Styling Three Apartments at Once: Why Strategy Matters

When it comes to selling property, it’s not just about cushions, artwork, and colour palettes. Staging is about strategy. Recently, we were given a big challenge – styling three different beachside apartments on the same day – and the lessons we learned are valuable for any seller or agent thinking about how to present a property to market.

One of the biggest questions we get with apartment blocks or townhouse complexes is: Which ones should we stage?

It’s easy to assume you should style the biggest or most luxurious property. But here’s the problem: if that unit looks incredible, the smaller or less appealing ones can suffer by comparison.

Instead, we recommend focusing on the property that risks setting the lowest benchmark. By styling that one, you lift its appeal and in turn raise the perceived value of the entire complex.

Once the “worst” unit sells, the same furniture and décor can often be moved into the next vacant apartment – a process we call a unit shift. It’s a simple way to stretch your staging budget further while keeping the momentum of sales going across a whole development.

When you’ve got multiple apartments side by side, it’s important that each one feels unique. We could have styled all three in the same coastal look – it would have suited the location perfectly – but then none would stand out.

By giving each unit its own personality (think plantation style for one, luxe coastal for another), buyers walk away with a clear sense of choice, rather than feeling like every property is the same.

Not every project runs smoothly. On install day, a miscommunication meant we had just two hours to style all three apartments before the photographer arrived. Instead of stressing, everyone pulled together to get it done.

It was a good reminder that staging isn’t just about pretty rooms. It’s about teamwork, flexibility, and problem-solving under pressure.

Staging is also about understanding who’s walking through the door. The penthouse unit wasn’t going to attract first-home buyers, but the smaller apartments very likely would. We adjusted the finishes and styling details in each space so they felt aspirational, yet realistic for the different buyer groups.

This project was a great example of how styling is more than decoration – it’s a strategy that influences buyer perception, negotiation power, and ultimately, the sales result.

If you’re selling a property (or helping a client sell one), we’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree it makes sense to style the “worst” unit first? Have you seen how staging changes the way buyers see a property? Share your experience or questions in the comments – we’d love to keep the conversation going.