Many new and aspiring home stagers worry they won’t really know what to recommend to their clients once they get into a home staging consultation.
If you have a natural talent for decorating, though, this is nothing more than an irrational fear.
When you get into a home and start looking around, you’ll instinctively know what to do to improve the way the house shows.
One of my favorite things about being a home stager is that I get to use my creativity everyday because as a stager you’re constantly being forced to think on your feet and work with what you have at your disposal.
That’s why home staging is such an attractive career choice for people with a great talent for decorating who feel like their creativity is being wasted in their current job.
To prove to yourself that you have the decorating talent you need to be a successful home stager, take a good look at the picture above of a typical basement family room. Think about what you would recommend your clients do with a space like this and add your own comment to this post with your staging ideas.
I’ll share my own observations in a post next week but in the meantime please share your own home staging recommendations by leaving a comment!
Learn More About Design For Home Staging
Learn more about design for home staging in the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floor Plans. In this comprehensive guide, I take you through each and every space in a home offering my best staging advice, complete with before and after photos from my own projects and accompanying floor plans.
The first thing I notice is the dark walls. Makes me think movie theater. I would turn this into a media room. Pack up and store everything but the sofa, tv, tv stand, matching end tables, green chair and table that is to the left of it.
Slipcover the chair and move it and the table to back left corner, add a lamp and 3 hardcover books (reading nook).
Flank sofa with matching end tables and add lamps.
Add 3 pieces of art to the sofa wall (vintage movie posters?)
Add a 4’x6′ area rug that incorporate wall and sofa colors.
For starters, I I might suggest painting the walls a lighter color. The color in itself isn’t bad, but it’s a basement and it’s a narrow space. I would get rid of two to three pieces of furniture. Create simple focal points with the flowers on the small stand (minus all the excess books and junk on it) and maybe a few hung prints on the walls. I also would add another lamp or floor lamp to cozy the space up and add warmth. Get rid of all the excess blankets and teddy bears. I really do not like the tv stand or the tv. A simple tv armoire would look nice. Those are my first thoughts upon looking at the photo.
Good advice from the previous two comments! I’d also advise: “start packing!” I always suggest getting the extra stuff packed up and moved out. That way, they are well on their way to moving when it sells!
Then, leave only minimal furniture and a few accents. The walls are dark, but they look like they’re in good shape…however, it’s hard to tell in a photo. If they are good, I’d leave ’em and add some colorful or interesting art (movie posters in frames or other that they might have). If they are not in good shape, I’d say, spend the time and money to paint them lighter and open the room up!
At any rate, this is valuable real estate in their home and it should be showcased as the extra space that it is. Home staging is all about showing off the home to it’s best advantage, and the above photo won’t attract anyone!
I would remove everything except the large sofa along the wall, two end tables, armchair and table with vase of flowers, media cabinet and TV. Move the armchair into the corner where the other chair is now, and either angle the table with vase next to it, or perhaps use that as a coffee table in front of the sofa (I would need to try it out to see if it is large enough to fit the scale of the sofa). If it does work in front of the sofa, I’d add a floor lamp next to the armchair. Move the lamp on the far end table to the near one, and add a couple of books or a decorative box or small plant to the far end table. Remove the blankets/afghans/towels, slipcover the plaid sofa with a white cover, place the black/purple pillows in the corners of the sofa. Add one large piece of art or two or three smaller ones over the sofa.
I am still “reading” and learning about becoming a home stager but my first thought was – is this picture being taken from the entrance into the room? Blocked entrance? There seems to be no focal point in the room so I would like to see an area rug added to make things pop a bit more. Others have spoken about de-cluttering and re-arranging some furnishings and I agree. Get that ironing board off the door, too!!
Yes Renee, this is the view as you come down the stairs into the basement family room. I always like to show “staging challenges” that way since that’s what potential buyers first see when they walk in.
1. Declutter
2. Remove shorter length of sofa, and much of the other furniture.
3 Fresh pillows and a throw
4 Add lighting around the room.
5. Depending on budget, paint a lighter, more neutral color
6. Rethink furniture placement
7 corner shelf organization unit with lighting to the corner with the chair in front of the iron board.
8. If possible, uncover windows to bring in natural light.
Great suggestions Eileen, thanks for commenting! Are you a home stager?
Put the TV in the corner where the chair is. Remove a couch as too big for the space. Now put the green chair with side table centred on that wall. Add table to Centre. Get rid of the chair.get rid of other side table too. St or away the ironing board. Put flower on Centre table.
Thanks for sharing your ideas Helene! Are you already a home stager?