Staged to Sell

Before

After an unsuccessful year on the market, a concerned homeowner decided her place just might need a little sprucing up to make it a more viable commodity. Enlisting the help of Liz Connolly of INhance IT! Home Staging and her talented team, her home went from tired to terrific with jolts of color and an updated, more contemporary edge.

Working with the homeowner’s existing furnishings as much as possible and supplementing with rental pieces and accessories, Liz’s staging team reinvented several of the home’s rooms, including the living room, to appeal to a younger, move-up buyer.

With sparse and somewhat dated furniture, as well as heavy window treatments, the blank canvas that was the living room presented a challenge. 

“Everything in there wasn’t really working for the demographic of that property,” says Liz. She and her team moved some of the furnishings to other areas of the house and brought in a more updated collection of furniture and accessories, including a neutral beige sofa and chairs, dressing them with bright throw pillows in pops of red, orange and green to complement the hues in the floral area rug and art.

“Our vision was to create an environment that would appeal to a first-time move-up buyer,” explains Liz. “We wanted the rooms to feel very fresh. Luckily, the living room walls were pretty neutral, so we just brought in orange to use as an accent color and brighten everything up.”

With jolts of happy color on a renewed palette of furnishings, this home just might become one of the hottest properties on the real estate block.

Staging Tips from Liz Connolly

✽ A property needs to be staged before it goes on the market – you only get one chance to make a first impression.

✽ Use neutral walls – paint over murals and theme rooms and remove wallpaper.

✽ Remove all clutter – collections, religious artifacts, personal photos, floral arrangements, trophies and awards. Depersonalizing the space is key!

✽ Make sure the property is meticulously clean inside and out – including the garage and basement.

✽ Once the property is staged, hire a professional photographer to document your space. More and more buyers are home searching online first. Great photos could determine whether or not a potential buyer wants to visit your property.

RESOURCES:
INhance IT!, 314-486-5354, www.inhanceitstaging.com