3 Tips for Staging a Luxury Home

The smell of fresh linens, the sight of original artwork, or the sound of a gentle fountain are all ways to make a luxury house look like a home to a potential new buyer. While staging is important with all homes, it's luxury homes that usually see the biggest differences when it comes to getting offers. It's a form of marketing and branding that buyers have come to expect before deciding on the home for them. See how to make your Promontory home come alive with the right staging.

Define the Market

Professionals start by getting defining the primary and secondary markets for the home. For example, if the primary market is nuclear families with pets, it's important to show two bedrooms as children's rooms, one as a guest bedroom, and an area that can be used to store pet supplies. If the secondary market is retirees for the same home, stagers should showcase how spaces lend themselves to entertaining.

The living room, kitchen, and dining room should also be clear of clutter. If sellers are hoping to appeal to working professionals, one of the rooms should be turned into an office or study. No matter what a buyer is looking for, they want the home to be functional. Whether it's high-end appliances, lofty ceilings, or spectacular lighting, show buyers how the house will meet their needs.

Perfect the Decor

Staging isn't there to hide flaws in the home, only to highlight the natural beauty of the property. Use furnishings that fit the size and scale of the room, and update the lighting to make every room inviting and memorable. Experts suggest that sellers stick with a neutral color scheme to give viewers the chance to picture themselves inside the home.

Use cultural elements like a baby grand piano or designer furniture pieces to draw people into the elegance of the ambiance. Using bright colors or bold decorating choices may only appeal to a very small fraction of buyers, and that won't spark the bidding war sellers are hoping for. From lamps to rugs to draperies (or lack thereof), the details of a room can either help it stand out or fade from memory.

Play Up the Space

Buyers are looking for a light, air, and beauty at every turn, so sellers need to make the most of their natural landscape as well as the interior. If a seller has an impressive view of the countryside or the city lights, make sure it's as visible as possible from every room of the home. Use mirrors in strategic places to further call attention to the natural beauty outside.

In addition, sellers should take advantage of the weather outside to further exploit the potential of the home. Light the fireplace and heat up the hot tub during the winter, or set out fresh lemonade in the summertime. Buyers are looking at the qualities of the location as much as they're judging the quality of the baseboards and lighting fixtures.

It's difficult to say how much more sellers can get for a home due to staging, but many people claim it's the driving factor behind sudden interest in a property. When luxury homes can expect to sit on the market for a longer average than other homes, the impressions created by proper staging may be the best way to speed the process along.