No BS. No Fridge Magnets. No Such Thing as a Bad Question.
HOMEROOM
A Weekly Advice Column from the BREL team.
October 24, 2024
Dear HOMEROOM,
My husband wants to stage our house like a Scandinavian architect lives here, but I think its current bohemian aesthetic better suits it.
Who is wrong here and why is it my husband?
– Skeptical Maximalist
The answer to this week’s HOMEROOM is thanks to Kiel Storms – Designer for UPstaging (the BREL team’s in-house staging company), expert vintage hunter, and wanderlust seeker.
Dear Skeptical Maximalist,
Selling your home is stressful, and you both want it to look its absolute best so you can get the best price—on that most important part, you agree. Considering that end goal, try to put your personal tastes aside and think about this objectively.
A good staging company should be able to turn a vacant home into a home that feels lived in with style and not simply staged. The best staging doesn’t scream, ‘This home is staged!’. It makes a property feel desirable because it sells the buyer a lifestyle they can aspire to. I love the Bohemian style with its layered textures and eclectic mix of organic elements. I also love the Scandinavian design aesthetic for its prioritized clean lines, functionality, neutral colours, and natural materials. Both interior design styles have their merits, and when executed well, each could appeal to prospective buyers.
While it’s true that certain homes may lend themselves to one style more than the other, it’s important to remember that most people will be viewing your home through pictures online before they see it in person. The pictures need to win them over and get them in the door.
I’m sure your home is great! But when was the last time you thought about its best angles? Staging isn’t just for unsightly or empty homes. Even the most beautiful well-curated homes can benefit from staging because of its ability to bring a home from ‘appealing’ to ‘magazine worthy’ by styling and decorating it with the photographer’s lens in mind.
Generally speaking, clean, bright, neutral spaces show better in photos. We almost always advise clients to declutter and brighten their spaces before listing them. This isn’t to say we want everyone to paint their home white, but we suggest painting the home in a consistent palette – only a few colours throughout – and generally prefer colours that will help spaces feel bright and airy. A consistent colour palette shows better in photos and allows a home to feel unified and orderly when viewing it in person.
Staging is about creating the feeling of home, an aspirational feeling, and ultimately presenting your home in its best light.
Your partner isn’t wrong. The Scandinavian aesthetic lends itself to home staging because of the principles that define it, but it also lends itself to a home that looks staged. The right decorator should be able to turn out a magazine-worthy home in various styles, with the feeling of home at their core.
The real question for you is, do you trust your decorator? If so, then I suggest using what you have as a base. They’ll be able to tell the story of your home like the Bohemian masterpiece it is by editing, rearranging, and incorporating their own pieces into it. If you’re not confident with your current look, speak to your realtor about meeting the buyer’s expectations in your market and plan to adjust accordingly.
Unless you plan to pack up everything and start from scratch (and spend more money), you’ll want to get the best possible result while using as much of your furniture as possible.
A good staging company will consider your existing furniture and decor before suggesting any particular style for your home. Editing your wonderfully eclectic and character-filled home and infusing some Scandi principles into it may be all you need to do here. Some staging companies will only do one look (often something Scandi or similar) regardless of what home they stage. This has more to do with their inventory than what’s best for your home.
Remember, the goal is to get ‘magazine-worthy’ photos, not necessarily sell a Scandinavian fantasy. I’ve seen plenty of Bohemian-inspired interiors on the covers of magazines, and when they’re good, they’re really good.
When in doubt, ask your agent or the stager for examples of their previous staging work before you agree to work with them. A picture is worth a thousand words (or at least as many as this blog), and if you don’t like what you see, you should probably keep looking. For reference, here are some of our transformations below.
Best of luck to you and your husband with the sale of your home (and I’m available to consult on the aesthetic of your next home – I have a feeling the design debates may continue on to your future address).
Kiel
Inspiration: Before and After | Staged by the BREL staging team
No BS. No Fridge Magnets. No Such Thing as a Bad Question.
HOMEROOM delivers straightforward advice and guidance from the BREL team. We’re using our deep real estate knowledge and experience to answer your burning questions.
How Did We Do?
Are you nodding along in agreement, or did we totally miss the mark? We want to know what you think.
My Girlfriend and I Are Buying a House Together. We’ve Only Been Dating for a Year, and I’m Going to be Covering the Majority of the Down Payment. How Do I Protect Myself if Things Between Us Go South?
My Father Passed Away a Few Years Ago, Leaving My Mom to Deal with 40 Years of Memories and a House That’s WAY Bigger than She Needs. How Do I Help Her Move On?
I Think My Realtor Has Consistently Given Us Bad Advice. Should I Jump In and Try to Rescue the Sale of My Home, Myself?
Who We Are
The BREL team is rooted in authenticity, trustworthiness, unquestionable ethics and effective, new-school marketing. We’re obsessed with digital marketing, gorgeous design and delivering outstanding real estate experiences.
Featured Listings
An up-to-date list of the properties listed for sale or lease by the BREL team.
The BREL Blog
Insightful, analytical, and transparent real estate content that educates and informs.
Timely market updates and frank advice for first-time buyers and sellers, downsizers, and everyone in between.
