Staging is an integral part of selling. It offers potential buyers the idea of what their new home could look like. Although it seems like an empty house would give more space for imagination, a staged one is more appealing. It’s not just about selling a property but about selling a potential lifestyle. Staging is also a great way to emphasize qualities and minimize imperfections. One of the key selling points of any home is space. Since you cannot add square footage to a small house, you can always change perception. Here are seven staging tips to make your home look bigger.
There are many different strategies for making a home look more spacious. You must focus on several components: furniture, walls, floors, colors, and light. For example, placing your furniture a certain way will make a room look bigger. If you combine it with the proper wall color and a lot of natural light, the room will appear even more spacious. Consider what components you can use and make your strategy.
The Best Staging Tips to Make Your Home Look Bigger
When staging your home, you have to consider several factors:
- Furniture placement
- The size of your furniture
- Floor plan
- Walls
- Clutter
- Lighting
- Color palette
Place your furniture the right way
Furniture is what “fills in” a room. So, it seems logical to remove a few pieces and get more space. Although it can help in some cases, it’s equally important to consider the layout. Arranging furniture the proper way will make any room look bigger. What can you do?
Pull your furniture away from the wall
Although it may seem counterintuitive to pull the couch away from the wall and toward the middle of the room to get more space, it works. It’s about perception. Furniture placed near walls draws attention to “the end” of the room. You need to shift the focus.
Keep walkways free
We often create “walkways” using furniture. For instance, it happens when we place couches and chairs around the coffee table. It makes a room feel smaller. So, it’s good to create an open layout and remove furniture which blocks traffic patterns.
Pick the right furniture
One of the best staging tips to make your home look bigger is to downsize. When staging for space, follow the rule “less is more.”
Keep only the essential items
Pick a few large pieces rather than many small ones. This will make the room more comfortable. A lot of smaller items can make a room look cramped. If you have a lot of furniture, consider renting storage from a reliable company. This way, the furniture won’t get in the way, and its safety is guaranteed. Also, if your new home is not ready yet, you can keep your belongings there until you can move in.
Size is important
Your furniture needs to fit into the room. For example, a big bed will pull all the focus in the bedroom. If there’s not enough space on either side, the room will appear smaller. If you have a few bigger pieces, consider getting smaller ones while your house is on the market.
Consider a floor plan
When there is a lot of free space on the floor, a room feels bigger. You can move around more freely, and the room doesn’t look cluttered. However, this can also make it feel “empty.” It is why people tend to cover their floors with rugs. Be careful when placing them because they can “shrink” the space. Here’s what you can do.
Remove the rug/use only one large rug
Using one larger area rug is better than a few smaller ones. However, if you have a hardwood floor, removing all the rugs and carpets is the best option. The hardwood floor that isn’t covered with anything creates an illusion of a more spacious room.
Consider walls
Like the floors, walls have a significant role in creating an illusion of a bigger space. Here are a few tips that can help you.
Avoid dark colors
A general rule is that dark colors close the space while light colors open it up. It’s because dark ones absorb the light while light colors reflect it. Good choices are pale rose or peach if you’re not a fan of white walls. Also, light colors will make your small home more inviting. Dark and cramped spaces are not comfortable.
Use mirrors
You will visually expand the space with mirrors. As with colors, mirrors reflect light. Place a large framed mirror on the wall, creating the illusion of a more spacious room. Also, it’s a great decoration piece.
Remove clutter
One of the easiest staging tips to make your home look bigger is to declutter. Here are a few simple suggestions.
Declutter your kitchen/living room/bedroom
If you don’t have time to do this with every room, choose one or two. We recommended the kitchen, living room, and bedroom because people tend to accumulate most household items there. However, it depends on you. Kitchen decluttering will make the space neater, and it will appear more spacious. The same goes for the living room, bedroom, and any other room with too much stuff.
Declutter your shelves
Again, less is more. If you have shelves filled with books and decorations, consider removing most of them. Place only a few items to avoid them looking too stuffed.
Light up the room
Proper lighting will work to your advantage. The best solution is to utilize natural light. However, artificial light can also be helpful.
There are several ways to bring more natural light into your home. A simple solution is to remove window treatments. Windows without curtains or with simple shutters or blinds do not draw much attention (in contrast to massive drapes). Also, they let more light in. However, the best solution is to keep your windows clean and “naked” when staging.
Consider color palette
As we have mentioned earlier, the colors are critical. Light ones reflect the light while dark ones absorb it. Keep this rule in mind not only when choosing the color of walls, but floors and furniture as well. If you want a small room to look bigger, pick a combination of light, monochromatic colors for everything (walls, floors, and furniture).
Every house has qualities that can be highlighted. However, it is a bit more challenging to minimize some shortcomings. Luckily, it’s possible! Hopefully, these staging tips to make your home look bigger can help you create the best staging strategy for your house.