Sue Kauffman’s Quick Tips for Home Staging

Sue Kauffman’s Quick Tips for Home Staging

Successful home stager Sue Kauffman, owner of Artistic Advantage in Harrisburg, Pa., shares some tips that lighting retailers can pass on to their customers who are looking to sell their homes in this tough real estate market.

• Paint walls in neutral colors. Stay away from hues like lilac and blues, which are accessory colors.

• Ditch that wallpaper. “People love their wallpaper and don’t want to take it down,” she says. “However, if there’s another home in a similar price point and they don’t have to do extra work like removing wallpaper, that home will get the edge. These days, people want to move into homes that are ready to go.” 

• For families with children and who are living at home during the sale process, Kauffman promotes the idea of numerous baskets to make it easy to put away toys in a hurry.

• Take photos of the rooms. Photos often show clutter that the homeowner ordinarily wouldn’t “see.”

• Mirrors visually extend the look of a room.

• Area rugs are good for creating little focal points for conversation areas and helping people’s eyes center on where you want them to look. If there are hardwood floors, they probably need to be refreshed.

• Define a focal point, like a fireplace or sitting area. You might need to move the sofa around the room to ultimately create a sense of roominess.

• Lighting is crucial. A bright home looks bigger and, therefore, sells faster.

 

 

Successful home stager Sue Kauffman, owner of Artistic Advantage in Harrisburg, Pa., shares some tips that lighting retailers can pass on to their customers who are looking to sell their homes in this tough real estate market.

• Paint walls in neutral colors. Stay away from hues like lilac and blues, which are accessory colors.

• Ditch that wallpaper. “People love their wallpaper and don’t want to take it down,” she says. “However, if there’s another home in a similar price point and they don’t have to do extra work like removing wallpaper, that home will get the edge. These days, people want to move into homes that are ready to go.” 

• For families with children and who are living at home during the sale process, Kauffman promotes the idea of numerous baskets to make it easy to put away toys in a hurry.

• Take photos of the rooms. Photos often show clutter that the homeowner ordinarily wouldn’t “see.”

• Mirrors visually extend the look of a room.

• Area rugs are good for creating little focal points for conversation areas and helping people’s eyes center on where you want them to look. If there are hardwood floors, they probably need to be refreshed.

• Define a focal point, like a fireplace or sitting area. You might need to move the sofa around the room to ultimately create a sense of roominess.

• Lighting is crucial. A bright home looks bigger and, therefore, sells faster.