See How a Stager Swapped “Dark” Decor to Make a Home Feel “Lighter and Brighter”

In a recent staging project in a home in Rye, New York, Fiona Dogan, global real estate advisor at Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, knew exactly what to do to transform the place into an appealing space prospective buyers could see themselves living in. Dogan decided to focus on “incorporating clean lines, minimalistic elements, and a neutral color palette of whites, creams, and grays” in order to create a calming environment.

You can see this overarching vision in each of the rooms Dogan staged. In the end, the house sold for a whopping $135,000 over asking price within just a few short weeks. 

The primary bedroom changes showcase how much of an impact even small tweaks can have on a space. Dogan swapped out a patterned duvet cover and standard pillows for a fluffy white comforter stacked with pillows of varying textures. It’s hard to believe that the bed is still the same bed — and for a fraction of the price of swapping out entire pieces of furniture.

Dogan placed the pillows up against the headboard, added a bench to the foot of the bed, and draped a blanket over to make the bed seem larger, even though it doesn’t actually take up much more space. Space, in addition to being appealing in and of itself, also leaves room for buyers to imagine their own belongings and lives in a prospective home. 

She also removed the desk that blocked the side window and opened the blinds behind the bed to make the room feel “lighter and brighter,” a key focus of Dogan’s staging goals. The overall effect is calming and welcoming, just like a bedroom should feel. 

Dogan did the same in another bedroom in the home: swapping dark bedding for lighter ones and making the overall space feel larger with simple tweaks, too.

The family room also changed drastically when Dogan applied these same principles of incorporating a neutral color palette and clean lines. Before staging, this room had two rust-colored chairs on either side of the fireplace, a dark red rug, an almost black couch, and a small dark wood coffee table. 

Dogan replaced these with light chairs flanking the fireplace, a jute rug, a cream-colored sofa with fluffy pillows, and an airy glass coffee table. 

Now, the family room feels bright, breezy, and fresh — perfect for buyers to picture themselves and their loved ones gathering and relaxing. “Decluttering spaces and neutralizing decor highlight the special characteristics of a home, and help potential buyers envision themselves living there,” says Dogan.

In keeping with the lighter theme, Dogan “swapped out dark, bulky furnishings for lighter-hued, more structured pieces.” 

A small round side table and a furry stool lended the up-to-date look Dogan was going for. The green plant made the entire space feel fresh. 

“The smaller pieces of furniture made the rooms feel bigger. Pops of greenery and carefully selected decorative objects added to the contemporary feel,” she says. 

This New York home shows the effect that good staging can have when selling a house. But anyone can benefit from the expertise of stagers. I personally love getting inspired by the tiny shifts stagers make so that I can apply them to my own home and make it seem larger, brighter, and more welcoming.