Staging with Plants
One of the first and most important steps in home staging is to declutter. The goal is to get rooms cleared and stripped down to the basics. This makes for a calm and peaceful space where potential buyers can imagine themselves. However, it’s easy for this type of space to feel somewhat empty and lacking in warmth or personality. A quick and easy answer to this problem is: plants!
Plants make an excellent addition to any space and can complete the look of almost any room in a house. They can also allow you to make a limited investment if you don’t want to spend much on staging accessories. However, it’s important to be careful about the plants that you choose. If using real plants, make sure they are watered and that any dead leaves or flowers are trimmed. While lush and living plants can have a positive effect on potential buyers, dead and unkept plants could have a negative effect. If you don’t have a green thumb or you just aren’t sure about keeping your plants nice and green, consider quality artificial plants. Artificial plants have come a long way and you can find many varieties that look very realistic. With artificials, I would stick to green plants and not cut flowers. Orchids would be the exception to this. You can easily find artificial orchids that look quite real. Artificial cut flowers, on the other hand, look outdated. I’ve seen this look in many homes and I suggest removing all artificial cut flowers. Cactus and succulents are popular right now and they are low maintenance plants. The artificial varieties of cactus are also very realistic looking.
Plants are a great solution to fill in empty corners. They also pair perfectly with a lamp and stacked books on a bedside table. They add interest to long, bare counter tops in either a kitchen or a bathroom. Plants can also be used to dress up a blank window sill.
Don’t forget to use plants outside as well. They are always nice flanking the front door or entry way to a home and can help give that first good impression. They can also spruce up the patio or outdoor living space. No matter where you are using plants and whether they are real or fake, make sure to use a contemporary cachepot or basket to hide the pot in which the plant came. Use wood, metal or colors that coordinate with your interior or exterior décor.
While a plant here or there can create the warmth we are looking for in a home, too many plants – especially when grouped together – may look like an unkept jungle. Potential buyers may have trouble looking past your mini rainforest, so keep it simple and don’t go overboard on the number of plants in each room.
Remember that plants make a great accessory but they shouldn’t be the focal point of any space. Use them inside and out and in a way that fits your home’s personality and décor.
