Staging a Vacant Farmhouse For Sale
This vacant 1800’s farmhouse had been updated with new light fixtures, refinished floors, paint and more, but without staging, it felt cold and empty. Said the homeowner, “…it made the house a home.”
Living Room – BEFORE
Living Room – AFTER
Dining Room – BEFORE
Dining Room – AFTER
Kitchen – BEFORE
Kitchen – AFTER
Master Bedroom – BEFORE
Master Bedroom – AFTER
Guest Bedroom – BEFORE
Guest Bedroom – AFTER
Staging Success Stories
Research has shown that staged homes sell in less time and for a higher price than non-staged homes. The following are examples of homes staged by Amazing Spaces to support that research…
Minneapolis: Sold in just one day for $12,200 higher than asking price!
Actual days on market: 13
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AFTER
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AFTER
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AFTER
Maple Grove, MN: Sold in two weeks!
Actual days on market = 37
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AFTER
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AFTER
Mound, MN: Sold in one month, FSBO!
Actual days on market: 113
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AFTER
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AFTER
Champlin, MN: Sold in one week!
Actual days on market: 29
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AFTER
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AFTER
Family Room – Vacant vs. Staged
BEFORE
AFTER
Placing a seating arrangement in front of this beautiful stone fireplace helps potential buyers imagine themselves relaxing in a cozy retreat. Random stacks of books and DVDs on the built-in bookshelves are stored behind cabinet doors and replaced with carefully arranged vases, silk plants and picture frames to make the entire space more inviting. The once empty mantel comes to life with some appealing accessories. Two coordinating art prints are hung vertically to add the finishing touch.
Family Room Staged To Sell
BEFORE
AFTER
The lower level family room in this home lacked purpose and was more of a pass-through area than a functional space. After the pile of toys were stored in a closet and the iron & ironing board moved into the laundry room, the fireplace is defined as the focal point by positioning a sectional sofa around it. A silk tree adds balance and frames the left side, while a large mirror and simple accessories give the mantel some pop. To give the space a cozy feel, we added a soft blanket and several throw pillows. Wall art helps to coordinate the overall color scheme.
Great Room Makeover
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AFTER
The key selling features of this great room are a fireplace, vaulted & beamed ceilings and a large window. The dark wood paneling not only created a dated look, but it camouflaged those key selling features. Painting the paneling a soft cream color made all the difference and really helped make the room’s best features stand out. Updated furnishings, artwork and accessories are arranged to showcase the fireplace and give the space a comfortable ambience.
This home sold in less than one week after being staged!
Great Room Staged To Sell
BEFORE
AFTER
Vacant homes can be some of the most difficult to sell, even in popular areas like los angeles real estate can be tough when the home is bare. How is it possible that empty homes, even in prime locations and close to amenities slip under the radar and remain listed for longer than furnished ones?
There are a few reasons, one is that not everyone has furniture or can move furniture they have when buying a home. In that regard buying a home that is furnished is a lot more desirable than one that is not. But aside from lacking a warm, inviting atmosphere, many potential home buyers find it hard to imagine themselves in empty space.
This particular home, located in an upscale neighborhood, sat on the market for over a year when vacant, but sold in 36 days after being staged. In the before photo you can see there is storage options and a fireplace, but ultimately the room is barren and has little purpose. In the after photograph the difference is clear, it’s an amazing living room. The plants the books and the baubles all help to create the illusion that this room is lived in and used.
All in all, staging rooms is an art for a reason. People are unfortunately not very good at imagining what they don’t have, especially if they don’t own much furniture. Give them a blank space and they’ll be thinking more along the lines of “what should I put in here” rather than “I can put myself here”. The two sound similar, but there is a key difference.
Living and Dining Room – Before & After Home Staging
BEFORE
AFTER
The goal with this combination living and dining room is to make the areas feel more spacious and improve the flow from room to room. By removing the entertainment stand and positioning the shelf unit underneath the wall-mounted TV, the space already seems bigger. Accessories were kept to a minimum, and the drapery panels were re-hemmed to reach the floor.
This room was not expensive to redecorate either. A lot of the new furniture was purchased at a bargain price from the Home Depot website. Shopping online for furniture is often a fantastic way to save money, especially when you can find a promo code. Plus, Home Depot often run sales and other exclusive discounts so you can almost always secure yourself a bargain.
I actually buy a lot of things from Home Depot. Their products are always affordable, hard-wearing, and stylish. Whether you are looking for soft furnishings like throws, pillows, and rugs, or accent pieces like vases, sculptures, or decorative trays, there really is something for absolutely everyone. Whenever I take a look at their newest collections online, I always spot a few new things that manage to catch my eye.
What is your favorite thing about this redecorating project? For me, it would have to be the new lamp that I found on the Home Depot website. Not only was it incredibly affordable, but it totally brightens up the room. Get in touch and let me know your thoughts. I cannot wait to hear from you very soon.
Family Room
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- BEFORE
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- AFTER
The furniture arrangement in this lower level family room gave the room a lop-sided appearance. Centering the entertainment center on the wall opposite the couch helps balance the room and make it feel less crowded. Gold-framed mirrors and silk greenery draw attention to the fireplace. A floor lamp was added to brighten up a dark corner and existing lighting turned on to provide a cheerful glow.
Living Room Before / After
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- View 1 – BEFORE
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- View 1 – AFTER
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- View 2 – BEFORE
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- View 2 – AFTER
The long, narrow living room in this South Minneapolis bungalow was divided to create separate living and dining areas, making the space more functional. Updated furnishings, artwork and accessories appeal to more potential buyers. Mis-matched window coverings were replaced with matching scarves to frame and highlight the large windows. A fresh coat of neutral-colored paint helped to hide dingy walls and brought out the architectural details in the woodwork.
HOMEOWNER TESTIMONIAL:
“Debra gave us great quality at a reasonable price. She made our hum-drum, small house look modern and desirable. Everyone who came through said how great it looked, whether they were interested in buying the home or not.
Debra’s eye for style and hard work helped us to secure two offers in only 4 days on the market – even during these tough economic times. I would recommend Amazing Spaces to anyone interested in making their home outshine the rest.”
Roberta G.