Preparing a property for sale does not always have to entail a complete revamp of the interior. Sometimes, all that is required is just a few small adjustments to elevate the property where it needs to be for a successful sale.

There are some Stylists who would insist on a total re-style, every time. But this is not always necessary. Any experienced Home Stager would look at these two factors first before styling a partially furnished property, both of which should be openly discussed at the time of the consultation.

ROI
Client’s current furniture

Return on Investment

One of the most important aspects to consider – what level of styling is going to bring the highest Return on Investment for the client?

There are multiple tiers of styling, ranging from “just the fluff” to an all-inclusive staging package. Taking into account the client’s budget, location of their house and the expected buyer demographic – it may not always be worth for the client to go “all out” with the styling.

Any good home-stager will be upfront and open about this without pressuring the client into buying the most expensive package.

Client’s current furniture

A big part of our philosophy is to never recommend undue work. If the client’s existing furniture is in good condition and looks presentable, we may be able to integrate it into our styling. This usually involves combining ours and the client’s furniture & décor, creating a unique blend of looks.

The Power of Little Styling Touches

We couldn’t think of a better example to show you the impact of a few small styling adjustments, than this charming 3-bedroom house we’ve styled earlier this week in Carina (a suburb of Brisbane).

115 Billan Street, Carina

The Agent has asked us to come in and talk to the owner about how to best present her home for sale, taking into consideration that she will be living there throughout the entire sales campaign. This is not uncommon; it simply means that we need to keep in mind the functionality of our styling, as well as the looks.

At every consultation we go to, our chief aim is to provide as much value to the client as possible, regardless of whether we ‘feel’ they are going to go ahead with our services or not.

At this consult, Jenessa (our Lead Stylist) has given the client enough information and advice that she could easily DIY the entire styling element herself, without engaging our services at all. And yet, the owner has decided to buy our staging package in appreciation of our transparency and honesty.

I have sat down with Jenessa to get more insight into what happened at the consultation.

“I’ve looked at the furniture pieces and they were all in good order and worked well in the space, so they didn’t need to be swapped. Some Stylists might have said ‘You need to take it all out’, but that’s not always required to get the best overall end result. There were just a lot of personal items and knick-knacks lying around, so I just shared some tips to strip it all back and de-personalise the space.”

– Jenessa | Lead Property Stylist

After the consultation, we have emailed the client a quote with a specific plan of action, outlining which items will be used, which ones need to be stored away and what extra furniture & décor is needed.

Examples of Small Styling Adjustments

When you’ve lived in your home for a while, it’s hard to see what could be considered clutter to an ‘outsider’. That’s why it’s invaluable to get a professional opinion, someone who will look at your property with fresh eyes and pinpoint what actions you need to take. For example:

Decluttering

Clutter makes a room feel small. Removing it opens up the space and makes it look bigger and brighter, which is always the end result we want to achieve when it comes to styling a home for sale. This includes furniture and decorations as well.
Depersonalising

Removing any personal objects (family portraits, hobbies, etc.) so the buyers can visualise themselves living in the house. Read our 8 Tips to Depersonalise Your Home Before Selling.
Tying the Space Together

Keeping the style coherent throughout the entire home is not only visually pleasing, but it helps with the flow. Otherwise the rooms look disconnected and any visual friction (even if it takes place subconsciously) could be the difference between selling your home or not.
Adding the Fluff

Because fluff* sells. We’ll say this a little louder for the sceptics at the back. FLUFF SELLS. Small details create the big picture, which is why we carefully hand-select our decorations to ensure they will resonate with the targeted demographics, adding an element of lifestyle.

* “Fluff” is all the smaller items like cushions, books, lamps, plants, etc.