All the home’s a stage
CATHERINE LAWSON OTTAWA — When the home stagers left my house after their first visit, I knew I had my work cut out for me. A two-hour room-by-room inspection had resulted in four pages of hand-written instructions and a floor plan for each room.
“Remove mat,” began the directions for the front hallway. “Replace art with more popping colour (I guess they didn’t like my neutral-toned Inuit print?), remove shoe tray and mirror, thin coats and shoes in closet, put dog leashes away.”
There was more, much more, covering every room in my threebedroom-plus-den home.
But I was ready to take on the challenge because my house was going on the market and I wanted what everyone wants: A good price and a quick sale.
I didn’t need much convincing. When I bought the house five years ago, it was charming but cluttered. I was the only one to make an offer and I got it for significantly less than the asking price.
Staging, explains realtor Joni Campbell, exposes what’s good in a home. “The focus is on the beautiful floors and beautiful windows.”
Meanwhile, there were books to box, (only hardcovers could be on display) and furniture, artwork and photographs to remove. The biggest challenge was clearing the closets. The instructions required us to remove 70 per cent of the contents. This was difficult, but I soon realized it was an opportunity to get organized for the move.
Jo-Anne Weir, the professional property stager who came up with the plan for my house, says many clients come to appreciate the decluttering process. “It’s very therapeutic,” says Weir, who works with Staged N Sold. “It’s living lighter, not so much stuff.”
Although customers can pay Staged N Sold to do this work for them, about three-quarters of clients opt for the basic plan ($250, plus tax), which includes a twohour consultation, detailed directions on how to achieve the new look and a one-hour return visit to help with the finishing touches.
Weir’s instructions had called for many additional throw cushions for the beds and couches, white towels in the two bathrooms and a neutral rug in the living room.
I could have bought them myself or rented them from Staged N Sold, but I was fortunate that Campbell has her own inventory, which she lends to clients.
I teased Weir that it appeared home staging involved taking down half the artwork, removing one third of the furniture and tripling the number of throw cushions. There is, of course, a theory behind the throw cushion invasion. “They add that pop of colour, so the photos look good,” says Weir.
Good photos are crucial, she adds. Studies have shown that when people look at listing photos it takes no more than 18 seconds for them to decide whether they want to view the home.
I didn’t do everything the stagers asked. Weir was tactful when she asked me to repaint my renovated kitchen a more neutral colour, saying that although she loved it, she did not think it was a mainstream taste. I decided I wasn’t willing to cover the aqua-toned paint, which was inspired by my home’s 1940s design.
Campbell says it’s always up to the seller whether to accept or reject the advice. “Stagers have fantastic ideas. Hopefully we find a place in between.”
When the last throw cushion had been fluffed, the effect was quite stunning. There was a big turnout for both open houses and many requests for showings.
Some negotiations, followed by a glowing house inspection report, and my house was sold. It had been on the market three weeks and sold before any of the rival properties.