Decorating vs. Home Staging

Staged or Decorated?

Most would say that decorating and home staging are very different.  Typically, decorating is specific to a homeowner and their needs, while home staging is just a few well-placed items to make a home look inviting to potential buyers.  This is yet one more example where I do not fit the typical mold!  So which do I prefer, decorating or home staging?  To me, they are very similar!  With decorating, I enjoy working with the homeowner, sticking to their budget (because I love to find a bargain!), and creating a space perfect for their entire family. 

Staged or Decorated?

The cherry on top of that sundae is the look on their faces (and many times tears) when they walk into their newly decorated home for the first time!  My insides jump up and down as they look around at every last detail I have added.  And when I say detail, I mean it!  I have crowned myself (heehee) the queen of details.  My must-haves in every home I decorate include old items, found items, and relevant items.  And within all those items, there must be texture!  Many people often make the mistake of adding color when their space isn't coming together, but I, on the other hand, add texture, rather than color.  Texture can be found in rugs, pillows, baskets, bins, blankets and chippy painted pieces.  You can never have too many layers of texture!  I find the biggest and most exciting challenge of decorating, finding those "found" pieces.  Shop, shop and shop some more!  Where do I shop?  EVERYWHERE!  If you look closely (and know what I look like), you will find me in every shop you can imagine.  Of course I start at KalamazooKitty, but you will also find me at all the other local shops and even the thrift stores! 

Staged or Decorated?

Once all my "found" items have been found, I move on to the new stuff, like bedding, towels, etc.  For those items, I shop Home Goods, Target, Marshalls, Meijer, Walmart...and every place in between.  So because I am still referring to decorating rather than home staging, furniture can be a little tricky.  Some of my clients love and appreciate used, good quality furniture, while others prefer brand new.  So for the used furniture, KalamazooKitty, of course!  But for the new furniture, depending on budget, I find great pieces at Art Van and Pottery Barn, as well as some other local furniture stores, and even an occasional piece online.  So let's get to the home staging details!  Some might say I "decorate" homes that are for sale, rather than stage them.  I would have to agree!  The problem, especially with vacant homes, is that I just don't know where to stop.  My goal is to show off every great feature of the home, show how to use the space for furniture placement, and show creative ways to make the home cozy and warm. My goal in the end is to show the potential home buyer how to decorate the space once it is their own. 

Staged or Decorated?

I add window treatments to enhance the space and add height, furniture to the scale that each room requires to make it look inviting, and details to tie in all the colors that already exist in the home (tile, stone, paint colors, wood, etc.).  So in other words, I DECORATE the home!  Rain, snow, sun, sleet or blizzard, my husband and I carry it all in, and when the home sells, we carry it all out.  Sometimes, however, the new buyer chooses to purchase all or some of the items in the home because it is totally decorated and move-in ready.  How awesome is that?!  So I think we can all agree that my home staging may or may not fit inside the home staging box, but I do know one thing for sure...I love it!  Can you tell which homes are "staged" and which are "decorated"?

This is from Kalamazoo...to you!