We have had a very busy year in our Home Staging division. Resale single detached homes make up a majority of the homes we stage. However, we also do our fair share of condos, new builds, completely renovated homes and display suites or photo shoots. Each project is unique. So how do we determine what each project needs to showcase its space to its full potential?
The most important area is the space that makes the first impression. What is the first space that you see when you walk in? What does it say to buyers? What do we want it to say? If it is an urban condo with an industrial flair, we plan décor appropriate for this style. This typically appeals to executives who wish to work and live close to the city center. If it is a renovated home for a young family in a suburban neighbourhood, we want to ensure we use comfy furniture & décor that will appeal to a young family looking for their “forever home”. The first impression is very important to ensure we capture the buyers’ attention and connect with them emotionally!
Once we have the buyers’ full attention we must ensure we do everything we can to stimulate their senses. We love working with an assortment of interesting natural elements. This can include metals and chrome in an industrial setting to woods and faux fur in a warm cozy home setting.
Textures
Textures play an important role in how a space is presented. Hard tile, stone, or a harsh colour palette can be softened with light airy colours and soft fuzzy textures. We blend the perfect balance of colours, textures and interesting pieces to present a space with its own story. How we design a space will dictate the emotions the space elicits. One of our regular clients prefers a more masculine look. We tend to use more wood tones, with a hint of an accent that is understated. The effect is modern and strong with a hint of feminine.
We recently staged a penthouse on Wellington Crescent. It was very contemporary style, so we tended to use sleek lines in our furniture and décor. However, we softened the effect with fur throws, and pillows and extra thick plush area rugs for a luxurious statement. The overall effect was pure luxury and the condo sold in less than a week!
Many of the new builds are using barn woods, barn doors, and other natural elements in their design. We see a lot of heavy wooden/iron light fixtures. It is only fitting that we carry this through when we stage the home with furniture & décor.
The purpose behind staging is to showcase the space to its full potential so its critical that we use consistent style in our furniture and décor selections. This is what gives a well displayed space that beautiful cohesive design that just works! The space looks and feels amazing! That is what buyers remember – a space that really works and looks great!
Furniture placement
Furniture placement is so important in an open concept space. So many buyers walk into an empty open concept space and are at a loss as to where the furniture should go. We stage to show how a space was intended to be used. It is important to ensure we have the correct style and size of furniture to showcase a space properly.
This is why we encourage all our clients to provide as much notice as possible, so we can plan their jobs well in advance. Its very common for us to hold back the right furniture and décor for a confirmed job for weeks. It becomes very challenging to put together a specific design in a day or two when stock is low during a busy time of the year.
Although we have an abundance of stock and styles, we cannot control how many homes are staged at any given time or how many of one particular style need staging at the same time. The more notice we receive the better we are able to plan well in advance and ensure we can provide the best design to showcase your space!
Resale homes
Resale homes are a large part of our business. Some have been recently renovated and updated, but some have not been updated in years. It is critical to ensure we have the right furniture & décor to showcase these homes. It is equally important to know the buying demographic the Realtor expects to attract. Are buyers downsizing empty nesters or young families? The demographic of the buyers has an impact on how we stage the home. We want to decorate to appeal to the age and demographic of the buyers.
Knowing who your potential buyers are goes a long way towards planning and effective design with the right “Wow Factor”. Every aspect of the design is taken into account to best showcase your space. Happy Selling!
Angie Kendel is owner at Maximum Impact Plus Home Staging and KAT Reno. Call to book an apt at our showroom 1924 Main St. in Wpg. Or visit our website at www.maximumimpactplus.com