The most common reason aspiring home stagers put off starting a home staging business is that they worry they won’t know what to recommend during a home staging consultation.
This is an irrational fear.
If you have an innate flair for interior decorating, coming up with ideas is more like a reflex.
Just like you instinctively know how you would improve any ugly home office like this one, you’ll always know more than your clients who desperately need your help.
Assume you’ll know what to do to improve a home rather than letting fear stop you in your tracks.
Up until now, you’re probably assuming most people live like they do in TV shows and magazines. Nothing could be further from the case.
You’ll actually see rooms like this one, from my own client. Not too tough to think about how to make it better right?
Think Like a Home Stager for Home Office
Take a good close look at the picture here of a cluttered home office and think about the recommendations you would have for it if you were faced with this space as a home stager.
Add a comment to this post with your staging ideas.
Next week in a separate post on this blog, I will share my own observations but in the meantime please share your own recommendations by leaving a comment!
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Share Your Staging Tips Below!
Now go ahead and share your own decorating ideas for this home office and start commenting!
I’ll keep my comment short: with the computer looking like it’s from 1995, Goodwill can recycle the clunky monitor, scanner and fax machine. Organize/Hide the clutter on the desk and the guitar case. Feels like too much furniture in one corner of the room – but as I can’t see the rest of the room, it’s hard to tell what possibilities there are with the sofa. But it has to be moved away or out…
Michael
1: If this home is being sold. I would stage it as a bedroom. That being said, everything would need to be removed. Not seeing the full room makes it difficult to know how much space there is to work with.
2: If this home is not being sold and the owners want an office. I would remove the furniture and clutter. As others have mentioned, the equipment would need to be upgraded. New monitors take a lot less room. I would remove the hutch. That would make the ceiling look higher. A fresh colored paint (possibly light grey). Add only the desk back in and possibly a chair, some plants to give it life. Again, not seeing the full room makes it hard to know the possibilities.
All great suggestions Sue!
Move the sofa out of the room. It is probably used as a dumping ground for stuff rather than for necessary seating.
The desk is way too cluttered and the tall back piece with more clutter adds distracting vertical clutter. First thing would be to ask the homeowner to go through everything in and on the desk and discard what is not necessary, then store away (perhaps in a closet neatly and in plastic boxes or bins) papers that are not necessary every day, and then with what is necessary to have at their fingertips, purchase desk organizers (Target has some inexpensive ones) to neatly store papers, pens, etc.
I agree with Michael, That dinosaur of a computer is taking up way too much space. Time to upgrade to either a laptop, or a flat screen monitor and store the hard drive under the desk.
Also, it looks like there is an ancient fax machine in the corner. Nowadays they sell all in one printers with printing, faxing, scanning and copying, and most are very sleek and small scale.
Michael and Donna, thanks for your excellent suggestions.
Any other home stagers or aspiring home stagers want to jump in and add your ideas?
Remove everything. Paint a light gray. Modernize desk and technology. Add throw pillows and blanket in a basket by seating area and a side table with candle and updates magazine for break time. Some nice plants, art and an area rug that pulls everything together and some decorative objects as the cherry on top.
Those are all great ideas! Thanks for commenting.
Ditto to all the suggestions above – the clutter has to go absolutely and I would say the back hutch part of the desk as well. I would either put a large mirror in a nice frame to reflect more light around the room or maybe a cork board in a nice frme but with only a few specific things posted on it. The sofa should be moved or replaced with comfy wing chair. The paint in the room could be lightened up as well and a small lamp on the desk would be nice once it’s cleaned up.
I think the clutter is clearly the first thing that jumps out. Not only is it unattractive, but it can’t possibly entice the homeowner to want to get any work done there.
I would propose getting an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax machine. I would also like to see a smaller, sleeker computer if the budget allows.
I would suggest organizing things as follows: If it’s rarely handled, put it in a bin that’s stored away. Things that need to be accessed should be in labeled file folders in file cabinets. Things that always have to be handy can be placed in attractive desk accessories.
I would get rid of the upper shelf of the desk. The wall can be styled with architectural shelving, artwork and useful, attractive corkboards.
Because I can’t see the entire room, I’m suggesting moving the sofa. It’s just too close to the desk and looks cramped. Maybe create a comfy, fun reading corner with a floor lamp, a throw and magazine rack at the other end.
This room looks like a catch all room. My first thought would be to remove everything and start fresh. If we absolutely had to keep the furniture I would freshen up the sofa with a cover, a throw and some pillows. Turn it to the opposite wall where the desk is now and place artwork on the wall above. I would move the desk (minus the hutch) to the sofa wall decluttering to leave only the essentials. To keep the desk organized I may even place a basket to catch the loose papers (bills, magazines ect). It would be interesting to see what the rest of the room looked like?
Hello,
I would change the wall color because the current color seems relaxing and frankly it does not make the space look any larger. I think brightening the room up with paint will give the impression of a larger space while sleeker, modern, storage friendly furniture would actually increase the amount of space in this home office. I think using the corner space where the printer is for a desk large enough and most importantly with hidden storage areas would be key to making this space a great home office. Updated seating would be another change in this room, of course placement of this seating is essential. The walls could also be used as potential storage space, there are numerous shelves, bookcases and so much more that allows one to utilize otherwise blank walls for storage.
Thanks Georgia, Donna M, Melissa and Courtney for your staging suggestions. I know many others will appreciate them! Anyone else want to take a stab at this challenge?
I agree that step 1 would be to de-clutter and organize the desk and to pack away any photos and items that will not be used for the next couple of months. Few colorful file storage boxes could be used to store the remaining items and to add a touch of color to the work area.
With the clutter removed from the desk, I would re-locate the fax machine to the right side of the desk and move out the small corner cabinet. Instead I would use a medium size green plant in that corner to add life and warmth to the room.
I would add a picture to the wall on the left. If the room is big enough, the sofa can stay (specially if sellers don’t have storage to take it to). I would move the sofa towards the back wall, possible angled and add a slipcover or some decorative pillows.
I have just added some photos from a home office update I completed to my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Metro-Vancouver-Home-Staging-and-Decor/59738009418
Hi Kulli, Thanks for your comments. Don’t forget that as a Staging Diva Graduate, you can benefit from my FREE offer to promote you in articles I write. You can submit your story about the home office, or any other news about your business at this link:
https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/staging-success-stories/
Don’t forget this is a free service and my way of promoting your staging business all over the Internet. I write the story and get it out there, you just need to give me the raw details 🙂
I agree with the decluttering/ work equipment suggestions. Next, I’d look for a glass top work desk. These can be purchased inexpensively and open the space visually. If the room can’t be repainted, I’d get an area rug for the floor to add flair. Because most glass computer desks incl black metal, and the existing desk chair is black, maybe even a small faux zebra throw. Ditch the couch for a chair the homeowners hopefully already own. Paint desk chair wood arms/legs white. Instead of art, I’d put thick white display ledges on walls, of varying widths to angle books, display completed work, photos. Lastly, chandeliers are “in” now and since floor space is a factor, hang a small crystal one w maybe black metal from corner ceiling. Those groups of stick up wall mirrors in various shapes…circles, ovals, etc…fun and would bounce light.
Well the first problem is I need to see the entire room to know what I’m dealing with. Second, a total decluttering effort. The computer equipment looks very dated, so for instance a new monitor might go a long way to update the office. I’d take down the shelf unit on top of the desk. I have a personal issue with a desk facing a wall and the chair back being towards the door, but I’d need to see the room to see if that could be addressed. Overall, from what I can see, it looks like there is just too much furniture and too much going on in this room. I’d love to see your comments! I am not a home stager.
All great observations! Beverly, have you ever thought of becoming a home stager?
Ditto on the clutter and sofa. I would also move the tower cabinet that is on the left of the file drawer to the left side of the desk (symetry) although whether the printer can be moved out of the corner will depend on the whole computer update. If possible, that would move as well. If the sofa has to stay, I would remove papers from on top and add a couple of brightly colours throw cushions to move the eye away from the computer desk. Agree on the hutch being removed as well.
All great ideas Bonnie!