Sellers: Have You Heard of the Vignette Home Staging Technique?

No homeowner has started the process to sell their house without hearing the word “staging.”  Staging a home is used to make the house look presentable and desirable to a buyer. However, many homeowners are not aware that there are different types of staging.  

One popular technique, that many homeowners see on a daily basis is called vignette staging.  Vignette staging is what a homeowner should be doing to sell their house.

Vignette Staging

This type of staging focuses on creating an area that is a story.  These stories are told through items being carefully placed in a certain way in a small area.  This is called a “vignette.” Using vignettes will help buyers appreciate the home more and feel more attracted to the room.

There is no shortage of ideas for small stories a homeowner can tell.  It helps to make the home feel lived in at the same time as looking presentable.  

To do this items need to be carefully placed without making it look like they have simply been thrown down and forgotten.  Using props like books can make a space appear lived in while still staying clean and organized.

Creating Spaces

Many people start moving out of their homes when they are trying to sell.  They may pack up their office or workout room and have an empty space. These spaces are great for vignettes.  Each room has to tell a story to the buyer or it will feel empty and unappealing.

Use simple items to convey the idea of an office, a workout room, or even a hobby room.  Keep some items unpacked and organize them on shelves, tables, and desks. Open a workout book and leave it next to the radio that is playing tranquil music in the mediation room.  Or have a sewing project neatly folded next to the sewing machine. Each of these items reminds buyers of the possibilities that the room has.

No Cost

Do not run out and buy a bunch of new items to adding into a room.  Many vignettes can be created by using items that are already in the room.  Simply keep some items unpacked and create the illusion that the room is being used for one purpose.  

Even if a room always sat empty having an office chair pushed up to a desk with a laptop, a couple of study books and a lamp will give buyers an idea that the office was well used.

Tips and Tricks

Always think small.  It is not about redoing the entire room to be new and fresh.  Focus on making one area of the room memorable. Trying to focus on the entire room at once is overwhelming for buyers attempting staging alone.

When choosing items for the area remember to keep it diverse.  Find items of all sizes, always keep items in odd pairings, and pick a color scheme for the room.  Sticking to a color scheme makes the vignette appear well put together and organized.

Some choose to get out collectibles and put them on display.  If the item that is collected is strange or unorthodox it may be best to avoid sharing it with buyers.  However, typical collections are an easy way to connect to a buyer when displayed in an appealing way.

Staging a house is about framing the buyer’s mind into thinking about their own lives in the home.  It helps them forget that another person lives there and they can imagine their own hobbies and furniture in the room.  Giving buyers small ideas on how to set up the house will help them know it is cozy and livable without feeling overly cluttered.