What's the Difference Between Home Staging Vs. Decorating?

| Selling

If you’re like us, you’ve got a thing for design and décor. You binge-watch way too many design shows and find yourself changing your route home so you can admire that divine sofa you spotted at shops like Guff or Hollace Cluny. We understand.

But when it comes time to sell your home, that amazing taste of yours might get in the way of a quick sale and top offers. We’re sorry to be the ones to tell you that killer interior designs no matter how expensive, fashion-forward, and tasteful can be just as off putting to the average buyer as an outdated, not so granny-chic home.

Here we try to explain the differences between decorating and staging and why we might suggest the unthinkable: a staging strategy for your impeccable designer home.

Purpose: Personal Style vs. Neutral Appeal

It all starts with purpose. Decorating is based on personal style while staging is based on creating neutral appeal. While you might understand the subtle nuances of placing a semi-backless couch painstakingly sourced at Kiosk as the ultimate statement piece for your living room, the average buyer is going to imagine themselves falling backwards when they fall asleep watching Bridgerton. And although that massive Kahlo “Frida Con Amigos” poster hanging above the stairs speaks volumes to you, it might be a little unsettling as people try to imagine passing that imposing figure on their way up to bed every night.

We get it. You’re not selling the home and all its contents. But, while home decorating allows you to express yourself in many different ways and from many different angles, it disrupts a buyer’s thought processes when they’re trying to imagine themselves living in the space. Staging removes all signs of personal style to achieve a soothing neutrality that showcases the home, as opposed to the current owner’s taste.

Can staging your home really increase its sale price? Find out right here.

Function: Confusing Space vs. Defined Space

The next difference has to do with function. While you might love your walk-in closet with shelf upon shelf of Jimmy Choos and customized cabinet displaying your Hermès Birkin bag collection (swoon), buyers will puzzle over what happened to that third bedroom you advertised.

A buyer needs to decide how they would use the space and see the possibilities. While decorating allows you to customize each room to suit your lifestyle and needs, being too specific with things like a bedroom transformed into a dressing room, or a basement converted into a spa for your massage therapy practice creates confusion for buyers.

Staging eliminates confusion by defining each space to make its purpose clear. Here we have three bedrooms, a dining room, and a refinished basement ideal for movie nights. This is what buyers expect to see and helps them envision themselves customizing the space to suit their own needs.

Looking for more design inspo? Here are a few more posts you might like:

Feel: Museum Cold vs. Homey Warmth

Modern designs can feel stark and unwelcoming despite their beautifully appointed museum-quality pieces. This can make a buyer feel nervous touring the home, afraid they’ll knock over a statue, or scuff those perfectly polished marble floors. While impressive and even breathtaking from an Architectural Magazine point of view, buyers will always take homey warmth in a staged home over a cold museum don’t touch that decorated home any day.

When a home is staged, it always presents a welcoming space that feels updated. When buyers walk through the space, they get that homey warm and fuzzy feeling, as opposed to feeling like a security guard is going to pop out from behind the drapes and tell them not to open that white high-gloss kitchen cabinet.

Decor and design are one of the best parts of being a homeowner! Here are a few more posts you might find interesting:

Space: Wasted Space vs. Ample Space

The last consideration focuses on the use of space. In home decorating, you might get things just right when it comes to using space wisely. However, you might go overboard filling the space with items you love making a space feel cramped or taking the opposite approach wasting space by choosing one or two statement pieces. Both decorating choices make it hard to fathom how much space there actually is in the room.

Staging on the other hand maximizes space choosing the right amount of furniture to define a room’s use, while not taking up too much space that the house feels small. It also takes steps to declutter the home, editing closets as well as furniture, art, and collections so people see how much storage you have and get a feel for the home’s full potential.

So, the stark reality is that selling a home requires saying an emotional goodbye to all the glorious details of your home décor to make way for a staging strategy focused on neutrality, purpose, homey feels, and maximized space. And remember, you can save all that good taste for your next home!

Whether you’re considering selling or anxious to list, The Christine Cowern Team can help. Give us a call at 416.291.7372 or email us at hello@christinecowern.com. We’d love to work with you!