What is a Home Stager and Do You Need One?
Struggling to sell your property? Give it sales appeal with this enlightening advice from professional home stagers
One of the many joys of owning your own home is that you can fill it with your possessions and your personality. Unfortunately, that personal touch can be a problem when you come to sell the home: it prevents potential buyers from being able to imagine themselves in the space as it feels so much ‘you’. That’s why it’s helpful to bring a fresh pair of eyes – those of a home stager – on board when you’re selling your home. He or she can make sure it has maximum appeal to buyers.
Home stagers are pros: their aim is to create a space in which potential buyers feel at home, and they can see at a glance what needs to change when they enter a property. In practice, this means removing some of the items that make it personal to you and adding pieces that give it a clean, neutral look. There’s a definite art to doing this, but there’s also plenty you can do yourself. We asked a panel of professional home stagers for their tips on how you can give your home a fresh look (and one with broad appeal) on a budget.
Professional advice from: Alex Willcocks of Burbeck Interiors | Jane Cooper and Sharon Johnston of Dressed2Sell | Jemimah Barnett of Jemimah Barnett Independent Property Advisor
Home stagers are pros: their aim is to create a space in which potential buyers feel at home, and they can see at a glance what needs to change when they enter a property. In practice, this means removing some of the items that make it personal to you and adding pieces that give it a clean, neutral look. There’s a definite art to doing this, but there’s also plenty you can do yourself. We asked a panel of professional home stagers for their tips on how you can give your home a fresh look (and one with broad appeal) on a budget.
Professional advice from: Alex Willcocks of Burbeck Interiors | Jane Cooper and Sharon Johnston of Dressed2Sell | Jemimah Barnett of Jemimah Barnett Independent Property Advisor
Declutter, declutter, declutter
If you’re serious about moving on, start by clearing out the clutter. It’s worth the time investment: not only will all the clear surfaces make your home look bigger, but you’ll also save time when you’re packing and unpacking for the move later.
“Decluttering will automatically make a home look much bigger, freeing up floor space, surface and storage space,” explains Sharon Johnston of Dressed2Sell. “When you remove the unnecessary items, you see the good things more clearly. Buyers need to feel that there’s ample space and storage for their possessions.”
Sifting though possessions can be an emotional process, so start with something impersonal rather than sentimental items such as letters and photos. This will prevent you getting sidetracked or distracted by memories. Jane Cooper of Dressed2Sell recommends taking on one room at a time, focusing on small areas so you can see progress quickly.
If you’re serious about moving on, start by clearing out the clutter. It’s worth the time investment: not only will all the clear surfaces make your home look bigger, but you’ll also save time when you’re packing and unpacking for the move later.
“Decluttering will automatically make a home look much bigger, freeing up floor space, surface and storage space,” explains Sharon Johnston of Dressed2Sell. “When you remove the unnecessary items, you see the good things more clearly. Buyers need to feel that there’s ample space and storage for their possessions.”
Sifting though possessions can be an emotional process, so start with something impersonal rather than sentimental items such as letters and photos. This will prevent you getting sidetracked or distracted by memories. Jane Cooper of Dressed2Sell recommends taking on one room at a time, focusing on small areas so you can see progress quickly.
Ask: should it stay or should it go?
To simplify the decluttering process, Cooper and Johnston suggest assigning all items to one of four categories: cherish (items you definitely want to keep), charity (items you’re happy to give to others), cash (anything you can sell) ) or chuck (items that are old or damaged, along with unneeded paperwork).
If you’re struggling to categorise something, think whether you’d buy it now. “If the answer is ‘No’, then out it goes!” says Johnston.
Discover how to declutter your home and keep it tidy
To simplify the decluttering process, Cooper and Johnston suggest assigning all items to one of four categories: cherish (items you definitely want to keep), charity (items you’re happy to give to others), cash (anything you can sell) ) or chuck (items that are old or damaged, along with unneeded paperwork).
If you’re struggling to categorise something, think whether you’d buy it now. “If the answer is ‘No’, then out it goes!” says Johnston.
Discover how to declutter your home and keep it tidy
Boost your kitchen on a budget
It’s not just parties that end up in the kitchen. Much of family life is spent there, so it’s the first port of call for many potential buyers.
Present your kitchen in the best light by decluttering all surfaces, plus the insides and tops of cupboards. “Next, style the surfaces with a matching chrome kettle, toaster and a coffee pot or machine,” suggests Cooper.
Tiles looking a bit tatty? Painting outdated or unattractive ones with tile paint works well, but only on small areas. “It’s hard to get a perfect finish and this will be more obvious on large expanses,” says Cooper. “Small areas are easier to handle and if the finish isn’t perfect, you can distract from this with other styling items.” For the best results, take it slowly and leave 16 hours between coats. Two coats will cover most tiles.
A simple trick to make the room feel fresh is to change old lighting for clean, fresh LED bulbs, which instantly brighten up the room. Your final step should be a thorough clean: dirty kitchens are a big turnoff for potential buyers
It’s not just parties that end up in the kitchen. Much of family life is spent there, so it’s the first port of call for many potential buyers.
Present your kitchen in the best light by decluttering all surfaces, plus the insides and tops of cupboards. “Next, style the surfaces with a matching chrome kettle, toaster and a coffee pot or machine,” suggests Cooper.
Tiles looking a bit tatty? Painting outdated or unattractive ones with tile paint works well, but only on small areas. “It’s hard to get a perfect finish and this will be more obvious on large expanses,” says Cooper. “Small areas are easier to handle and if the finish isn’t perfect, you can distract from this with other styling items.” For the best results, take it slowly and leave 16 hours between coats. Two coats will cover most tiles.
A simple trick to make the room feel fresh is to change old lighting for clean, fresh LED bulbs, which instantly brighten up the room. Your final step should be a thorough clean: dirty kitchens are a big turnoff for potential buyers
Refresh kitchen walls and windows, too
You’ll also need to clean windows in the kitchen and remove any tired blinds or curtains. “Fit a white wide-slatted wooden Venetian blind, which gives the feel of shutters for minimal cost,” says Johnston.
Got a sunny windowsill? Line it with fresh herbs in pretty pots (don’t forget to give it a coat of paint if it’s going to be a focal point).
“Keep walls white and include one or two interesting pictures – art in the kitchen always adds a premium feel,” says Cooper. “Pick out a fresh colour in the pictures and repeat this in accent colours in new tea towels or chair cushions.”
You’ll also need to clean windows in the kitchen and remove any tired blinds or curtains. “Fit a white wide-slatted wooden Venetian blind, which gives the feel of shutters for minimal cost,” says Johnston.
Got a sunny windowsill? Line it with fresh herbs in pretty pots (don’t forget to give it a coat of paint if it’s going to be a focal point).
“Keep walls white and include one or two interesting pictures – art in the kitchen always adds a premium feel,” says Cooper. “Pick out a fresh colour in the pictures and repeat this in accent colours in new tea towels or chair cushions.”
Bring the refresh to the bathroom
Grubby grout and sealant make a room look neglected, but a scrub with mildew and mould remover should do the trick. Clean basins, sinks, showers and WCs to remove limescale and make the room sparkle.
“Don’t leave used towels in exotic colours on the radiator,” advises Willcocks. “Keep it simple with luxury white towels that haven’t been used – you can swap them over before viewings. The same goes for bathmats and shower curtains: stick to natural colours.”
Other budget ways to add a luxury feel include adding a diffuser, a premium hand wash on the basin and some aspirational perfumes or bath oils by the bath. You could even hang a piece of art to add glamour.
“If the WC has a wooden seat, replace this with a white one,” suggests Cooper. “Trade in a tired shower curtain with a new white one or a plain glass screen. Freshen up paintwork and replace any tired towel and loo-roll holders.”
Grubby grout and sealant make a room look neglected, but a scrub with mildew and mould remover should do the trick. Clean basins, sinks, showers and WCs to remove limescale and make the room sparkle.
“Don’t leave used towels in exotic colours on the radiator,” advises Willcocks. “Keep it simple with luxury white towels that haven’t been used – you can swap them over before viewings. The same goes for bathmats and shower curtains: stick to natural colours.”
Other budget ways to add a luxury feel include adding a diffuser, a premium hand wash on the basin and some aspirational perfumes or bath oils by the bath. You could even hang a piece of art to add glamour.
“If the WC has a wooden seat, replace this with a white one,” suggests Cooper. “Trade in a tired shower curtain with a new white one or a plain glass screen. Freshen up paintwork and replace any tired towel and loo-roll holders.”
Go for budget chic
Elsewhere, you can use simple budget products to add a fresh look. Start by researching this season’s accent colour and then buy a few throws in this colour to cover up dated duvet covers and pillows, plus scatter cushions to brighten up drab sofas and chairs.
Above all, aim to remove traces of your own personality and, instead, inject a fresh, neutral look. “If you have controversial artwork, remove it,” says Willcocks. ”If you have a rowing machine in your second bedroom that hasn’t been used in four years, remove it. If you have a cat gymnasium, remove it. Your buyers don’t care about you and your belongings. If you want to sell your property, they need to be able to see themselves living in your house or apartment.”
Elsewhere, you can use simple budget products to add a fresh look. Start by researching this season’s accent colour and then buy a few throws in this colour to cover up dated duvet covers and pillows, plus scatter cushions to brighten up drab sofas and chairs.
Above all, aim to remove traces of your own personality and, instead, inject a fresh, neutral look. “If you have controversial artwork, remove it,” says Willcocks. ”If you have a rowing machine in your second bedroom that hasn’t been used in four years, remove it. If you have a cat gymnasium, remove it. Your buyers don’t care about you and your belongings. If you want to sell your property, they need to be able to see themselves living in your house or apartment.”
Get a home stager in?
If you can’t face the upheaval of a thorough declutter, this is where a home stager comes in. “In the States, in Canada, in Australia, people are really on board with home staging,” explains property advisor and buyer Jemimah Barnett. “In the UK, we had a rising market for so long that almost anything sold. But this mentality has to change because we’re not in that market any more. If you want to get top dollar for your home, the idea that you can do nothing and people should be grateful to overpay for it is over, at least for a while.”
If you can’t face the upheaval of a thorough declutter, this is where a home stager comes in. “In the States, in Canada, in Australia, people are really on board with home staging,” explains property advisor and buyer Jemimah Barnett. “In the UK, we had a rising market for so long that almost anything sold. But this mentality has to change because we’re not in that market any more. If you want to get top dollar for your home, the idea that you can do nothing and people should be grateful to overpay for it is over, at least for a while.”
What will they do?
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression – and that’s certainly true when potential buyers see your home online. They’re likely to spend fewer than three seconds viewing it and they can compare it with others at the click of a mouse, so your home needs to stand out for the right reasons.
“Home stagers prepare the property for this moment and style the rooms accordingly,” says Cooper. “They’re often on site when the photography happens, so they can look at the image and tweak the room to make it look its best and most aesthetically pleasing.”
Making a good first impression when potential buyers step over the threshold in person is also crucial. Home stagers know how to strike the perfect balance between how much to take away without making the property feel soulless and how much to add without it feeling cluttered. “A good home stager will use the best of the client’s belongings and introduce some new pieces to bring the home bang up to date and very appealing to visitors,” says Johnston.
You’ll get most value if you call on a home stager when you first decide to sell. “The best time to call a home stager is before you’re told to reduce the price by 15 per cent,” says Willcocks. “The earlier the better. The more time we have to work with your property, the more impact we can have.”
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression – and that’s certainly true when potential buyers see your home online. They’re likely to spend fewer than three seconds viewing it and they can compare it with others at the click of a mouse, so your home needs to stand out for the right reasons.
“Home stagers prepare the property for this moment and style the rooms accordingly,” says Cooper. “They’re often on site when the photography happens, so they can look at the image and tweak the room to make it look its best and most aesthetically pleasing.”
Making a good first impression when potential buyers step over the threshold in person is also crucial. Home stagers know how to strike the perfect balance between how much to take away without making the property feel soulless and how much to add without it feeling cluttered. “A good home stager will use the best of the client’s belongings and introduce some new pieces to bring the home bang up to date and very appealing to visitors,” says Johnston.
You’ll get most value if you call on a home stager when you first decide to sell. “The best time to call a home stager is before you’re told to reduce the price by 15 per cent,” says Willcocks. “The earlier the better. The more time we have to work with your property, the more impact we can have.”
Is it worth the cost?
People often think stagers are interior designers, but they’re working to a different brief. “Interior design is about taking your budget and making your house look nice, while staging is about spending the least amount of money possible to achieve the goal of getting the most amount of return,” explains Barnett.
A home stager could add 10 per cent to the sale price of your home. “If we’re talking about a property of £1 million, then 10 per cent is £100,000,” Barnett adds.
Tell us…
What’s turned you off or drawn you to a property you were considering buying? Share your experiences in the Comments.
People often think stagers are interior designers, but they’re working to a different brief. “Interior design is about taking your budget and making your house look nice, while staging is about spending the least amount of money possible to achieve the goal of getting the most amount of return,” explains Barnett.
A home stager could add 10 per cent to the sale price of your home. “If we’re talking about a property of £1 million, then 10 per cent is £100,000,” Barnett adds.
Tell us…
What’s turned you off or drawn you to a property you were considering buying? Share your experiences in the Comments.
First impressions really do count. “Consider this from the buyer’s perspective,” says Alex Willcocks of Burbeck Interiors. “What does the entrance to your property look like? My biggest bugbear is junk mail on doormats. What does this say about the seller and the property if a buyer has to step over a bundle of junk mail?”
Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to make your entrance hall look welcoming. If your hall mat is on the tatty side, replace it with a cheap and cheerful new one. If your entrance hall is narrow, add a horizontal mirror to create the illusion of space.