There has been so much said about home staging as an artistic endeavor (“having a flair for design”) but we would like to set the record straight and explain the science behind what we do.  It’s true that science AND math play a role in our job.  We do use our creative minds with our designs BUT it’s the science and math combined that help market the home.  Home staging is all about the perceived value of the home through the eyes of the buyer.  What does that mean and how to we achieve it?  Let’s dive in, shall we?

Interior Design vs Home Staging 

Interior design is the discipline of design focusing on interiors. In residential interior design, in particular, the designer is tasked with creating spaces that serve the function specified by the homeowner. They also curate furnishings to reflect the homeowners personal taste, while accenting or down playing specific architectural details of the home. Home staging, however, removes the personal design choices and highlights the selling features of the property. Contrary to popular belief, we do not judge the client’s decor. We make changes based on the style, layout, function and architecture of the home, the way it will photograph for print and online, and also mass appeal for the appropriate demographic of the buyer.

Geometry and the Home Stager 

Every staging project goes through a planning phase. That may take different forms for different projects but the basis is the same: the stager measures and creates a space plan. This is an exercise in geometry. Many specifics are taken into consideration including the function of the space, the existing architecture, and measurements. These factors all influence what furnishings are to be used in staging the room and dictate the type of pieces, their size, and functionality of the space. For instance a dining room will obviously need a table, but it needs to fit the space and not obstruct the flow of traffic. This may seem intuitive, however, educated stagers will take it a bit further. In creating a comfortable space, stagers need to be aware of the height of the average buyer (5’6” in the U.S.), the ideal walkway clearance (36”) and even preferred traffic patters through a room. Chandeliers should be hung at least 30-32” above a dining table in a room with 8’ ceilings and 3” should be added per additional foot of ceiling height. Experienced home stagers are aware of all of these stats and many more. It may seem silly to observe so many rules when furnishing a room, and rules are made to be broken, right? When decorating your home, breaking those rules is what creates unique spaces. When marketing to large numbers of potential home buyers, those rules help us to demonstrate the function of spaces in a way that is relatable and comfortable to most people.

It's A Matter of Perspective

If you have ever been to Walt Disney World, you may have been awed by the replica of the quintessential American Main Street complete with life size storefronts. But did you know that the Disney designers were having one over on you? Those iconic buildings are only life size on the first level. From there, they utilize forced perspective to fool your eye into thinking that those buildings are taller than they really are. While home stagers are not trying to trick anyone into buying something that they do not want, we do use some tricks of the trade to create the perception that each space is more in line with the buyer’s ideal. Want an example? Studies have shown that most buyers are looking for homes that are spacious and light filled. We amplify the brightness in spaces through layered lighting schematics, removing window coverings, washing windows, changing out light bulbs and painting in light colors. Research has shown that most people automatically scan from the left to the right when entering a space. We can force the perspective and make a room appear larger by keeping furnishings away from a room entrance, placing something tall in the far left corner of a room, and funneling the sightlines through a space through careful furniture and accessory placement. There are too many more devices that we use everyday to list here, but the result is the same – professional stagers know how to give buyers what they are looking for.

Making Buyers Take Notice

Another job of the home stager is to highlight the features of a property and again, we use science to do this. Research shows that the human mind is most comfortable with balance and strives to create it. In fact, the human brain actually craves the calm of symmetrical patterns. In staging a home to appeal to buyers, stagers often place furnishing symmetrically in a space to evoke comfortable and stable environments that are seen as restful and calming. On the flip side, asymmetrical groupings of accessories on a mantle will subtly disrupt the calm and thus, attract attention to the fact that this home features a fireplace. Asymmetrical groupings are a very effective way to draw the eye through a space and highlight architectural features.

Psychological Staging 

No marketer would ever downplay the role of human psychology in their profession. As home marketing experts, stagers use psychology in every aspect of the job. We are here to help sellers demonstrate why their property is the one that buyers want. We do this through everything I have just gone over – strategies to make buyers feel physically comfortable in a space, therefore feeling mentally comfortable in the decision to purchase this home. We do have a few more ways in which we appeal emotionally to buyers. Colors, scents and textures all elicit emotional responses. Something as simple as fresh fluffy white towels create a clean spa like feel in an average bathroom, books and trendy decorative accessories imply that this property is conducive to higher pursuits and an enviable lifestyle, an abundance of soft pillows evokes comfort and security. We also often use mirrors (at eye level) so that buyers can literally see themselves in the home. Every choice that we make in staging a home to sell is made with the emotional health and comfort of the buyer in mind.

Marketing to the Masses 

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not circle back to interior design trends. I will point out again, that we stagers, do not judge our clients’ design choices. We do, however, keep abreast of trends in the design world and use this knowledge, along with our knowledge of human psychology to create a home that anyone would want to purchase. We do not go for looks that are cutting edge or controversial. We go for looks that are mostly neutral and currently featured in mass market magazines and retail locations, so that buyers can relate, feel at ease and still find a piece or two of interest that make the property feel on trend and up to date.

So, yes, we home stagers do have a flair for design and keep current with today’s interior trends, but don’t forget that there is a whole lot of math and science going on in our marketing masterminds!