Holiday Home Staging
Article provided by Hillary Roy with Room Renaissance. For more information on services offered by Room Renaissance please see contact info below this article.
Here in Houston, the weather is FINALLY changing. With Thanksgiving this next week, Christmas music will soon begin to flood the airwaves. Stores and restaurants are already bringing out their twinkle lights and all things holiday themed. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
For those with a home on the market, it can be hard to “get in the spirit.” The Fall and winter seasons lend themselves to home decorating. To some, seasonal décor can be perceived as clutter. Especially if you’re selling your home. However, staging your home with holiday decorations is not impossible if you as a homeowner, remember and follow a couple of guidelines. Here are some tips to ensure potential buyers aren’t distracted from key features of your home.
First, check that your holiday decorations coordinate well with your home’s interior. The holiday season is iconic for certain colors. The question is, do they distract or complement your interior? Strong seasonal color themes of orange, burgundy and brown may be common for autumn, while red and green are traditional winter holiday colors. However, if those color palates do not blend well with your home’s color scheme, it can be a distraction and turn off for potential buyers. If this describes your home, I would suggest sticking to simple touches, like a bowl of pine cones or an evergreen wreath with cream accents. For the Christmas holidays, homeowners might try festive combinations like white and navy. These traditional, calming colors coordinate well with many types of décor. There is also a current trend in décor that uses colors other than red and green. With a little research, one might find a unique color combination that fits your home more specifically.
Second, keep it simple. Less is more. For example, a fireplace will get lost among an overly decorated mantel. Instead add just a few decorations that highlight the hearth. Home visitors can then focus on what a nice feature it is to have in chilly weather and what it adds to the home. Keeping it simple may translate into removing decorations all together or as needed, this is up to preference. In one home I staged, the fall decorations were very sparse. It was also something my client didn’t mind removing. I encouraged her to tuck the decorations away when showing the home and bring them back out for her family to enjoy while they celebrate during the holidays.
Both simple tips translate to the Exterior of your home as well. Before following the holiday lighting tips of Clark Griswold, remember the exterior is what a potential buyer sees first. Certain modern holiday lawn decorations, while whimsical during the night, appear as clutter and unattractive in the daylight. For the lawn, use few colors and limited decorative items. Lining the roof or walkway with basic white lights and hanging a green wreath on the front door will give your home a holiday vibe without taking away from curbside appeal.
Following these tips as a guide will help your home have its best foot forward during the holiday season as well as allow your family to stay in the seasonal spirit.
