Home decor for staging doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It also doesn’t mean you will be buying decor that you will be donating after you sell your house.
I have staged all of my homes myself. Never have the items I bought for staging gone to waste. They were also used in my new home. I see it as a win, getting new decor that really pays for itself because it helped me sell my house for more money.
Buying new decor isn’t always necessary either.
There are ways to make your home look great without breaking the bank.
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Home Decor For Staging Tips
The first thing you need to do is look at your living room/ family room space.
These are areas that definitely need to be home staged. The rooms need to have a nice flow and be welcoming. The Living Room and/or Family Rooms are what make the first impression on the buyers because it’s the first space of the house to be seen.
Make sure you make it say “Look how great a space I am!’
Clearing it out and leaving a blank slate doesn’t help the buyers picture themselves living there. Add some character to the rooms. This helps the house talk to the buyers. It shows the potential it has.
For example, look at the picture below.
It’s a great space but lacks a wow factor.
Keep reading fortips on staging your home with decor that won’t cost you much.
8 Home Decor Ideas For Home Staging
1. Furniture Already Own
Make sure the space is in exceptional shape, including the furniture. The newly painted walls are great, but when you have a dirty worn-out couch that will be competing with the walls. The dirty worn-out couch will win. That is where the buyers’ eyes will focus. It doesn’t matter if the couch doesn’t come with the house.
It’s what the buyers will remember.
Subconsciously they will think if the couch is dirty and uncared for the house probably will be also. They still might like the house. Then make an offer that is substantially lower than what it would have been if it was in tip-top shape.
Go ahead and step back and take a look at your furniture. Is the couch in good shape but a bit tired or dirty looking?
You might just need to clean it. I use a small electric cleaner that gets the job done great. This can work on all of your furniture. It is so portable you can use it on the interior of your car too.
2. Slipcovers
If you know you have a piece of furniture that can’t be cleaned to look better you might try slipcovers. I have done this with some of the furniture that I have staged with. The couch was in bad shape and I didn’t want to buy a new one yet. We were on a weight limit with the movers.
I used the couch we had and added a slipcover.
Make sure when you purchase slipcovers the dimensions will fit the piece you are going to cover. Also, remember to get a neutral color like this sofa slipcover. Color is used preferably in the accents with pillows. Even a side chair would be ok as long as it’s not too bold or bright.
Slipcovers are great if you have furniture that is mismatched. If one or two of the pieces look good together but another one clashes just add a matching slipcover. They work wonders.
3. Thrift Store
A great place to buy furniture that is cheap is a thrift store. Most of it is either dirty or might even be ripped. That’s okay if you know that there is a slipcover in the near future.
Secondhand stores are great for buying home decor for staging. I’ve found a lot of items that I use in my home now. You never know what you will find.
The last time I went to Goodwill I was looking for a table but found two lamps for $5.00 each. When I got them home to my surprise they were Pottery Barn lamps. Still being sold for $350.00 each! They are sitting proudly in my art studio.
Buys like that won’t be found every time but on occasion, it does happen. Things you can find regularly are nice candle sticks, wicker baskets, dishes, books, etc.
Also, anything can look good painted.
If you want to add some decor buy shapes that look good together and paint them each the same color. Then display them together on a shelf.
4. Buy New
If slipcovers won’t save your sofa and you were buying a new sofa when you moved into the new house anyway, go ahead and buy it now if you can. It will help with the home decor for staging. Having a new large piece of furniture helps with the look of quality.
The sofa pictured below is a great neutral color. Add your accent colors with some pillows and you’re all set. It’s also a great sofa to bring to your next beautiful home.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Tip:
Going overboard with adding a lot of furniture can have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to do.
Pay attention to the size of the room and plan accordingly.
If the room is too small for a couch add a loveseat or just a couple of chairs with other accessories. On that note, let’s look at some accessories
5. Accessories for Home Staging Decor
Adding the right accessories can make a room.
They help “stage” the way to a memorable house.
Look for something that will add some interest to the room without taking up too much space.
This Blanket Ladder is great. It adds interest plus you can add a splash of color with some blankets like this Woven Throw Blanket.
I’ve recently discovered this Ladder that the rungs are wide enough to place some other accents on. This would be great if you don’t want to hang shelves.
Add some small potted plants to add some life to the room. It’s ok to use real or faux. If you won’t be around to water the plants use the faux.
Make sure the faux ones look real like this faux snake plant in a basket.
Adding decor to your walls helps decorate the room to add a more welcoming feel. The last thing you want is for your house to feel cold and unlived in. The whole idea of staging a home is to make it more appealing to the buyer. Like they could live there happily. Remember that you want it to look welcoming not too personalized. I wrote a post covering ways to depersonalize a home. It’s called” Ideas to Stage Your Home” check it out to get more home staging tips.
Pictures hung on the walls will help warm it up. There are many pictures that can be generic and appealing to many. Make sure that you don’t choose one that won’t appeal to the masses.
For example, a picture of big red lips and Dracula’s teeth can be most unappealing. Also, think about taking down large stag heads or fish on the wall. Some people can’t get past it.
The three pictures below are a wonderful way to add interest to your walls but not add distractions.
7. Master Bedroom
The Master Bedroom is a must on home staging and can be done on a budget. Most of us already have a bed. The bed is an expected accessory. It is the first thing to be seen in the room.
The Master needs to say “Come on in and relax. Forget about your day.” The bed can reflect that by having a comfortable-looking comforter with pillows that are inviting.
I’ve seen a buyer walk into a bedroom with a great-looking bed and jump on the bed and exclaim. “This is so comfortable! I would love to wake up here.”
Guess what they bought the house.
Don’t worry most people won’t jump on the bed no matter how enticing it is.
It does show that staging your home does help. It helps the buyers to imagine themselves living there. That is what you will achieve when you home stage.
Having a bidding war would be great.
Fluffier the Better
Back to the bed dressing. Just imagine when you walk into a hotel and there is that luxurious bed waiting for you.
That is the look you are wanting to achieve. Most hotels use white but you can go with a different color if you want. Remember you are able to use these in your new home. Choose what you like.
Just not too bold of a color.
What is needed to achieve a luxurious master bedroom is:
- comforter or bedspread
- pillow shams
- new fluffy bed pillows
- throw pillows to add to the look of comfort.
- A bed skirt might be needed depending on the type of bed you have. If you can see under the bed add one.
Buying a comforter set is a great way to save money. This Fitch comforter comes with shams and it is grey with a white stripe. It will definitely not only add the look of comfort but elegance also.
Want more and not have to look for the other accessories that match. This Navy Comforter Set is a 7-piece set that has all you need.
Take a look at it. It’s the perfect example of the perfect bed for home staging your bedroom.
Choose a color that will compliment your decor. If you have a master bathroom it’s a good idea to have the same or similar color in both rooms.
One Last Item for Home Decor in Staging
8. Mirror
The item that is a great addition to any room is a mirror. They make a room look larger and brighter.
Don’t go overboard and put them in every room though. Strategically place them in areas that need to be brightened or smaller rooms that need to look larger. This Rattan mirror is the perfect size and shape to add personality to your home. Leave it by itself or it’s perfect to compliment some other wall art while adding the illusion of a bigger space.
Every item I have shared with you can go into every decor style.
Have some fun with it and don’t look at it as a chore.
Sale your home and then add this great decor to your new place.
