Home Staging vs Interior Decoration

April 18, 2011

Many people are confused by the terms Home Staging and Interior Decoration. Both services add to the value of your home and play a large part in the emotional connection to a house or apartment. Home stagers and interior decorators are trained in their professions. An interior designer may study design from one to four years at college or a design school, while home stager training is shorter and not as comprehensive.

Home Staging

Toronto Home StagingBefore you sell your house, look at it with a critical eye. Home Staging is a service used to help promote your property. A home stager will enhance your home so that buyers can see the full potential. Decorating is personal, and buyers need to imagine that they can make this home their own.  A home stager will evaluate your home and neighbourhood and determine what style of decor will be conducive to the market in your area. The first thing a home stager will suggest is removing clutter. Decluttering helps to accentuate the positive aspects of your home and play down any less positive aspects Furniture may be too large for the setting, or you may have too many things in your home, making it appear smaller.

Home staging consultants will decorate your home in a neutral fashion that will suit most buyers. You may be fond of that bright red wall colour, but it will turn buyers off if they prefer natural earth tones.

A home stager may temporarily rearrange or replace some of your furniture and accessories with updated furniture with clean lines. Most people have a lifetime of memories stored in their homes, but they are your memories, and prospective buyers want to imagine that this is their new home. Do not be offended when the stager asks you to remove personal objects like photographs, art or collections. They will arrange for storage of your property until your property is sold, then remove the staged furniture.

The stager and your realtor are working together to get you the best sale price for your home. Home Staging is worth the investment. It has been proven that staged homes sell faster, and for a higher price.

Interior Decorating

Toronto Interior DecoratingWhen you move to your new home, you will want to change the previous owner’s decor and make it your own. If your furniture, wall and window treatments are outdated,  a decorator  can give your home a refreshing  makeover.

Interior decorating reflects your lifestyle and interests. An interior decorator will consult with you on specific projects, or decorate your entire house. Decorators will help you decide on wall colors, wallpaper or paint, floor treatments, whether you want wood, carpet or a new flooring such as bamboo or cork.

A decorator will provide tips and decorating advice and help choose furniture, window treatments and accessories. A home that has been professionally interior decorated will have a sophisticated look. A talented decorator will marry their training and creativity with your needs and style. Interior decoration adds to the value of your home. Interior decorators are expensive, however, they are able to purchase most goods at a discount and pass that on to the customer.

Talk to your realtor for recommendations. They have many contacts in the decorating and home staging business.

To get an idea of what interior decoration and home staging is all about, read home magazines or check out decorating sites online. HGTV also has many home decoration and home staging television programs where you can see how they do what they do and decide if these services are for you.

 

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