In the fast-paced world of real estate, first impressions are often the only chance to captivate a potential buyer. It’s no surprise that home staging, the art of presenting a property in its most appealing light, has become an invaluable tool for sellers and real estate professionals. And at the very core of effective home staging lies furniture — the physical embodiments of comfort, function, and lifestyle that transform an empty space into someone’s future home.
Whether you’re a seasoned stager or a budding real estate pro looking to enhance your staging skills, knowing how to work with rental furniture can be the key to unlocking a property’s true potential. Here we’ll cover what you need to know about selecting, placing, and styling furniture to stage homes that sell, from prioritizing key pieces to making budget-friendly decisions. This is where the art of the deal meets the subtleties of design, and the results can significantly affect the bottom line.
Key Furniture Pieces Every Stager Should Consider
Furniture plays the starring role in making an impression during a home showing. Buyers often find themselves visualizing their own lives within the space, and the right pieces can guide their imagination towards seeing the home as their own. Here are the essential furniture items every home stager should prioritize.
Sofas and Armchairs for Inviting Living Spaces
In the living room, a comfortable-looking, quality sofa or sectional can become the centerpiece of a warm gathering space. And be sure to pair it with an armchair or two to demonstrate the potential for gatherings and intimate conversations. Ensure the upholstery is in excellent condition and harmonizes with the color scheme of the room and the overall home.
Dining Sets for Communal Areas
A beautiful dining table and a set of chairs can transform a plain room into a space that’s perfect for entertaining – showcasing the home’s potential for family meals, holiday get-togethers and social events. Round tables can soften sharp angles in contemporary homes, while long, rectangular tables can accentuate the length of more traditional dining rooms.
Beds and Dressers for Restful Bedrooms
Buyers view the bedroom as a place of relaxation and privacy. A bed that’s neither too big nor too small for the room can create a focal point. For a master bedroom, a king-sized bed is ideal, showcasing the stately nature of the master, however if space is tight, try to accommodate at least a queen-sized bed. For secondary bedrooms, double-sized beds are preferable as they illustrate the home’s potential for growing children, or hosting guests. And of course, a complimentary dresser provides that all-important storage space buyers want to see.
Accent Pieces to Add Character
Don’t overlook the power of a well-placed side table, a thoughtfully chosen coffee table, or a stately sideboard or server. These items add character to a room and can help buyers to envision the property as a not only functional, but liveable space.
Prioritizing Staging in Key Rooms Within a House
While every room in a house deserves attention, some spaces hold more weight in the buyer’s mind. When it comes to staging, focusing on key rooms can make the budget work harder and the staging more impactful.
The Living Room: Heart of the Home
A nicely staged living room can make a home feel immediately lived-in and comfortable. It’s often one of the first rooms a buyer sees, so it should make a statement about the property’s lifestyle potential.
The Master Bedroom: A Personal Sanctuary
A restful and spacious master bedroom can evoke feelings of luxury and relaxation. Potential buyers should feel a connection to this space as a retreat from their daily hustle.
The Kitchen and Dining Area: Spaces of Community and Comfort
In many cultures, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Well-staged kitchens and dining areas can showcase the property’s potential for hosting friends and loved ones.
Strategic staging starts with understanding the emotional impact of a space and then using furniture to amplify that experience.
Maximizing Visual Space and Appeal Through Strategic Furniture Placement
The layout and placement of rental furniture can significantly affect the perceived size and flow of a room. Here are some tips for getting it right:
Room Size and Scale
Choose furniture that fits the scale of the room. For example, avoid oversized sofas that can make a living area feel too cramped or small love seats that get lost in a big space.
Traffic Flow
Make sure there’s enough space for natural traffic patterns. Buyers will want to move through the house comfortably, and well-placed furniture allows for that while still defining the purpose of each room.
Focal Points
Every room should have a focal point, and furniture placement should accentuate it. This might be a fireplace, a beautiful view, or a piece of art. Ensure no furniture blocks these important features and distracts from the property’s selling points.
Symmetry and Balance
Symmetry is pleasing to the eye and can convey a sense of order and cleanliness. If the space allows, use pairs of chairs, matching side tables, and balanced lighting to create harmony.
The Role and Importance of Accessories and Decor in Complementing Rental Furniture
Accessories and decor are the finer details that bring a space to life and help potential buyers imagine living there. They can also be crucial in conveying the style and personality of the house.
Textiles for Comfort and Warmth
Soft throws and cushions in coordinating colours can make furniture more inviting. Rugs can visually soften hard surfaces and further define spaces, especially in more open floor plans.
Artwork and Wall Decor for Personality
Well-selected art pieces can be great conversation starters and can add personality to a room. Consider the home’s potential buyers and choose art that resonates with their likely tastes.
Lighting for Ambiance and Functionality
Good lighting is essential to set the right mood for each space. A combination of overhead, table, and floor lighting can create a layered effect that’s both functional and stylish.
Furniture and decor need to work together to tell a cohesive story about the home and the lifestyle it offers.
Elevating Rental Furniture and Making It Look Custom
Sometimes, rental furniture may not be an exact match for the desired look. Here are some tricks to elevate it and make it more in line with the home’s overall aesthetic.
Mix It Up to Add Personality
Try to avoid matching sets as they often look average and cookie cutter. Opt instead for a more curated, collected look with thoughtfully selected individual items that complement each other. Pair woods with metals, consider mixing metal colours, or create visual contrast with rough vs smooth textures.
Accessorizing to Create Interest
Use high-quality, unique accessories to make standard rental furniture look more individualized. These pieces can also help create a story around the home’s potential residents.
Remember, the goal is not to hide the fact that furniture is rented, but to create an inviting, aspirational space that feels custom-designed for the home.
Budgeting Tips for Maximizing the Impact of Rental Furniture
Staging can sometimes be an expensive endeavour, but savvy budgeting can help you get the most out of your rental furniture investment.
Invest in Quality Over Quantity
When budgets are tight, focus on a few key pieces in key areas that can make the biggest impact. Opting for cheap items just to fill every inch of a space can result in a functional, average-looking property. When you select a few standout pieces instead, say an oversized plush sectional perfect for family movie nights, or a grand desk and stately chair ideal for work-from-home buyers—the furniture still conveys the function of a space, but further creates connections and desires for potential buyers.
Seasonal Discounts and Referral Incentives
Many rental companies like Lux Furniture Rentals offer discounts in exchange for rreferrals or special savings during slower months. Be on the lookout for these, as they can help you stage more effectively within your budget.
Building Relationships with Rental Companies
Establishing long-term relationships with a rental company like Lux Furniture Rentals can lead to better service and earn you loyalty discounts on future orders. Communication and rapport are key to such professional liaisons.
Ultimately, strategic furniture rental can be the ace up your sleeve when it comes to turning that ‘For Sale’ sign into ‘Sold.’
Essential Furniture Rental Tips
Furniture rental tips are not just practical insights; they are the steps to crafting the perfect setting for potential buyers. A well-furnished and designed home can trigger emotional responses, helping buyers to fall in love with a property and envision a future there.
The art of home staging lies in the ability to balance functionality, aesthetics, and the budget to create a space that feels like home to every potential buyer who walks through the door.
The Lux Difference
At Lux Furniture Rentals, we don’t believe in sacrificing quality. Established by an agent and stager duo, Lux meticulously curates luxurious furniture and decor items, Lux rental items are selected by designers, for designers. Using luxurious high-end furniture allows potential buyers to immerse themselves in your perfectly designed space. Cost cutting and using discounted furniture and decor ensures a room looks inviting, renting from Lux captures buyers minds and turns your staged space into their next home. So, before starting your next staging job, connect with Lux Furniture Rentals and discover the Lux difference.