You hear the word “neutral” all the time when talking about home staging but neutral has many different meanings. Using neutrals on large elements in a home makes sense. Flooring, surfaces, wall treatments etc. are large investments and a homebuyer wants to know these will be elements they can live with for many years. Having said that, if your home has features that date it, there are techniques home stagers can use to enhance the positive features and using “moveable colour” is one way to do that effectively.

Colour moves us. It attracts us and stirs our emotions. I have seen many homes where the homeowners have put some staging techniques in to play by decluttering, depersonalizing and removing every last accessory etc. until they are left with a bland, beige box. Yes, you can go too far when preparing a home for sale, removing focal points, colour and anything that will attract a buyer to those online images.

Movable color in items a seller can take with them can update a home for very little cost. Moveable colors are bedding, towels, area rugs, artwork and accessories. By adding pops of colour to every room you instantly freshen and add interest but they have to be the right colours in the right amounts.

Stagers know how to get this right. We stage to highlight positives, create focal points and showcase a home that will attract your target buyer. If your home is occupied, very often we can use what you have, in a way you may not have thought about. If moveable colour is needed to add the finishing touches, we can make you a list of items needed and recommend where to find the best prices or we can shop for you or rent items from our staging inventory.

With a vacant home a stager will choose the furniture, accessories and moveable items that will best highlight your property and appeal to your buyer.

You only get one chance to impress and cutting corners will only hurt your home sale. A small investment ensures you have your best foot forward from day 1 and saves you time and $$$$ by doing it the right way.

One of the things a homestager usually recommends when prepping a home for the market is to de clutter and pack up collectibles. Especially if there is a theme. Not everyone shares the same love of monster trucks and cartoon characters and selling a home is all about the buyer and not your tastes.

Too many items make a home look cluttered (not enough storage in a buyer’s mind) smaller than it actually is (clutter eats square footage and equity) and claustraphobic. Having said that, you do need some focal points to add interest and colour.There are a few tricks we stagers use to get the right look. Presentation is everything. In stores items are arranged in an artful way. Your rooms can come to life with that same type of attention to detail. Small details can have a huge impact. Something as simple as repeating the same size or style of baskets or boxes can create a clean and uniform look. Repetition is pleasing to the eye. So if you repeat basic shapes or use one color it will create a unified look which can bring a serene and calming feeling to the room.

Group

Simple is best.

Group in odd Numbers.

Choose interesting shapes and items.

Nature

Use Natural Elements

Metals, basketware, shells, rocks

Group with books for interest

Green

Green always looks fresh

Brightens a neutral palette

Use what you have

Baskets

Use as artwork for texture

To hide and contain clutter

To add subtle colour

Colour Block

Use a variety of objects and shapes

Larger items have more impact

Use spraypaint to get the look

Books

Adds height to smaller objects

Larger items anchor a display

Inexpensive props

Flowers

Keep it simple & seasonal

Use one style & colour of flower

Group 3 in different height vases

Less is more when staging to sell

Tag: visual merchandising

Using moveable colour in home staging

Collections : The Art of Display