“A potential buyer probably makes a decision in the first 30 to 60 seconds about how emotionally connected they are to your home,” says Ramnathkar. “You want to make sure that it’s showcased at its best.”
Creating that connection is about displaying an open and inviting space, which you can do by adding what Ramnathkar and other stagers call a “wow factor” — a single item or a few key pieces that draw people in. In the living room, it could be: a statement piece of art on the wall, a sculpture on an end table, or a bold rug. Even placing a few accent pillows in varied textures on a couch can add to a living room’s atmosphere.
Ramnathkar said whatever you choose for the “wow factor,” keep it restrained to appeal to a wide audience. Adding a “focal point in the room that isn’t too feminine or too masculine that most people would enjoy,” is what Woods-Lembach recommends.
You also will want your statement piece to tie together the colors in a room, so you may want to pick your color palette first, or you can find a piece that you like and fit everything else in the room around it.
The key here is to draw people into the room by giving them something beautiful to look at.
Bargain shop for budget-friendly living room accents
If you’re not confident in the statement pieces you already have, finding affordable additions for your living room can be a fun bargain shopping adventure. Here are a few ways to find budget-friendly decorative items to amp up your living room staging:
1. Consider visiting your local discount homewares store. Try Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, or Ross..
2. Check out a thrift shop. Look for items like vases, lamps, sculptures, and pots for plants, that are new or gently worn and have a classic, undated style.
3. Search Craigslist’s “for sale” section. Try searching for keywords of items you might want like artwork, chairs, or sofas. You can even try the “free” section under the “for sale” heading.
4. Borrow items from friends. See if any friends would be open to letting you borrow pieces that they may have in storage or in a guest room to use while you’re staging your home, and return the items once your home sells.
5. Invest in pieces that work well for staging that you’d also be happy to keep. If you know you want to buy furniture for your new home, purchase it to stage in your current home while it’s on the market, and then move it later.
Accentuate the ambiance with greenery and lighting
Staging invokes a feeling of home for potential buyers. In the living room, you’ll want a sitting area where people can gravitate, watch television, and relax.
1. Remove anything that doesn’t feel like it belongs in the living room. “Make it look like what the room was intended for — not the kid’s playroom or your workstation, but truly a living room,” says Woods-Lembach.
2. Breathe life into the space with greenery. To make the space even more homey, add fresh flowers and plants. Decorating with greenery can help fill awkward spaces and make a room feel more calming.
3. Add texture with the creative use of rugs. A throw rug can tie the room together and add to the sense of comfort. Vintage-inspired rugs and colorblock designs are especially popular.
4. The more light, the better. Be sure the windows are clear to make the room bright and inviting. If your living room doesn’t have ample natural light, brighten up the room with table and floor lamps.
Help buyers feel at home in the living room
A living room is often considered the heart of a home, so it’s important that you stage your living room to captivate potential buyers.
Simple, budget-conscious changes, like decluttering, cleaning, and adding a statement piece, can dramatically transform a mundane space into one that exudes warmth and allows potential buyers to see the living room as their own future haven.
Header Image Source: (khiemtran87/ Pixabay)
