The Difference between "Decorating" and "Staging"

“Over 81% of Buyers find it easier to visualize the property as their future home when it’s staged.” Whether you use a professional or do it yourself, staging is such an important part of selling your home.

The most common mistake that home owners tend to make is assuming that decorating a home is the same as staging a home. As a designer and a home stager, I can tell you that the two are very different, from the beginning stages to the end result.

“Decorating is not about making stage sets, it’s not about making pretty pictures for the magazines. It’s really about creating a quality of life, a beauty that nourishes the soul,” states Albert Hadley. This quote pretty much sums it up, Decorating is about creating a space that you can live comfortably and happy in, while staging is about creating a space that a buyer can imagine living in. It is about showing off a home or space in the best way so that the buyer can see it and how it works for them.

The hardest thing that a seller has to do when prepping their home for sale is to de-personalize their home. Our homes are a reflection of us and our experiences, so we collect items that remind us of memories and people. When putting a house on the market, all that needs to be taken out and the space needs to be neutralized. If a potential buyer is walking through your space and seeing pictures of you and your family, it makes it harder for them to visualize themselves in the space.  You need to create is a neutral space that warm and inviting.

When I meet with a design client, I really try to get to know them, get to know the ins and outs of their lives and the way they will interact within a space. I focus on the people that will be living in the space. But when I look at a home to stage,  I have to think about a broader client base and the many different scenarios.   Then, I try to present the space so that it appeals to a wider range of people -- so staging the space and the home become the focus.

Our advice – hire a professional to give you impartial and objective advice on staging your home to sell.  They can help you sell your property quickly and for the most money possible!

As always, Happy Decorating (and Staging) 😊