Furniture for Home Staging

The right furniture is essential for a successful home staging project. Furniture defines the usable areas in a space and defines the function of the space.

The photo to the left is a case in point. An awkward breezeway connected the garage with the main home. It really wasn't big enough to use as a sun room or mud room. But it did have a lot of charm and was nicely finished. The answer was to define the space to make it unique and memorable. We chose to make the space a potting or gardening space. Somewhere to take off your gardening gloves and shoes and display plants from the garden.

Everything in this space reinforces that theme. The chest was moved from another area of the house to show how much storage you could put in the space - places for trowels, for gloves, for seed packets, for hose nozzles -- lots of space. Space is, afterall, what the home buyer is buying.

The right furniture can make a space. The wrong piece can destroy the look and feel you are trying to achieve when staging a room.

We do have some favorite, go-to sources that we have used for years when it comes to finding the right pieces for your next staging project. You can find them on our Resources pages. But first, since furniture is such a big factor in how a staged room looks, let's spend some time talking a little about the hows and whys of staging with furniture.

Previously, we've said that furniture can define the usable space and can define the function of the room. It can also set the mood and send subtle messages to prospective buyers.

What mood would you like to set in the house you are selling? Calm is good, boring is not. Calmness comes from rich, subtle colors and clean, uninterrupted lines. Boring is all beige or tan with no interest or a room that speaks of grandma's attic. Furniture with clean lines speaks to a younger buyer -- the person who buys your home will probably be younger than you are. Keep the look of the furniture clean and upbeat, and it will speak to them.

How do you know what look might appeal to a younger demographic? Just take a look at the catalogs that come in your mail. We do. See what colors the sofas are. See if the upholstered pieces have skirts or exposed legs. See if the occasional pieces (tables) are dark wood or light. Catalogs like to be ahead of the fashion curve, so to speak, because they don't want outdated inventory and hip, well, is where it's at.

The key is versatility. If you are a homeowner, then think about furniture that can do double duty -- a sofa that is at home in the living room or family room. Perhaps a small chest of drawers can be moved to the foyer or used as a bedside table. Your staging project may necessitate buying some new pieces to update your "for sale" home. If you buy pieces that are versatile, you can easily find a new place for them in your new home.

No one can afford to waste money in this type of economy. Select good furniture pieces that are at home in many different rooms, and you won't have wasted one dime -- and you have improved your chances of selling your old home by making great staging choices.

Check out the terrific furniture pieces that we use. Go to

Resources from Furniture. Or, check out the options for leasing furnishings for a home for sale at either Rental Furniture or Furniture Rental.