Color scheme: Neutral tones? Blue and white? A pop of green?
Design Style: Coastal? Farmhouse chic? Traditional?
Oh wow, where to begin?
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when preparing a home for sale; there is so much to do and it all needs to be done as quickly as possible, as time is of the essence in this market. Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be tedious and it doesn’t need to be overly complicated.
The purpose of staging a home is, as we all know, to present it in the best possible light and to do it in such a way that it appeals to the largest number of people. Ok, that’s very valuable information, but how do we do that? My friends, this is where our story begins:
(If you want to learn first-hand how to professionally stage a home, we encourage you to check out our live classes in Atlanta, GA and Orlando, FL)
I learned many years ago that the best way to successfully plan and strategize for a staging gig is to establish who I am decorating it for (potential buyers).
In other words, to determine who my audience (target market) is and then set the stage accordingly. How much or how little needs to be done, how much money should be allocated for it etc. is all related to that specific target market. In order to do this, I have found the following criteria extremely helpful:
- Ask your realtor: The beauty of this, is that the realtor has exactly the same goal as you which is to sell the home for the highest price and in the least amount of time possible. The realtor has probably already conducted a market study that includes comparable homes, demographics, points of interest etc. I save so much time by simply asking them a ton of questions about the area etc. This will help you understand your target market in a broader perspective (i.e.: an area with great schools perfect for families, or the perfect neighborhood for starter homes or a neighborhood made up of mostly college students…You get my drift…
- Create your persona(s): Now that we have a broad scope of our market, we can narrow it even more and decide where to take it. So fun! I have a very vivid imagination, so it really helps me to create one or two “personas” or “characters” for whom I am decorating. I use the information I gather from the realtor to create such personas and then make a list of characteristics that in my mind, brings them to life.
- One example could be: From Realtor: This is a home that is for sale in Orlando, Florida in a golf community (153 homes) for people 55+. It is one of only 5 homes that sit in a cul de sac with a gorgeous lakeview. Most people living in this community are retired, financially comfortable and sophisticated. The current owners are interested in Occupied Staging and are open to making some updates to maximize their ROI (return on investment).
- I put my creative juices to work and narrow my target market by creating my persona(s):
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- Couple between 55 and 65 years old (sometimes I even give them names in my head so I will name them Sharon and Mike).
- Love to golf
- Enjoy many evenings at home watching movies or their favorite shows
- Love to entertain
- Adore lazy Sunday mornings and breakfast in bed on weekends
- Well-traveled with an adventurous spirit
- Love to cook together twice a week
- Have a passion for reading and learning new things
- And so on and so on
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- Generate a Game Plan: Now that you have a clear and concise persona, you can design a blueprint of what needs to be done. It is easy to do, because you make every decision based on whether or not it would appeal to them. Let me give you a few ideas of how I would decorate based on the example above:
The Basics: The house needs to be on point with current trends, as Sharon and Mike are a very hip couple, so:
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- Should kitchen, bathrooms be updated?
- Does the mustard color on the walls need to be changed to a greige in order to make the house look more appealing?
- Is red even in? Why not change the color palette to navy and white and maybe a splash of coral to give it a more coastal feel and bring the outdoors in…?
- Edit and purchase items that will give this home a more contemporary feel (those horrible builder grade light fixtures need to go and be replaced with larger, more industrial chandeliers to completely change the feel of the home and no, you don’t need to break the bank in order to do so….)
Setting the Scene: Now the basics are taken care of, now it’s time for the good stuff:
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- Make sure the beautiful lake view is highlighted in the way I choose to place the furnishings etc. I would also consider setting 2 chairs in the pool area facing the lake and create a relaxing setting with a book and a glass of wine or hot chocolate (if it’s during the colder months) and maybe even some binoculars…
- Make sure the living room set up looks comfortable and welcoming, for those evenings they stay in to watch their favorite shows.
- Leave hints behind of Sharon and Mike’s travels, through a book, tickets, suitcases, you get where I’m going…
- Maybe add some art that is more abstract and fun to give the house a more updated look
- Bring the bedroom to life by adding a tray with berries, mimosas and croissants with a magazine on top of the little bistro set just outside the bedroom overlooking the lake… Maybe even add a towel on top of the chair, suggesting an intimate Sunday pool day after brunch….ahhh relaxing. Honestly, it makes me want to be there NOW, lol.
Not so bad right?
You see, with the right plan and a solid structure (following the SDG Method for Staging) in place, staging a home can be super fun and it all begins with identifying your audience….let the show begin!!!
KARLA C. URBIZO
In 2017, after working together in complete synergy for more than a year (and having a blast in the process), Melanie and Karla became partners and renamed the school the Staging and Decorating Guild. They both had a goal: inspiring and training others to create lucrative and fulfilling careers in the field.
In 2020, she also became Design and Color Consultant for NHance Kitchen Refinishing Orlando, helping homeowners create the kitchen of their dreams.
