Nashville Home Stager: What Turns Buyers On

This week my assistant and I staged a home to sell.  I helped the homeowner choose paint colors and decorate her home a couple of years ago.  So now, I had to shift gears from decorating to staging  – you can learn the difference here.

nashville staging

 

This is the way the house looked when I first began working with her – golden yellow walls throughout:

before staging

before

My client wanted fresh wall colors that were reminiscent of watercolor paints – some of her pottery and colorful pillows became the inspiration for the home’s color palette.  We chose blues, greens, and yellows that were anchored with a creamy off-white neutral on the main level of the home.  When we staged the home earlier this week, we removed some of the more personal and taste-specific items. But we were careful to keep interesting items that would appeal to most buyers.

staged living room stratton blue

after staging 

So what appeals to most buyers?  Besides square footage, high-end kitchens and baths, and hardwood floors?  Those things are no-brainers.  But there are less obvious things that turn buyers on – whether they realize it or not.  That’s why is important to use psychological staging techniques that set the stage of an idealized lifestyle.  Personal photos are a turn-off for buyers, but there are other decorative items that can be a big turn-on.

staged bookcases

staging by The Decorologist

I want buyers to believe that whoever purchases the property is smart (insert hardback books), artistic (insert art and musical instruments), clean (organize and edit ruthlessly), and well-traveled (top off with interesting artifacts and travel magazines).  All buyers hope in their hearts that the purchase of a new home will make their lives better.  Here’s another “before” of this space where you can see the previous window treatments (sorry for the poor quality photo):

DSC_1127 before

If you are selling your home and have nice window casings, steer clear of fussy or taste-specific window treatments – bare can be better, and more light makes the room appear larger.

artful living roomafter

The nearby dining room was drab and lacked interest in its original state a few years back.

17541_1184903548815_1415067860_30457820_3614529_n

before 

I pulled together the homeowner’s art and created a tasteful gallery wall in the dining room, creating a memory point for buyers so they won’t soon forget the first room they see upon entry into the home.

dining room after art grouping

dining room after

And while there is a neutral wall color running through the hall and living room, the dining room is punctuated with a fresh pop of color to accentuate the wood tones.  When you hire a home stager, make sure they are current and knowledgable about paint color trends. Choosing just the right paint colors can make all the difference in how the property shows.

gallery art dining room

Have you ever thought you might like to become a home stager yourself? Train to be a certified Expert Psychological Stager™ in our 3-day intensive course! Find out more here.

10 Comments

  1. Kath Barry

    Nice job here….love order and the colors are right on!

    Reply
  2. Patti Hutchinson

    LOVE the new look. Sometimes I go through my home and “stage” it just to remove clutter!!

    And I am SO curious about your last statement!!! YeeeeHaaaa!!

    Reply
  3. Jula Cordeira interiors

    Lovely…What colors did you use?

    Reply
  4. Dixie dobbins

    Love what you do an seriously considering becoming a home stager. I get it and I love watching you!

    Reply
  5. Beth

    I love this paragraph. We as humans are so subjective to the subliminal…..

    I want buyers to believe that whoever purchases the property is smart (insert hardback books), artistic (insert art and musical instruments), clean (organize and edit ruthlessly), and well-traveled (top off with interesting artifacts and travel magazines). All buyers hope in their hearts that the purchase of a new home will make their lives better.

    Reply
  6. Mary CC

    All I can say is Kristie you are such a pro at this and I enjoy every week or “episode” you produce ! It used to be we watched makeovers on t.v. for hair and makeup then the big reveals. Now everyone is interested in their homes. It could be a new home, remodel or makeover of an older home. The one thing in common is that you need to paint it, furnish it and decorate it. Kristie you do all of these things with perfection and you show us how to incorporate these ideas into our own spaces.
    Thank you !

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Oh, Mary – thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoy my “episodes.” 🙂 Every house I work on inspires me, and it’s great to hear they inspire others, too.

      Reply
  7. Kelly

    So much fresher! Looks lovely. Your advice about the window treatments is perfect- do it right or leave the windows bare.

    Reply

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