Home Stagers are Part Psychologist, Philosopher, Magician & Mystic
Many Realtors, including me, use home stagers to help homeowners prepare their homes for sale. The longer a home has been lived in, the more it seems a stager is needed. The biggest challenge is that buyers must be able to imagine themselves living in the home. This can be difficult, if not impossible, if the home has accumulated years of personal branding from the current owners.
Our team, Harper Mees & Associates, has used the services of several stagers over the years. Watching these professionals work can be a mesmerizing experience. A good stager must have a good sense of style, space, color and relationship (how objects relate to each other). Here are a few of my observations that relate to my subtitle:
- Psychologist - Good stagers understand the psychology of selling and the buyer’s mind. I can’t count the number of times I have heard a stager say - “That’s got to change or go. It will just turn a buyer off” - or something similar.
- Philosopher - Stagers seem to think a home is more than just a place to park the car and lay one’s head. Warning - a staging consultation can take on existential overtones!
- Magician - Often staging seems like a magic show. Watching a room or a home transform from what it was to what the stager envisions can be filled with wonderment and awe. I’ve seen stagers “talk” to rooms and accessories to see where they need to be placed.
- Mystic - Some stagers are experts in Feng Shui and other studies of subtle design and style elements. When these stagers talk about creating a greater sense of well-being, enhancing energy and harmony - listen up and experience the result.
This post became more than I had intended. I received the following content from one of our favorite stagers and friends - Cathy Lee of CLDesign Services - and thought I would make a few comments about stagers in general to introduce Cathy’s remarks. Just goes to show you what can happen on an early foggy morning with good coffee and a fresh mind!
Inflate Your Space by Cathy Lee
In every home there is at least one room that the homeowner desires larger. In my staging business, I believe the key to increasing the perceived size of any small area is to maximize the function of the space while minimizing the clutter.
Clutter is a reflection of chaos in ones life. If you are preparing your home for sale, it eats equity!
Clutter can make any size of space seem smaller. By discarding the items that you don’t need and organizing the rest, you will create an efficient feeling throughout the room. If you must keep some if the items that were generating the clutter, then try as best you can to keep them to a minimum.
A simple décor seems to work best for small spaces. Light, airy fabrics absent of print or pattern will enlarge the area. Beautiful Fabric is one online source for high quality materials that only look expensive. When selecting furniture, try to utilize larger pieces that are tall and contain hidden storage spots.
The final way to add appeal to every room is add as much natural light as possible. Three sources of light are ideal when possible.
Heartfelt thanks to Cathy Lee (who knows all the best lunch spots) and all stagers that help to bring out the beauty and potential. Questions or Comments? Contact Us
Thank you Ginny!!! Cathy Lee
Cathy Lee is owner of C.L. Design Services Professional Home Staging
