6 Ways COVID has Impacted Home Staging
How COVID-19 Has Impacted Home Staging
COVID-19 has made a huge impact on pretty much every industry, not just in the United States but worldwide, and the home staging industry is no exception. The way we stage and furnish spaces are changing; as home and work life blurs together amidst stay at home orders, previous desires for open concept spaces and designs give way for a longing for privacy and work-life balance.
We have rounded up 6 ways the Home Staging business is changing, and what you need to know to succeed as an agent, stager, or seller!
1. Defined Spaces
One of the most dramatic shifts, albeit not surprising; has been the scaling back of modern, open concept living to families desiring more specified zones in a home. As the lines blur between work and play, showcasing how a modern layout can be segmented into a muti-functioning office space; or homeschool desk for kids- is a huge plus in the eyes of buyers. Designing with virtual meetings in mind is a huge plus, as work goes remote; the need for professional looking backdrops and well styled vignettes will be of the utmost importance for professionals who have had to take their meetings in their homes.
2. Guest Bedrooms, Meet at Home Gyms
As people are relegated to their homes more, social distancing guidelines are recommended, and people are having guests over less; the immediate need for guest rooms is decreasing in front of mind desire. Instead, designing a workout room that functions as an at home gym will appeal to buyers, showcasing how they can still keep a healthy routine and get their workouts in. Set up a yoga mat on the floor, and a console table with clean towels, water bottles, and hand weights!
3. At Home Office Takeover
More than ever, people are working from home. Buyers are touring homes with this in mind- they need a private room in their home where they can close the doors and finish their work. For home stagers, this means you will want to utilize an extra bedroom and style it as an office, preferably the room that is the furthest from the main living spaces, therefore offering extra privacy. Put some functional storage and a sturdy yet stylish desk in the room, and showcase a space where a potential buyer can escape to and get just as much done, if not more; than if they were at the office.
4. Outdoor Oasis and Sanctuary Spaces
Outdoor spaces have become exceedingly necessary as people cancel their vacations and stay home. Creating an outdoor oasis that inspires relaxation with plants, comfortable couches, rugs, plush pillows and natural relaxing textures will create a moment that showcases to potential buyers the opportunity for rest and retreat; even at home. Designing with a sanctuary mentality will appeal to the mindset shift of health, wellness, and self care that buyers are searching for as they make their decisions on a home purchase. By showcasing this through home staging, you can speak to buyers desires for peace, safety, and well being in the way you stage the home.
5. Craft or hobby room
Instead of staging a guest room, get creative and set up a craft or hobby room. As our lives slow down and we recognize that the fulfillment of productivity can be found outside of work, people are finding new creative hobbies and ways to pass the time at home. Curate a creative corner of the home for painting, knitting, music, and a variety of other hobbies to inspire a sense of creative productivity and balance in potential buyers' vision of the home.
6. Cleanliness and Storage
This is an obvious one! Decluttering, cleaning, and organizing is of the utmost importance in this new pandemic culture. As people stay at home, they are realizing the need for paring down, storage solutions, and organization. Ensure your stage represents cleanliness, and showcases the storage possibilities in the property. Minimalism has grabbed hold in a new way, and this “less is more” mindset can be utilized in the way you create quality spaces; that showcase easy to clean surfaces and simple but beautiful layouts.
The staging landscape is always changing, and by staying ahead of buyers psychology you can ensure that you’re making the best possible decisions for your clients, listings, or home staging business. To see more of our home stages, check out our gallery page!
What other trends have you noticed in the home staging landscape? Let us know in the comments below!
Need your home or listing to be professionally staged? Reach out to us for a free consultation!