I took a continuing ed course taught by Birgit Anich of BA Staging and Interiors last week. I have taken staging classes before, but I didn’t realize that such a strong positive psychological impact can be achieved when applying staging strategy and design techniques.

The goal of staging is to merchandise a property to position it most competitively for sale by eliciting strong positive emotion from those who enter the space.

When you walk into a home, you may feel nothing. You might even feel an aversion. Or your heart may skip a beat, and you experience a “chemistry”, a feeling of excitement, or joy.

We all make decisions based on emotion. We then back up our emotions with fact. Therefore, as a homeowner, when you prepare your house for sale, ensuring your buyers experience a “wow” as soon as they arrive and walk in should be part of your investment in achieving your top dollar sale.

When you put your house on the market, you want buyers to feel the love when they walk in.

Here are four guiding concepts:

1. Everything has a place and a purpose! If it doesn’t, take it out.
2. Curb appeal is key. This is the first impression. Every home needs a wow-factor, so incorporate something to evoke a positive emotion even before entering the home.
3. Everything the buyer sees tells a story, so make it the story you want to tell. For example, if closets are jam-packed, it tells the buyer there might not be enough storage. Closets should ideally be 70% full and arranged by color.
4. Create lifestyle moments. Create the idea of an “aspirational lifestyle”. An example of this is the big soaking tub. Most people never use them, but they love the idea of it when they see it! An alternative can be to have a big coffee table book open to a page showing a luxurious vacation spot or collectible cars.

What are some of the strategies?

• Feature the features. Guide the eye toward what you want to showcase. Any custom elements should be featured such as a new kitchen. All assets should be featured, such as great views, fireplaces, and vaulted ceilings.
• Make sure there’s no “wasted space”. Clearly define the use of all space and give it a purpose. Be sure to separate adult space from kids’ space.
• Minimalize. Use a “less is more” approach.
• Create “memory points”. For example, after seeing four homes, someone might say, “Yes, I remember that house. It’s the one with the pink cushions!”
• Out with the old, in with the new. Refresh items and elements that give a dated or tired impression. For example, swapping out dated light fixtures can make a huge difference in the impression it makes!
• Appeal to the senses. Clean and fresh is key. There is actually a special type of light bulb that can eliminate stubborn odors, such as from pets. Don’t over-do-it with strong scents from candles or oils. Lighting is important too. Be sure to avoid using bulbs with cool lighting.

Texture, color, placement, materials, metals, mirrors, vignettes, and ‘signs of life’ are just a few elements Birgit employs for her strategy. Here are some tricks of the trade!

• Proper lighting wattage and color is important. Use warm lighting with 2700-3000 Kelvin in the living room. A bit cooler lighting in the kitchen is okay, 3000+ Kelvin.
• Furniture placement is important. The heaviest piece of furniture should be on the wall opposite the entrance to the room. Make sure there is at least three feet clearance to walk around furniture, especially tables, but no more than four feet.
• Use big area rugs to anchor furniture in a room and give it a connected, cohesive, luxurious look. For luxury spaces, have a big rug with all furnishings set completely on it. For more informal spaces, use a big rug with furnishings off-set or extending off the edges.
• Coordinate colors.
• Balance rooms with symmetry.
• Group accessories in sets of three and five (odd numbers).
• Repeat design themes throughout the home.
• Use mirrors as a design element to reflect light, reflect pretty views opposite them, and let the buyers see themselves in the space!
• Incorporate “signs of life“, like plants to add a warmth and an organic component to the space.
• Add pops of color to make space memorable and help guide the focus to where you want it.
• Set accessories on angles so they are not too predictable looking.
• Create “special moments“. Use vignettes to suggest a moment in time and create a lifestyle feel. For example, you can display a decorative board game on a coffee table and have a couple of the pieces out in play as though people were just playing.
• Mix metals. For example use a black metal with a gold metal to add interest and variation.
• Add “plush” (textures). For example, add fur seat cushions or open a lively book to a specific page and put it on a desk or coffee table.
• Use lighting to center the space.
• In a gourmet kitchen, use lifestyle accessories.
• In bedrooms, neutralize bedding with whites for a fresh clean impression.
• Mix patterns and solids.
• Use timeless glass.

I bet you can’t wait to try a few of these ideas in your own home! Here are some pictures to get the juices flowing. But if you are thinking about making a move and feel overwhelmed by everything you have do, don’t worry, there is ample help to guide the process and get you there. In fact, when it comes to repairs and staging, I even have a program that will take care of everything for you at no out of pocket cost until you close!