Staging Vs. Interior Design: What's the difference?

Staging and Interior design: What is the difference?

Often people ask, what is the difference between home staging and interior design? One of the fundamental differences is that stagers come in when a home is intended for sale, and designers decorate a space intended for those who live there.

Home Staging uses an impersonal decorating style to appeal to a broad and diverse audience. The furniture and accessory choices are all purposefully chosen to enhance specific features of the home and to showcase the functionality of a space. More often than not, buyers are unable to envision how their furniture would fit in a space, deterring them from making an offer.

Interior design is a highly personal process, where the unique styles and tastes of the homeowner are utilized to create a space they will love and enjoy. Interior design takes into consideration the stylistic preferences of the homeowner, because they are the ones living in the space.

This fundamental difference is important when selling a home because the goal of staging is to attract and appeal to as many potential buyers as possible

There is a delicate balance between what a homeowner wants in their home and understanding what would appeal to a broad audience. It is our responsibility as a home stager to approach the process with tact and respect for the homeowner. Our job is to make them feel confortable and confidant in our judgment. Often times, they have to be reminded that their home is not being decorated to suit their tastes, rather it is being decorated to help a future homeowner envision their life there. The process of staging with neutrality rather than personal touches will reduce the amount and time a home sits on the market and will increase the overall purchase price of the home.