Staging Takes Center Stage
You don't have to be a star to be in Beth Ann Shepherd's show.
Sheperd is one of
those "to the stars" service providers, in this case, setting the stage
to position a home for sale or staging. It's a smart marketing move
when it's time to move a home in just about any kind of market.
Staging is to
the interior of a home what curb appeal is to the exterior -- nipping
and tucking, furnishing and accessorizing, buffing and polishing until
the place looks like a model home, without being clinical. But it can
also include curb appeal.
With just the
right special effects, the effort can transform a home into a house of
dreams and help potential buyers visualize potential.
Done wrong and a home can become more like the set of a horror movie, a real house of screams.
Operating under
the name "Dressed to Close," Sheperd says her clients include Black
Eyed Peas' Fergie, leading-man actor Josh Duhamel, off-beat Christina
Ricci, even the glamorous "Desperate Housewives" actress, Eva Longoria.
But you don't have to be in a music video, hit movie or top rated TV show to benefit from Sheperd's expertise.
She's offering you an exclusive peek at how to make staging take center stage in your home for sale.
Here's what she advises.
Appeal.
Start with curb appeal, including landscaping, doors, fixtures all that
customers see upon approach to the home. Curb appeal should exude an
unforgettable first impression that prompts buyers to cross the
threshold.
Enchant. The portal should generate some pop,
excitement, drama, maybe a little razzmatazz. Create a focal point with
an oversized mirror, a dramatic piece of art, strategic lighting, fresh
flowers or scented candles -- but not all at once. Add drama, not
comedy.
Refresh. Update worn attributes. Sand and refinish hardwood floors. Clean or replace the carpet. Pressure wash stone flooring.
Rearrange. New furniture layouts make for a new look,
feel and flow. A fire place need not be the focus in the middle of
summer. A point of view to the lanai, beachfront or pool area may be a
better set.
Upgrade. Stainless steel appliances are the rage
because they add the commercial look of perceived value. Toss in a
glass-front wine cooler for sex appeal.
Accommodate. Give your baths that "Five-Star" look.
Add thick, white, luxury hotel towels, extra hand towels at each sink
and a container of those hotel goodies -- scented reeds or scented
candles, and cotton-ball, Q-Tip, holders and the like.
Impress. Likewise treat your master bedroom like a
luxury hotel suite featured in the movies. Include thick white sheets
and pillows. Use a thick white duvet and duvet cover, a nice tray with
reading books, scented reed diffusers (or scented candles) and warm
colored walls. A ceiling-height plant adds perceived height. A nice
chair and reading light or sofa seating area brings in coziness. Remove
the clutter, photographs, no note pads, pens or pencils. Nothing you
would not find in a luxury hotel suite.
Reorganize. Clear the set. Remove the clutter. Put in
professionally built-out closets. Closets should look good and smell
good, not musty or mildewy. Your closets should look good, smell good
and sound good. Rack or drawer your shoes and other accessories. Leave
nothing on the floor. Add cedar blocks for scent and invest in matching
wood hangars for every item of clothing to project a lifestyle of
success.
Entertain. Add a sound track. iPod music to wireless
speakers. Install a plasma TV tuned to an eye-catching, replaying, high
density disc of panoramic scenes. You want to present your home as
modernized and updated.
Accentuate. "Add" a subplot of square footage with
dramatic effects -- mirrors in small areas, focused furniture
positions, lighting, etc.
"Purchase extra-long white sheer mesh draperies and install rods
around your trellises or outdoor area for that billowy drapery feeling
found only in exclusive resort hotels throughout the world. This is a
dynamic, fast way to provide the 'major wow' need to sell your home
faster to the highest bidder," Sheperd advises.
Written by Broderick Perkins
Wondering What Your Home Is Worth? -- Let me show you.
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