Case Study: Tiny Living Room

I recently provided a "speed stage" service at a trendy 2 bedroom townhouse which meant taking what the homeowners already had and reworking it to better showcase the property. Their awesome Realtors had provided some decor items so that we may further enhance the spaces with items such as pillows, art, mirror, and accessories.

When I first entered the open concept living / dining rooms and kitchen, I was immediately taken back by how tiny the living room was! It had a nice fireplace with only 2 club chairs and a small coffee table, and no room for anything else. Adjacent to the living room was the dining area with a rectangle table and 4 dining chairs, and a large kitchen island dividing the spaces. There was an upstairs bonus room with a large sectional sofa and TV.

I knew that the buyers would be turned off on the house if the living room could only seat 2 people. All homes should be able to seat at least 4 people in the living room so I knew I had to come up with a plan to show the buyers that they could do just that. Since the large island could comfortably seat 4 people to dine, the homeowners agreed to remove their dining table in order to expand the living room. They had a very limited budget so weren't able to buy or rent scale appropriate sofa and chairs. Therefore, we hopped on to the computer to find an inexpensive, gently used 3 seat sofa that could be immediately picked up, and found one for $60! Unfortunately, the living room could not accommodate both of their large art deco club chairs, so one was moved to storage.

The transformation was amazing! The living room now shows comfortable seating for 4 people with enough space remaining in the dining area for a smaller dining table and chairs should the buyers be so inclined.

After 2 weeks on the market in a downturn economy, the homeowners were thrilled to get it sold! It just goes to show that strategic home staging can make all the difference for a timely sale!

Photo credit for "AFTER" shots: Calgary Photos