Holiday Home Staging 101

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Tidings, and Festivus Greetings to all!

No matter what holiday you are celebrating, staging your home during the holidays can be hassle-free by following these simple guidelines:

• DO NOT OVER-DECORATE: Too many decorations create unwanted effects on your home. 1) Buyers will not remember the house's features, 2) The house will appear small and cluttered, 3) Overwhelming religious holiday decor may be offensive to hardcore PC buyers.
• DO, MINIMAL SEASONAL DECOR: Keep seasonal decor to localized areas such as the fireplace mantle, table center pieces, and vanities. Having just a few pieces will give the "flavor" of the season without "overwhelming the taste buds."
• DO NOT SET UP A TREE IN SMALL SPACES: If you are selling a house under 2000 square feet, every inch of space needs to be seen. It is more important that buyers see all the corners in the living room instead of a 7-foot spruce.
• DO USE OUTDOOR LIGHTING: Without going Clark Griswold on your roof, tastefully use exterior Christmas lights to stir up warm feelings in your buyers. Now that our days are shorter, it is important to use artificial lighting to set the mood.
• DO NOT USE LARGE YARD DISPLAYS: The same theory for interior decorating applies to the exterior as well. Inflated snow globes may look neat, but buyers will have a hard time looking past it and may miss your landscaping and other exterior features.
• DO KEEP DECOR TIMELY: Once your holiday is done, pack the decor ASAP. A house that retains holiday or seasonal decor past its due date has a neglected atmosphere.
• DO NOT USE STRONG FRAGRANCES: Although tempting, using candles, potpourri, and room fresheners may irritate sensitive buyers. Instead, use natural fragrances such a baked cookies and simmering cider to boost the aromas in your home.
• DO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS: Reduce the stress by reducing the amount of commitments you make during this time of the year. Remember, your holiday is about your faith, your family, and your friends. Keep it simple and remain positive towards the marketing of your home!

One final thought... when listing your home over the holidays, DO NOT decorate your home to suit the current season or holiday unless you are going to update the photos when the season/holiday is past. Photos on the MLS of Christmas stockings hanging on the mantle is not appealing when it is the middle of March.

Happy HanuRamaKwanzMas, Everyone!

KFM Staging & Design is a Minnesota home staging company that creates "First Impressions that Sell" in the Twin Cites and Western Wisconsin. KFM specializes in vacant staging and staging consultations. Visit our website for staging tips or to schedule your in-home or online consultation.

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The Art of Art Placement

Adding art to the walls requires more consideration than picking between a nail or a screw.

Proportion and placement of home accents are just as important as choosing the style. Improper placement of an art piece will cause focal point confusion; furthermore, choosing decor that is out-of-scale with the space will leave buyers questioning the quality of the home. Take a look at the examples below:

Many amatuer decorators are under the impression that art work needs to be hung at eye-level; the problem with that theory is that what is eye-level for you isn't necessarily eye-level for the buyer.

In the photo to the left, the art pieces (hung at eye-level) leave too much space between the pieces and the furniture. The phenomenon is called "floating art syndrome," and this room suffered from a double case with breakouts on both walls.

The perscription for this "illness" is to reduce and lower. The photo below shows how the artwork has been condensed to the focal point of the room and lowered to create a more intimate atmophere. (Dr. KFM has cured the patient, and this house is now sold!)

The next example (to the right) shows a bedroom with art work that is too small for the space. Ignoring all the other obvious flaws displayed in the picture, this relatively small art piece is dwarfed by the king-sized bed. If you thought the corrective measure would be to add a larger art piece, you would be right and wrong.

By adding a larger art piece, the room will start to look unbalanced (topic to be addressed on another post). The method of correction would be to choose a piece or series of pieces that would add length but does not overwhelm the wall.

Rememer the "intimate" feeling created by lowering the art in the living room (pictured above). This intimate setting should be refected in the master bedroom as well. The photo below shows several small framed pieces placed side-by-side to create a horizontal display that is as grand as the bed itself but is not over-powering.



The improper placement of home decor and art pieces may seem like an unlikely culprit that hinders the sale of your home, but it is a "quiet killer" that leaves a bad impression on buyers. So whether you are preparing your house for sale or are just updating it for your own pleasure, style, size, and placement of art should be considered before picking up your hammer.

The examples above show how good intentions at home staging backfired due to lack of knowledge. After consulting with KFM Staging & Design, these sellers were shown the proper staging techniques that made gave their house memorable appeal. Your largest financial investment deserves a professional evaluation!

KFM Staging & Design is a Minnesota home staging company that creates "First Impressions that Sell" in the Twin Cites and Western Wisconsin. KFM specializes in vacant staging and staging consultations. Visit our website for staging tips or to schedule your in-home or online consultation.

KFM Staging & Design
"Creating First Impressions That Sell!"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Home Staging Tips for Fall

With summer quickly drawing to a close, sellers should consider how to update their home to keep current with the seasons.

Home Staging Tips for Fall

• Lawn Care: Keep your grass well watered and trim to maintain a lush appearance.
• Landscaped Areas: Cut back spent flowers and vegetable plants. Withered plants make the exterior of your home look tired. Freshen up garden areas with fall perenials such as mums.
• Holiday Decor: Halloween and other seasonal decorations should be minimal and tasteful when marketing your home. Replace skulls, witches, and ghost with pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn.
• Fall Scents: Avoid using artificial room sprays. Instead, use natural fragrances such as simmering cider or fresh baked pumpkin bread.
• Update Photos: If your home has been on the market for several months, be sure to update the online exterior photos.
  

The changing seasons envoke special considerations when selling your house. It is imperative to retain a fresh and updated look!

KFM Staging & Design is a Minnesota home staging company that creates "First Impressions that Sell" in the Twin Cites and Western Wisconsin. KFM specializes in vacant staging and staging consultations. Visit our website for staging tips or to schedule your in-home or online consultation.

KFM Staging & Design
"Creating First Impressions That Sell!"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!