If you’ve hired us for staging, or simply follow us on Instagram, you know that we stay pretty classic when it comes to our larger staging inventory. The most important qualities in furniture for our own homes are not necessarily the most important qualities for our staging inventory. While we still look for pieces that are stylish and functional, we really try to find items that are inexpensive, lightweight and able to withstand frequent moves. And above all else, we shop for pieces that are light and neutral. Here’s why it’s important to invest in neutral pieces for staging:

appeals to universal audience

First impressions are key when listing your home for sale, so we want to stage with furniture that appeals to a universal audience of buyers. Not all buyers have the same taste in decor and while the homeowner may love their current furniture, it may not translate to all buyers and potentially turn off buyers. The furniture should enhance the home and highlight the best features in each room, not serve as a distraction. Using light and neutral furniture, that is appropriately sized, allows the potential buyer to focus on the home’s potential and gives them a good sense for size and layout.

offsets any bold wall colors

You name any color and there’s a good chance we’ve seen it in on the walls in our staging projects. We always recommend that homeowners use light and neutral paint on their interior walls when listing, but sometimes the suggestion does not fit within the timeline or budget for the sale. That being said, we stage with furniture that neutralizes bold wall colors. Not only does light furniture make the room feel brighter, but some dark colors can read as dated (think deep, dark reds) and the lighter fabrics and clean lines can add some youthfulness to the space.

works well in all home & design styles

We purchase furniture that can work seamlessly in all design styles and look and feel appropriate in the variety of neighborhoods that we serve. It’s not cost effective for us to maintain multiple sets of inventory, so our staging pieces need to shine in a 1940s bungalow just as well as in a 2022 new build. While we keep the furniture pieces universal, we supplement with art, accessories and soft goods based upon the style of the house, the neighborhood and the target buyer demographic. Our staging inventory looks beautiful in brand new houses and we typically showcase these projects in our social channels, but we feel that staging is often most impactful in older homes.

mixeS seamlessly with trendy accessories

The key to making a profit in home staging is to invest in furniture that has the longevity to be used frequently over time, both in style and function. We invest in large inventory pieces periodically and as needed, but the key is to get maximum usage from our current inventory. By keeping our larger inventory consistent and not caving to seasonal fads, we can spend smaller amounts on accessories and soft goods to keep our look fresh and current. Decor trends will come and go, but a light and neutral sofa with clean lines will never go out of style. This strategy keeps our project planning very simple and ultimately enhances our bottom line - win, win.

One of our favorite, affordable places to find neutral staging furniture is Target. Check out some of the great light and bright accent chairs and headboards from Target.