With the end of the year approaching, prospective homebuyers have holiday cheer on their minds as they tour Richmond homes for sale. This doesn't mean you should make your home into a replica of the North Pole though! Successfully staging your home for the holidays takes subtlety and class. Here are a few tips for tastefully staging your home for the holidays.
- Decorate the front door.
The front door is your best place to make a good first impression. Hanging a cheery holiday wreath on the door can set the stage for your prospective buyers to imagine themselves in your home for the holidays from the moment they step over that threshold. Don't clutter up the yard with a lot of decorations, though, as it doesn't take much to cross over the line into the realm of tacky. Instead, focus on improving your curb appeal.
- Match your decorations to your decor.
The best way to achieve subtlety and class is to make sure your holiday decorations blend seamlessly with the existing decor. Opt for holiday colors and styles that complement your themes and furnishings. If you've done your job with staging, these should be fairly neutral, setting the stage for a subtle holiday display.
- Remember that less is more.
The rule of thumb for staging isn't any different around the holidays. As always, you should minimize the decor as much as possible. Instead of adding holiday decor, replace what you had used for staging before, as you don't want it to appear too cluttered by trying to squeeze everything in. And don't break out your entire collection of holiday ornaments! Just a few tasteful touches, such as a bowl of pinecones on the coffee table or a holiday greenery arrangement, will be just enough to encourage your buyer to envision themselves in your home.
- Keep the decor impersonal.
Staging your home needs to be impersonal at any time of the year, but perhaps most of all around the holidays, when people are thinking about entertaining and celebrating with their families. This means that not only should you remove family pictures from the walls, but you also should make sure not to hang any holiday decorations that are too personal. We all have our own ways of celebrating the holidays, so keeping your holiday decor subtle and impersonal will allow them to picture themselves and their own traditions in your home.
- Highlight your home's best features.
Finally, don't forget that the main purpose of staging is to show your home to its best advantage. You can use your holiday decor to highlight your home's best features, just as you would with any other decor. A strategically placed decoration can draw attention to a feature of your home that you want to highlight. Use your decorations sparingly, but use them to help your home shine.
No matter the season, staging a home for sale is an art form. If you feel overwhelmed or are unsure of how to proceed, one of our real estate agents can walk you through it. Contact us today to start the process!