The delight is in the details in this new staging
Jim Buchta, Star Tribune
Project: A great room in a just-listed house in Eden Prairie.
Positives: A brick fireplace, built-in cabinets and recessed lighting.
Negatives: Awkward furniture arrangement and monochromatic accessories.
When staging your home for market, even minor details will have a major impact on your showings.
From where you place your sofa, to how to accessorize and how to light the space, thoughtful details make all the
difference. "This space had some wonderful selling points, but from the entry point of the room, nothing really stood out," said Lori Matzke of
Centerstagehome.com.
Matzke freed up space by moving the sofa table and upholstered benches to an open area near the entrance (not shown) along
with a leather lounge chair and ottoman. This opens up the main portion of the room and makes the entire space feel more fully used.
The sectional sofa blocked entrance to the room, so Matzke dissected it and moved the smaller section to the far wall, but
placed it 18 inches from the windows.
Removing the dried arrangements on top of the built-in shelves creates the illusion of taller ceilings and draws less
attention to the TV. On the shelves on the opposite side of the fireplace, a small silk arrangement gives the space some proportion.
Only a few bolder pieces are displayed on the other shelves, leaving empty shelves that make this storage space feel more
spacious.
Colorful prints with bold black frames were separated because they drew too much attention away from the fireplace and
built-ins. A single print centered between the wall and windows is just enough to draw the buyer's eye through the room without being a
distraction from other more desirable features.
The second print replaced a heavy bronze plate over the fireplace mantel to create a sense of flow. That picture, along
with colorful wooden candlesticks and a figurine in purple and raspberry velvet, makes the fireplace feel brighter and more inviting.
The funky chrome floor lamp was placed next to the sofa to light the far end of the room. The larger section of the sofa
was placed 6 inches away from the wall and 2 feet down to give the space proportion and direct more attention to the fireplace and built-in cabinets.
A coffee table in front of the sofa gives the space balance and a small side table next to the sofa adds convenience.
To draw more attention to the built-in cabinet, Matzke replaced the dried floral arrangement with a bolder silk-flower
arrangement that grabs more attention. Heavier greenery has a much stronger presence and plays up the cabinet as a positive feature. A silk
asparagus fern in a low container on the coffee table adds another touch of green to the room while softly directing the buyer's attention to
the fireplace. Leaving the recessed lighting on for showings also helps highlight these features.
A soft throw and orange and coral pillows soften the leather sofas and integrate the terra cotta accent wall into the rest
of the color scheme.
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