All the home's a stage

Article content

Transform every space into ‘aspirational, functional environment’

Long gone are the days when you stuck a ‘For Sale’ sign on your front lawn when listing your home and hoped for the best. Today’s savvy sellers know home staging is a must.

Recommended Videos

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

All the home's a stage Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

“Home staging is a powerful marketing tool designed to help potential buyers envision the full potential of a property,” says property stylist and interior decorator Red Barrinuevo of REDESIGN4MORE of Toronto.

“It transforms every space into an aspirational, functional and must-have environment that appeals to the buyer’s emotional and practical level. Think of it as an ‘instruction manual’ for the new owner, showcasing how to beautifully enhance and fully utilize each room and help them imagine it as their own.”

Home staging has become more important than ever in today’s real estate market, Barrinuevo maintains. “With the influence of home shows on TV and the constant stream of stunning interiors on social media, buyers have developed high expectations when viewing properties,” he says. “They’re no longer just looking for a house – they’re looking for a lifestyle and they expect a home to feel beautiful, functional and worth the price tag.”

The first impression matters more than anything when selling a home. “Buyers often decide whether they like a property within the first few steps inside, making it crucial to focus on areas that leave the strongest impact,” says Barrinuevo.

Those areas? The main floor and principal bedroom. “From the front door to the kitchen, the main floor sets the tone for the entire home. The walk from the front door to the kitchen is where the magic happens. Every detail on this floor should create a sense of flow and should be aspirational; drawing buyers in while giving them the pride of owning the property,” he says.

The principal bedroom, meanwhile, should be what Barrinuevo calls a “true showstopper” because it will likely be the new owner’s room. “It has to be exciting and aesthetically pleasing.” He offers some home staging dos and don’ts:

HOME STAGING DOS

• Maximize lighting. Open curtains and let the natural light shine through. Add more lighting if needed and ensure all lightbulbs are working. “Bright, well-lit spaces feel larger, bigger and filled with good vibes,” he says.
• Correct furniture layout and proportion. The right layout and proportion influence the way a space is perceived and experienced, making it feel open, inviting and “right.”
• Highlight key features. Draw attention to unique elements like a fireplace, large windows with a view or built-ins by styling them thoughtfully. Use furniture placement to naturally guide the buyer’s focus.
• Stage with intention. Know your target market and demographic and stage your home based on what they want and need. “It is all about them.”
• Use pops of colour. Doing so adds visual interest, life and energy, and balance while adding a little personality and style to make your property stand out.
• Make it “impeccably” clean. A spotless home signals that it’s well-maintained. Pay special attention to kitchens, bathrooms and floors as those areas can make or break impressions.
• Detach yourself from your house. “Once you decide to sell your home, it’s no longer yours. Be smart about it. Wear your seller’s hat and look at your house as a product that needs proper packaging and marketing.”

HOME STAGING DON’TS

• Don’t leave rooms undefined. Every room should have a clear purpose. “An empty space or a room with improper furniture placement can confuse buyers and reduce perceived value. Most buyers have no vision of an empty space.”
• Don’t go overboard with décor. While it’s important to make the home look stylish, avoid too many accessories. Less is often more in creating a professionally designed look.
• Don’t over personalize. “A little personality is necessary but too much of it can prevent the buyers to mentally move into your home.” Remove family photos, unique collectibles and overly specific décor to ensure buyers can imagine themselves living there.
• Don’t ignore odours. Address pet, smoke or cooking smells, as they will send the wrong message to prospective buyers. Clean your house from top to bottom, air it out if needed and stop cooking for the time being.
• Don’t neglect curb appeal. The exterior is the first thing buyers see, Barrinuevo reminds. Trim landscaping, power wash surfaces, fix your broken garage door and don’t leave garbage bins and children’s toys by the driveway.
• Don’t use your basement and/or garage as storage areas. They’re still part of the house that prospective buyers will look at so keep them clean and organized. Rent a storage locker if needed.

“Home staging not only makes property more appealing but more importantly, it increases its perceived value, ultimately leading to a faster and more profitable sale,” Barrinuevo says. “In a challenging market like ours, staging gives sellers a crucial edge by ensuring their property stands out as a must-have.”

Sellers to list in ‘big numbers’

If you’ve been thinking about listing your home for sale this spring, you may want to take your cue from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and start preparing your house for market.

“Our forecast continues to be for a significant unleashing of demand in the spring of 2025, with the expected bottom for interest rates coinciding with sellers listing properties for sale in big numbers once the snow melts,” says CREA’s senior economist Shaun Cathcart.