Staged to Sell
We invited two readers eager to sell their homes to receive a free staging of one troublesome room. Then our two stagers, using a budget of only $100 and the homeowner's furniture, worked to prove that even small tweaks can make a big difference.
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Project No. 1
* Four-bedroom, three-bath custom Colonial
* 122 Purchase Street, Middleborough
* Asking $480,000
* Listed with Tracy Shand, Jack Conway Realtors, 508-692-4091 (shown by appointment)
Stager No. 1
* Thomas Holmes of Staging Holmes, Wayland, 508-358-3588, stagingholmes.com
Thomas Holmes decided the living room needed a splash of color. Picking up on the orange flecks in the homeowner's area rug, he added burnt-orange pillows (bought for $4.98 each from the clearance shelf at Target) to the sofa and side chair.
To bring more light into the room, Holmes removed the sheer curtains.
Previously, the space only had overhead lighting. Holmes found end tables stashed elsewhere in the house and added two table lamps (purchased for $14.98 each from the clearance shelf at Target).
Looking to turn the fireplace into the room's focal point, Holmes cleared the small objects off the mantel and then hung a bold round mirror found in the homeowner's master bedroom over it. Rearranging furniture also emphasized the fireplace.
The coffee table that had been tucked into one corner of the room was moved to the front of the sofa.
Holmes's Tips for Sellers
* Keep your children's favorite toys in their rooms while your house is on the market. Pack away the rest.
* Remove all photos of family and friends. They distract would-be buyers and make them feel as if they're invading your personal space.
* Add inexpensive accent pieces that can make a big impact. Find them at discount stores like HomeGoods and Target.
Project No. 2
* One-bedroom, one-bath condo
* 184 I Street, Unit 2, South Boston
* Asking $279,000
* Listed with Jane C. Hoffmann, Hammond Residential Real Estate, 617-587-4615 (open house today, 1 to 3 p.m.)
Stager No. 2
* Maureen Reddy of DaVinci Designer Gallery, Winthrop, 617-539-0241, ddg-re.com
Maureen Reddy found an ugly print in a stunning frame at Christmas Tree Shops for $9.99. So she spray-painted the print black and added an apple with oil paint. The height of the painting emphasizes the tall ceilings.
Simple curtains call attention to a great feature, the glass doors, and add a feminine touch to balance out the blacks.
To create a cohesive look between the living room and neighboring kitchen, Reddy used the beautiful black granite countertop as inspiration and added black accent pieces, like these secondhand leather cubes.
A neutral-colored rug and side chair (both purchased secondhand) minimize the colors and patterns in the room, making it more pleasing to the eye. The old chair had been damaged by the homeowner's cat.
Because they could distract would-be buyers, the TV, its cables, and the cat food underneath were replaced with a simple cabinet and another black accent piece.
Reddy's Tips for Sellers
* Replace worn soft goods (throw pillows, area rugs, curtains, etc.) with inexpensive new items to make your rooms feel fresh.
* If you have pets, find cabinet or closet space where you can hide their food bowls, litter boxes, and toys during showings.
* Imagine the ideal buyer of your home (a single professional, a couple with young children, etc.) and then stage the rooms to suit that buyer.
