Staging an Empty Condo

I was asked to stage an empty investment condo for resale.  We started with giving the entire house a fresh coat of paint so it’s a blank neutral colour that will appeal to the masses.

Since we only had a dining table and 6 upholseted dining chairs in the house, I needed to select and rent all the furniture.  Then it was a case of bringing in all the accessories from Styled & Staged.

Inspiration

The existing lighting really set the tone for the decor.  The homeowner and Realtor wanted the finished product to look elegant and classy, and that is exactly what we did.

Create a Plan

As Siad before the house was empty.  I brought in some artwork to get a sense of the style and size.  Once we decided on a colour scheme, I could then rent the furniture.

This artwork is so big, I could hardly hold it up but once it was on the wall, it was perfect.  It just goes to show how large the rooms are.  The colour pallet for the accessories were all pulled from the artwork.

To keep the condo feeling light an airy, we stayed with neutrals and soft pastels.  We selected tables that matched the visible kitchen cabinets and dining table.  We brought in two of the dining room chairs to keep the rental costs down.  Buyers are not buying the furniture but they like to see some furniutre placement.  Ideally, I would have preferred a larger area rug but I didn’t have any others available in my inventory at the time.

Since the ceilings are so high, we used extra tall lamps to balance the artwork.

Since there is a lot of pattern in the tile surrounding the fireplace, I knew I had to keep the accessories neutral.

These black iron wall candle sconces fill in the nooks perfectly since they are neutral but the pull out the black from the fireplace. The little black tray on the mantle helps separate the mantle from the wall.  The silver mirror ties in with the dining room light fixture and gives a bit of sparkle to the room.  A few coloured cushions help draw the eye around the entire room.

Luxurious cushions with texture add some elegance to the room.  There was just enough black in the artwork to tie in with the fireplace.

Create An Atmosphere

We were lucky to find two extra large pictures that worked  ell together in the same colour palette for this open concept living space. We used oversized simple accessories on the table for ambiance. Adding oversized trees always make a house feel more live-in.  They add texture, softness, colour and life.

In this case, the tree helps separate the different zones.

Finishing Touches

There was nothing to do in this kitchen except add a few accessories to carry the colour through.

Showcase Every Inch

No matter how big or small a house is, make your guests feel welcomed when they enter your home.  A simple bench and interesting mirror was all that was needed.  The cushion is a hint of the colour palette for the rest of the house.

Empty Rooms Look Smaller

We brought in a rental bed and dresser but I was able to bring in the end tables and everything else.

Remember, when you rent a bed, you still need to add all the linens and bed skirt etc.

Since there aren’t any drapes, it was important to add layers of coverlets for dimension and softness.  This bed would have looked boring with only the white or only the tan linens.  The accent cushions give another layer of interest and tie in the artwork.  The artwork fills up the space so we didn’t need to rent a headboard.  The mercury lamps add just enough glam and continue the flow from downstairs.

Buyers like to see where they would put their furniture so renting the dresser completed the room.

Office or Bedroom?

Since we had a blank canvas we needed to decide to do stage this room as an office or a bedroom.  In my opinion, it’s easier for buyers to see how they could turn a bedroom into an office, but hard to visualize an office into a bedroom.  Since I already had everything for a bedroom, we went that route.

Since the floors are pretty dark, adding a fun textured bed mat really brightened up the room.

Even though there is a ceiling light fixture, don’t forget about table lamps for atmosphere.  I love all the different cushions on the bed.  This headboard was one of my best purchases ever.  It instantly gives a room charm and colour.

You might recognize this metal artwork from my last spray painting DIY project.  It was originally, gold, then white, then pink and now sea foam green.  I live to repurpose and reuse inventory.  Since the linens have a pattern, simple metal artwork is a nice way to add colour but not be overpowering.

I can’t help but smile every time  this pink polka dot chair goes in a room.

Staging an Empty House

In some ways, staging an empty house is easier since we don’t have to coordinate with other peoples styles, but on the other hand, it’s more pressure and time choosing every single item that has to be brought into a house.

We have to work with the other rental company and figure out a plan with what furniture they have in stock at the time.  It can be stressful wondering if certain pieces of furniture will fit down stairs or around corners etc. since once it’s delivered, there is no returning.  Then we figure out what inventory we have in our own stock at the time.  We have to be available for the delivery and make multiple loads to delivery Styled & Staged inventory.

Additional hourly rates are added to the premium package for staging empty houses.