Before and After

I just finished a staging project. The house goes on the market today. Thought you might want to see some of the Before and Afters. New at the home staging game, I still question my capability , but I must say I am feeling pretty proud of myself after hearing that the real estate agent hired by my clients gave my work a Rave Re:view. Upon entering their home after I had completed the showcasing, he remarked on how beautiful the living room looked. I must admit, I thought it looked pretty good too.

BEFORE

DINING ROOM

The furnishings in the dining room occupied every inch of space. Not seen in the photo is a tall china cabinet which further compromised the flow. It now resides in the living room. Potential buyers accompanied by their agents would barely fit in the room let alone manouever around around the table. The huge painting not only overpowered the space , but added to the illusion that the room was smaller in size than it actually is. By simply relocating the buffet and china cabinet to the living room and paring down the artwork, the dining room becomes an airy open formal space for entertaining. The only expense: a few dollars spent to rent faux greenery and artificial fruit that was placed in a bowl once hidden away in a kitchen cabinet.

AFTER
AFTER LIVING ROOM
BEFOREBEFORE

By removing a bulky love seat and replacing it with a sleek buffet that originally was housed behind the dining room table, the living room was opened up and the hardwood floor, a buyer's dream, was further exposed. Artwork was rearranged and a few added floral rentals allow buyers to notice the spaciousness of the room as opposed to the 'stuff'' in it. Once again a little money goes a long way.

AFTER

FAMILY ROOM

BEFORE

This was the family room I wrote about a few weeks ago re: the 'to paint or not to paint the wood' issue. As you can see the cabinetry was left as is. By removing the dark green leather love seat and the ottoman, both of which overpowered the room, the carpet now more fully exposed, lightens the space. By clearing the bookshelves, adding white vases and resting a bright painting on the mantle, a once dark room was further lightened. Other than the faux plant resting on the hearth, along with two others not in the photo, the accessories, furniture and artwork belong to the homeowners. The two small tables in front of the sofa were nestled under a larger table in the living room. The two pull up chairs were initially gracing the living room as were the throw pillows. The painting on the mantle was hiding in the basement. Big changes do not require big bucks.

AFTER

Except for the bathrooms, the house feels younger than its age. The kitchen has recently been updated and there are gleaming hardwood floors in the living and dining areas. There was no money in the budget to replace the beige toilet and sinks, to remove the powder room wall paper and to install tiled flooring. The other two bathrooms received a fresh coat of neutral paint. The generic nondescript mirrors were replaced in the main and master baths with attractive wooden mirrors, and current accessories were added. The goal: to create a spa like feel and to disguise the dated beige bathroom fixtures. With a minimum of money, the bathrooms no longer stick out like sore thumbs in an otherwise updated house.

MASTER BATHROOM

BEFORE
AFTER

MAIN BATHROOM

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE

POWDER ROOM

I love the challenge of using a home owner's furnishings to create bright, open, current living spaces that have a focal point, a good flow and a recognizable function. The changes I make when staging a property are not made out of disrespect. I believe that everyone should create a living environment that suits their needs. People don't inhabit magazines, they live in homes. It is not for me to pass judgement on the decor, flow or room function of other people's dwellings. As a stager, however, I owe it to my clients to create spaces that possess the features today's buyers are looking for. Any changes made reflect the demands of the buying public and are not a commentary on clients' living styles or decor preferences.

Home staging for the real estate market is an investment not an expense. By hiring a professionally trained individual who can make your home stand out from the others, you are upping the equity in your property.

AFTER