While staging furniture doesn’t come naturally to everyone, the good news is it can be learned. One of the most common questions I hear in this industry is how do I get my furniture noticed in an endless ocean of furniture painters. The answer is GREAT STAGING that stands out! And in the furniture painting business, you must stand out in the crowd. But before you stand out, you need to master the basics of staging. Just a few simple basic rules will get you headed in the right direction with your furniture staging. Like with anything new, the more you practice, the better you get.
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Backdrops For Staging Furniture
So, let’s talk about backgrounds. I’ve have seen so many that use the photography backdrops when staging furniture. Not a fan… and let me tell you why. Backgrounds tend to be busy with patterns that compete and the plastic ones have wrinkles. Everything from brick to wood patterns. When a piece of furniture is placed in front of a busy background, it tends to lose a bit of the focus on the furniture. Some of the backgrounds are beautiful but ask yourself. Is this the look of a wall in an average home? More than likely it’s not. Just a plain white wall is best for showing off the true colors of your painted furniture.
Consider The Style In Staging Furniture
The style also plays a key part in staging furniture. Example: If you have a farmhouse-style hutch and you try to stage it with gold Mid Century Modern (MCM) decor, you may not get the response you were hoping for. Styling the furniture with the appropriate decor is imperative to catch the buyers eye because you want to make the sale. Examples of farmhouse style would be mason jars, beautiful green wreaths, books, dishes, wire baskets, etc. Keep the decor simple and don’t add too much. Remember the focus is on the furniture. It’s like adding jewelry to your outfit.
Colors Distractions Staging Furniture
Bold colors are a great way to evoke emotion, but colors are also tricky because too much color can draw attention away from your furniture. Try keeping most of the decor neutral when staging colorful furniture. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Example: If your furniture is a bold color, try repeating a bit of that color on top or with the decor. If you repeat the color or colors on top of your furniture, it should be subtle. Let your furniture be the star of the show. Trust me. When I first started staging my furniture, I didn’t think about the decor taking away from my furniture. It was the furniture I was selling, not the decor. It didn’t take me long to figure this out when everyone wanted to buy my home decor instead of my furniture. Lesson learned the hard way. Keep it simple.
Staging Furniture With Emotion
Creating an emotional feeling in the staging can cause your potential buyer to stop and take notice. I call this the scroll stopper! The way I figure it, you have about 3 seconds to stop the scroll of someone searching for furniture. If you can stop the scroll, the chances of you making the sell just elevated. The emotional factor can be obtained by several things. Sometimes traditional items such as a chair, a pair of shoes, a hat or everyday items will evoke emotion. It gets in the buyers’ head to help them visualize the piece inside their home and we all know that staging isn’t realistic. I promise my home isn’t perfectly staged. Try keeping your staging as real as possible in the beginning until you’re more comfortable.
Using What You Got In Your Furniture Staging
I like wood items, greenery, cotton stems, vases, books, baskets, blankets, etc. Look around your home and pull from your home decor. Try to mix and match what you already have without having to purchase special items and then struggle with the storage for said items. You can’t go wrong when you use what you have. I bet you even have a friend that would let borrow a few items. Challenge yourself to look beyond what’s the normal use of things. A pair of your hubby’s old worn-out boots make a great statement when you’re staging a masculine piece. Just plop those puppies down in front like he just walked out of them. That’s realistic staging and it’s a great way to get into the head of the potential buyer.
Staging Outdoors
Now we have all seen those amazing pieces staged outdoors. GORGEOUS! The artistic side of staging fascinates me. The problem this creates is not everyone can see your artistic visions. Staging furniture outdoors can cause potential buyers to have difficulty visualizing that piece of furniture in their home. Trees and grass don’t grow in a home. It’s not realistic. Keeping to the norm it will increase your chances of selling to the buyer. Ask yourself… does this make sense? When your staging outdoor furniture, by all means, go for it!
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And remember, staging furniture takes practice and time to master the look you want. I hope this helps you in staging your furniture and getting the most profit from all your hard work. Furniture painting is an emotional journey for me. I’m always a little sad when it walks out the door, but getting the money you deserve for your hard work makes it easier to goodbye.
Have questions still? Drop me a comment below. Or CLICK HERE to learn more about how to make more money with your furniture painting business.
Happy Staging! 🙂
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