A Quick Guide For Staging Small Rooms
Small rooms can present a challenge when it comes time to sell a home. Very often, I’ve seen homeowners have far too much furniture and accessories stuffed into a small room, which effectively makes the room appear smaller than it actually is. It also makes it difficult for buyers to explore the room.
When staging a home with small spaces, there are several foolproof rules to follow which will ensure that all the right boxes will be checked off for prospective buyers.
Rule #1 - Keep it simple! Set up only the essential furniture pieces in the room and make sure that they scale properly to the room’s size. Oversized furniture will only serve to overpower the room and will make it appear smaller than it is. For example, if a secondary bedroom is being used as an office, set up a reasonably-sized desk, an office chair, and possibly a bookshelf (if there’s room). Make sure to hang some artwork (1-2 pieces max), and have a few office-related accessories on the desktop.
Rule #2 - Repaint, if necessary! Many people will paint a small room a dark color in an effort to make it feel cozy. By doing this, it essentially shrinks down the room, making it appear smaller than it actually is. Therefore, it’s important to create the impression that it’s larger than it is by painting the room a lighter, neutral color. Here are several of my favorite colors that I’ve used in clients’ homes to great effect.
Rule #3 - Use mirrors and glass! If the home has a small living room, a mirror will serve to visually enlarge the space, as will a glass-top coffee table and end table(s). Using mirrors and glass is very effective in bedrooms, as well as in small entryways.
Rule #4 - Let natural light in! If a room has heavy window treatments, it’s recommended to remove them prior to the house being listed. Natural light in any room is a must as it is refreshing and welcoming to buyers. It also tricks the eye into thinking a space is larger than it actually is. Finally, make sure to move any furniture that is blocking the natural light source in any room.
Rule #5 - Don’t clutter up the walls! Too much artwork and shelving on walls can shrink an already small room. Keep it simple by hanging only one piece of artwork, two max, in a small space. There’s nothing wrong with having a blank wall; it will make the room feel more spacious.