Sharp + Grey’s project manager and certified home stager, Carolyn Vipond, is our guest contributor on the blog. She’s sharing tips for how to stage your home to sell this year.

Staging Helps Buyers Envision Themselves Living in their Future Home

It probably goes without saying that we have all spent more time at home than ever before. And, while you probably organized a closet or two recently, there’s a lot more to do when staging a home to sell. With the the real estate market expected to be hotter than ever this spring, it’s worth making the effort to stage your home for a quicker sale, and in many cases, a higher price.

It’s All about Comfortable, Functional Living

Whether you hire someone to help you with the staging or do it yourself, there are a few important things to think about to make each space livable, comfortable, and purposeful. Gone are the days of the formal living room that is only used during the holidays. While we all plan to be leaving home more often in the very near future, we still need spaces to accommodate layers of our lifestyle - work, school, and play. Here are a few staging tips to showcase your house with the top features that buyers are looking for.

Set Up an Office Space

(Preferably not in your dining room)

Use a spare bedroom or designate an area in a bedroom. Ideally, the room should have a door for privacy and quiet. If you don’t have any spare rooms, consider a small nook or even a closet that you can transform into a workspace. You can build out an efficient storage area with a place to sit and set up a laptop. This has come to be known as the “cloffice.” Google it…it’s all the rage. For more tips on setting up your office, check out this post or see the full reveal of the Sharp + Grey Home office and get all the details and sources here.

Designate a Room or Small Area as a Home Gym

Home workout areas are another space that buyers are looking for. While it may not be a dealbreaker, showcasing an organized area with some weights, mirror, and some cardio equipment (if you have it) could help you stand out above the competition.

Create Inviting Outdoor Living

Outdoor living will continue to be a big trend this year with fire pits, lounge spots and eating areas to host friends and family. Setting up several areas to gather, eat, and play will help buyers feel right at home. Get inspired with this post about how to decorate your outdoor space.

Highlight Functional, Organized Spaces

Spaces like mud rooms, kitchens and pantries are important and highly valued now more than ever. Showcase the functionality of these areas with thoughtful organization including shelves, cubes, and hook systems that help keep clutter to a minimum in high traffic areas. An extra nice detail could be a touch free faucet in a mud room or laundry area for easy hand washing. See the full reveal of the Refined Farmhouse Kitchen and Laundry Room and get top tips and tricks on styling your kitchen space

Invest in a Few On-Trend Accessories

Round mirrors, greenery in neutral baskets, lamps with warm lighting, textured pillows, and comfy throws can take a space from worn to WOW. You’ll be able to take them with you when you move so have some fun picking them out. If you want a few tips on how to style your accessories, read more here.

Fresh Paint Creates an Instant Update

While gray hues for walls and cabinetry are phasing out, they are still quite popular and help achieve a neutral palette. For a different take, consider shades of white and warm greige and beige neutrals are now back in the mix. Regardless of the latest paint trends, if you have multiple paint colors throughout your home, consider picking one neutral color to paint all of the rooms. This may seem boring to you, but when a buyer walks through your home, many varying paint colors can feel like more work for them.

If you’re getting ready to sell, but overwhelmed by staging, a 2-hour staging consultation can help. During the consult, you’ll get real time feedback, ideas, and help with prioritizing what you should do now to prepare your home. Contact me today for a discovery call to learn more.

*Some of the links included in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Real Life. Well Designed.

Sharp + Grey Interiors is a full service interior design studio specializing in creating beautiful yet highly livable spaces that feel as curated to how our clients live, as they are to their personal tastes and style. Sharp + Grey offers a wide variety of flexible design options, from full-service interior design where we do it all, to consultations and custom E-design services that give you the ideas or design plans to install your design project yourself. With a focus on creativity and collaboration, Sharp + Grey Interiors can help you create a home you love with fresh and inspired design made for real life.