Get to know the purpose and importance behind home staging, along with essential tips and tricks to make your house look its very best and ready to sell.
Introduction
Thinking of selling or renting out your home? One of the most important things to take note of is staging your home properly! Home staging is the preparation of a residence for sale, with the goal of making a home appeal to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money.
Staging your home appropriately makes it look newer, fresher and more attractive to potential buyers or tenants. In today’s article, MOGUL.sg will share with you a few essential staging tips and tricks to make your home look better and more importantly, sell better.
Outline
Decluttering
Decluttering is the first step you should take in home staging, as unnecessary clutter makes the house and its rooms look smaller and untidier, distracting them from the overall features of the house.
It is important to free up as much clutter as possible from surfaces such as shelves, coffee tables and kitchen counters for that clean and sharp ID’ed look.
A creative way to declutter objects that are lying around is through the use of wicker or straw baskets, which can double up as ornamental pieces if used tastefully and sparingly, adding to the warm, natural look and feel of your home.
Other options include the use of storage boxes and even renting out a temporary storage unit outside of your house to store larger items. While this may seem like a hassle, always remember the goal in mind, which is to bring out the most in your home!
Lighting
Lighting can be the difference in making a good home look great. Lights bring out the best in your furniture and interior decor, and are integral in creating that homely atmosphere or vibe that eludes most home buyers.
It is of paramount importance that lights within the same room have the same colour temperature, to give the room an overall consistent feel, making sure never to mix cold and warm lights.
The use of other light sources such as candles can be used in areas such as the dining room or bathroom to create a cosier atmosphere. Experimenting with dimmable lighting in areas such as the bedroom is also a fantastic way to alter the ambience of your home.
Good lighting results in better photos taken by potential buyers, leaving a lasting impression which could help influence their decision-making before or even after they leave your house.
Lightbulbs are relatively inexpensive and can easily be purchased thanks to e-commerce platforms, so make sure to go the extra mile and give your home the proper lighting it deserves!
Colours and Paint
A fresh coat of paint goes a long way in making an older home look newer and more inviting. Moreover, with the correct paint tone, it can make the natural geometry of your home compliment your furniture, giving your home a more cosy and luxurious feel.
Here are a few quickfire tips regarding painting your home:
Avoid bold primary colours as they might be distracting and tiring to viewers
Use neutral/warmer colours to create a larger sense of space
Don’t forget to paint your doors and ceilings
You might wonder: won’t having all the walls in your house covered in neutral tones feel dull and uninviting? The good news is that you can introduce colours into your house in many other ways!
Here are some ways to creatively add a splash of colour to your home:
Add accents to your neutral walls through artwork
Colourise your appliances and furniture to give the room an overall more lively feel rather than a tacky one
Make use of coloured fabrics in furnishings such as curtains, carpets and blankets.
Furniture and Decor
The difference between a house that feels empty and one that feels lived-in lies in the choice, quality and combination of furniture. Each piece of furniture has its own personality, marrying form and function to give each room a unique feel.
For example, a modern looking room will utilise modern materials in its furnishing such as glass and plastics, as well as simpler geometric shapes.
While the attention of viewers lies on the statement pieces that you choose, it is always a fantastic idea to use smaller decorations to complement them. A perfect example of this would be plants, which work with most common furniture materials like wood, glass and plastic.
An important thing to note is to refrain from making your decorations personal: be sure to remove personal items such as family photographs, trophies, and certificates.
Flexible Spaces
Flexible spaces are often overlooked by home stagers. Flexible spaces are empty areas within a house that can be converted and customised for personal use. Examples of this would be a reading or gardening area, or a study/home office to facilitate WFH arrangements.
These spaces not only give your home tons of personality and a lived-in look, but could also potentially become a key selling point for your house. A well furnished and fitted study desk area would be a great example of this, with many people working from home nowadays.
Another example of a flexible space would be balconies. Balconies could be used for gardening, dining, or even simply furnished with nice ambient lighting and comfy chairs as a wind-down area. If your house has a balcony, you can almost be sure that it would be a key attraction for potential buyers coming over for a viewing.
Be sure to conceptualise and furnish your flexible spaces well to round off the overall look, feel and effort you have put into staging your home.
Final Checklist
To round off this article on home staging, we have provided you with a small checklist of DIY tasks essential to home staging. While you might be focused on larger activities such as painting your house or purchasing new furniture, it is important to ensure that the smaller details are sorted out to give you the most value out of your home staging experience
Here is a short checklist of commonly overlooked yet important items that you can resolve yourself with the help of some DIY tools:
Make sure all fixtures and fittings are functioning properly: dripping faucets are a common example.
Make sure holes and cracks in walls and ceilings are plugged properly. These can be done with plaster from a DIY store.
Make sure your doors and drawers are lubricated well and don’t creak.
Clean your windows to ensure your home gets the best natural lighting possible.
For pet owners: make sure you clear all signs of your pets - pet fur is often a turn off and especially a nightmare for allergic viewers.
Remember that the devil is in the details and your goal is to make your home look lived in, not worn out! With that, happy home staging - while there might be many steps and some investment required, seeing your spruced up home ready to attract potential buyers will surely bring a smile to your face!
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