Contrary to what many amateur home stagers think, the living room is just as important as the kitchen and the bedrooms.
The living room is where the entire family gathers together to just sit down, talk, and share quality time they can't spend while staying in their own private rooms or working in the kitchen.
This is also where members of the family can entertain their friends and guests.
When staging a living room, it's good to keep the room's purpose in mind.
Your future buyers should be able to imagine themselves bonding with their family members and friends in the living room.
Here are some staging tips to consider.
1.
Brighten it up with paint.
Update your living room space by applying a fresh coat or two of paint.
White, beige, and other bright but neutral colors are a good way to make the living room appear larger and more spacious.
2.
Get rid of unnecessary furniture.
People need space to move around properly.
Also, never put more than two objects on top of the mantle.
Your buyer should focus on the mantle instead of on useless decorative stuff.
Also simplify and minimize what's on shelves, coffee tables and end tables.
3.
De-personalize the space.
Do all you can to convince your buyers that "they live here".
This includes removing all traces of your ownership of the house, even though you still technically own it.
Get rid of family portraits, odd knickknacks, and personalized belongings.
4.
Consider renting furniture.
If you think your present furniture is not attractive enough to convince potential buyers to jump in, you can always contact a furniture rental company for staging purposes.
Go for classic but modern pieces, such as a white leather couch or an elegantly designed coffee table and matching lamps.
5.
Add some decorative flare.
Pillows, curtains, and rugs are always a good way to spice up your couch area, but make sure that you get ones that match the furniture you already have.
Neutral colors or jewel hues such as deep blues and reds in shiny overtones always look good with most types of furniture.
6.
Bring the room to life with live plants and flowers.
Flowers add life to an otherwise drab and empty living room.
Never, ever use plastic flowers because they are unattractive, will not appeal to the emotions, and will only collect dust in the far corners of the room.
Fresh, brightly-colored bouquets such as sunflowers or orchids are always a good choice for any type of living room.
As well, think about adding some larger accent plants in the corners to give the room some texture and life.