How to Stage a Living Room That Is Right Off the Foyer

Staging is the art of arranging a room for effect. This type of interior decorating is designed to convince a real estate buyer that the room they are viewing or entering is well-maintained and attractive. Staging uses the subtle influences of lifestyle to suggest to the buyers that if they purchase the home they will receive the lifestyle portrayed by the staged setting. You can stage your own living room. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Remove everything from the living room. Box up small personal items, family photos and anything that looks like clutter. Place all of your decor items in one location in another room for later. If your couch is overstuffed, outdated, dirty, smelly or not appropriate for the buyers in your area, place it into storage. Evaluate the rest of your furniture by the same standards.

2

Look carefully at the condition of the floor of your living room. The living room is the second space -- after the foyer -- that the buyer will see. The room must look pristine, fresh and updated. If the carpet is dirty, have it cleaned. If the hardwood floor is damaged, make the repairs and polish it up.

3

Patch all of the holes in the walls left from hanging pictures or other art. Re-texture the wall in those spots to match the wall surface, otherwise the patches will look shiny when you paint. If you have pets or smokers in the household, or anything else that has created an odor in the room, prime your walls with an odor-blocking primer.

4

Select a neutral, warm, earth tone for your walls and ceiling. Look through decor magazines for color ideas if you feel stuck. Paint your walls. Paint your ceiling a light shade of the same color. Paint your trim molding a crisp semi-glossy white. If your windows need paint, clean, sand, tape and paint them, taking care not to paint them closed. Go over your trim with a caulk gun to seal all trim to wall cracks.

5

Mount curtain rods well above the window and purchase neutral curtain panels that look good with the wall color and most colors of furniture. An overly tall curtain will create the illusion that the windows are taller. Clean the windows inside and out. Keep the curtains pulled to each side to let in the light.

6

Identify the focal point of the room. This may be a fireplace or your windows. Orient your furniture toward the focal point. Position the couch so that is facing or to the side of the focal point. Don't position your couch back toward the foyer, creating a visual block. Create an L- or U-shaped sitting area oriented toward the focal point. The wings of the L or U should be low-back chairs. Use a small area rug to anchor the couch, coffee table and chairs, and to show off the hardwood. Don't use an area rug if you have carpet.

7

Select an updated couch and chairs from a rental company if yours are not usable. The lines should be crisp and contemporary. Locate attractive pieces of art to hang on the large walls of the room. Larger art is better than small clusters. Don't leave your walls bare.

8

Visit a decor store and purchase a few updated pillows and decorator items that have a pop of color in a currently popular color. Shop through your own items for other objects you can use to add charm to the room. Update your lamps by spray painting the bases and replacing shades. Add more lamps to the room than usual as a bright room views better. Add plants on plant stands.

9

Invite a small group of friends over without telling them you have staged your living room. Watch their reactions, and jot down their feedback or comments. Often they can help you refine your arrangement to maximize the features of the room. Visit homes in your neighborhood when they have an open house to see what you are competing against and to learn from their mistakes.