concept areas of the home.
Living Room Staging Fixes
Staging the living room should begin with the basics.
Start with a nice warm, but neutral color on the walls. Coordinate all the main aspects of the room to this palate and use contrasting accessories for hints of color. Make sure the carpet is clean and in good condition, if applicable. Wood floors are very popular, so if you have them, make sure they shine. If not, consider putting down an inexpensive laminate floor which will considerably boost the value of the home.
Create ideal lighting by placing a variety of fixtures throughout the room. Overhead, table top and upward lighting are all recommended to convey a proper mood for this crucial room, highlighting the arranged furniture vignettes. Position lighting to draw attention to architectural details and wall-mounted artwork.
Living Room Staging Techniques
Position furniture away from the walls in nice arrangements which facilitate conversation and flow. Place area rugs under these furniture groupings to create a cohesive vignette. Make sure the furniture is proportionate to the room and not too heavy or cluttered. It is usually advisable to remove pieces which are not necessary, since more items will typically detract from the space, not enhance it.
Use open space to create separation between vignettes. If you have a fireplace, clean it up and show it off. This feature is always a selling point and should be the focal point of the room whenever possible or practical. Likewise, if you have a nice view, make sure to remove the window screens and show off the vantage point by keeping windows clear and unobstructed. Use simple and light window treatments to allow as much light into the room as possible.
Final Thoughts on Living Room Staging
Keep a good traffic flow in this room, by providing wide paths between furniture vignettes. Use furniture placement to direct prospective buyers towards the focal points, such as the fireplace or a large window with a nice view.
Remember to hang artwork at eye level and use it for maximum impact. Do not use too much art or accessories, since the variety and number of items will appear too much like a collection and not at all like a cohesive décor.
Always remove large numbers of family photos or other personal memorabilia from the room. You want to please your prospective buyers’ aesthetic taste, not overwhelm it.
Learn my personal secrets for perfect living room staging in my best selling book: Learn Home Staging.