Bouquet Of Lillies

Staging your home, for the most part, is not about your personal style. However, there are two reasons why you should inject at least a little bit of your own style into your home staging efforts.

1) You want your house to look like a home, not a bare box

2) You should be using your own items for staging as much as possible (to save time and money)

There is a fine line between de-cluttering and de-personalization of a home, and denuding it altogether. You want your buyer to feel that this is a home, and more importantly, a home that they would like to live in. If you have removed all homey items, this is far harder to do.

Staging Your Home: Use Accessories Wisely

Accessories are to home staging (and decorating) what jewelry is to a woman's outfit. They add the little finishing touches that allow you to further express yourself. But, to continue our analogy, there is a right amount of jewelry, and then there is a gaudy and inappropriate amount. You may not really understand the difference unless you see it, but most of us know it when it is wrong.

DO: Use collections you own, but edit them way down. Three items grouped together, or even things in pairs will read appropriately.

DON'T: Set single items out unless they are larger, and more dramatic (as with a centerpiece). It seems counter-intuitive given how often we encourage de-cluttering, but a single small insignificant item looks odd and unfinished.

DO: Have items of different heights. Put the largest item in back, and consider a triangular formation.

DON'T: Have too many colors at once. When staging your items, try to keep them as consistent in color as possible, to avoid a chaotic feel.

Staging Your Home: Use Art and Mirrors to Draw Фокус

Just as a home with no accessories feels sparse and odd, so does one without anything on the walls. It can be tempting to avoid putting things back up after you have gone to the trouble of patching and painting the walls, but you will be losing a huge advantage if you ignore this area.

DO: Use non-offensive subject matter. You may find the classical nudes of Renoir to be tasteful, while others may find them offensive. Stick with still-lifes, land marks, landscapes, etc. Abstracts may also work, as long as they are not too cutting edge.

DON'T: Use all family photos or portraits. You want your buyer to picture their own family here, so keep these to a minimum.

DO: Consider using black and white photography. It tends to read neutral, and the subject matter is almost overlooked.

DON'T: Ignore the value of mirrors! Mirrors reflect light, so are especially useful in darker rooms. Place one behind a lamp to bounce light all around the room. Position them opposite a window to truly bring the outdoors in!

DO: Use art or mirrors to draw attention to an architectural feature such as a fireplace.

Staging Your Home: Bedding and Pillows

As much as you want to remain neutral, adding a splash of color, or texture here is a nice way to add a homey warm touch. This is also a way to tie in any seasonal elements. But do remember, soft surfaces hold odors, so be careful if you are a smoker or have pets.

DO: Use the same or similar accent color throughout your house where possible. If you have red vases in your living room, adding an accent pillow with some red in your bedroom will give a sense of continuity.

DON'T: Use all beige all the time. Too much beige, even in our neutral world of staging becomes dull and dreary. You don't want a dull and dreary feel to your home! Finding a fun throw pillow, or decorative pillow shams for your rooms can put just that touch of color needed to break up the beige.

DO: Keep your elements appropriate for the style of your home, and the season. You may have a modern aesthetic, and love your geometric design comforter - but if you live in a Victorian home, this will seem off and odd to your potential buyers.

DON'T: Ever use soiled or smelly bedding or pillows. If you have pets, and can't live without them on your furniture or bed - keep a fresh set of bedding to put on when you are staging each day. Stash your everyday stuff in a large bin in the garage so your pet smells leave with you.

DO: Consider the season. Spring flowers in spring, jazzy red/white/blue for the summer, or rich autumn colors for fall will all add a subtly appealing element. Take a peek at your local department store displays for ideas.

Staging your home is all about the buyer, but by using some of your own favorite art and accessories, you can still have some of the things you love around you while also enhancing your home staging efforts.

Katherine Sears is an experienced marketing professional who has combined her home staging hobby with her marketing expertise, to bring a fun and informative article series and web site to life.

See for additional resources and direct assistance with your home staging.