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Get inspired for your own listings with the Home Staging Resource’s “Best of the Best” awards, recognizing home stagers for their designs. The before and after photos from August entries on HSR’s Facebook Group, Stagers Connect, shows the impact staging can make on a home. Peruse some of last month’s honorees and read how they transformed various spaces.
Renovated for ROI
Three-time “Best of the Best” winner Laura Martin of Laura Lynn Interiors in Austin, Texas, tackled her first huge project for an occupied home. “The homeowners reached out and asked for a consultation,” Martin says. “The kitchen had been renovated, but the master was still from the ’80s, when the house was built. I recommended that they updated the master bath, as buyers would expect it at the price point they were listing, as well as clearing out and packing up anything in excess that would not add to showcasing the home.” Martin also brought in neutral pieces for a light and airy feel to compliment the other finishes in the home. After listing, the house quickly went under contract with a cash buyer.
Flipped to Sell
Tina Lester of Tina Lester Home Staging & Design in Gloucester, Va., staged this vacant home with a seaside vibe for an investor client who flips properties.
Staged Birthday Bliss
Some home stagers are expanding their services for creating the perfect picnic. “I decided to add ‘Posh Picnics’ into my services since the housing market here is so crazy,” says Jennifer Dobson, owner of The Queen of the Castle: Home Staging and Redesign in Maysville, Ky. “Literally, houses are selling within hours of listing or before they can even get on the market. I needed another avenue to encourage my creativity and continue my business.”
Dobson designed a “Posh Picnic” for a teenage girl, with guests ranging from six months to 76 years old. They drank from sparkling wine glasses—which the young children thought were fancy—and ate from a charcuterie board filled with meats, fruits, cheeses, and crackers. “This picnic was all about summer and the beautiful colors and flowers that come with it,” Dobson says. “I'm sure it was a backyard birthday she will never forget!”
Coastal Cool
The summer vibe continues with two-time “Best of the Best” winner Mitchell Bage of Maison de Campagne in Galveston and Houston, Texas. Bage recently finished a job, which he dubbed “Project Chiquita,” bringing more high-end touches to a raised coastal home with views of the Galveston Bay. The owners, who updated the home before listing, had already purchased another property and moved out, leaving the house they were selling vacant and lifeless. “Our [staging] approach was a comfortable coastal luxury that buyers would instantly relax into,” Bage says. “A consistent color palette was planned, utilizing natural fibers and wood tones as much as possible. We never wanted furnishings pulling away from the true selling point of the property: the amazing waterfront views.”
Remote Design Planning
Lindsay Noll of Noll Team Interiors—Staging and Redesign in Fort Wayne, Ind., often helps clients with vacation homes, even from hundreds of miles away. She worked both virtually and in person with a couple who lives in Venice, Fla., to achieve a coastal design for their vacation property. “Starting with the wall color all the way to the final product, we worked virtually for months to source furnishings and accessories. Then, I flew down to help put it all together,” Noll says. She gave the home a natural base through the chairs and tables, along with a few pops of color for personality. Then, she added a Capiz shell light fixture as the home’s “jewelry” and accessorized with some large-scale items to enhance the coastal vibe.
Tricky Space Made Right
Christy McGriff of Home Styling Studio in Gray, Tenn., staged a tri-level home that had recently been renovated. “The final touch was to bring in the feeling of home,” McGriff says. “This home had a midcentury vibe and a very unique floor plan that needed to be showcased. My goal was to bring in natural elements to blend seamlessly with the outdoor view from the massive windows.” The same neutral, timeless design was then carried throughout the home.
Bright, Cheery Hues
Reina Gascon of RG InStyle Staging & Design in Charleston, S.C., used pops of bright yellow to make this space stand out in photos.
Cozy Chic
Stephanie Beene-Smith of Stephanie’s House to Home Staging Design in Barrington, Ill., aimed to create a beautiful and serene living area in this project. “I love the faux throw on the couch and the velvety pink chairs,” Beene-Smith says. She also used one of my favorite paint colors, Urbane Bronze—Sherwin-Williams’ 2021 Color of the Year—to add drama to the space.
Beautifully Styled Shelves
Vicki Puhl of Charmed Life Home Staging & Interiors, LLC in Youngstown, Ohio, sought to create an amazing living room. She brought open shelving into the spotlight, capturing a popular home trend, and created a comfy lounging space with textured pillows.
Total Transformation
Tracy Davis Sharp of Sharp Staging in Portland, Ore., is another serial winner of the “Best of the Best” award. Davis took a living room from drab to fab, creating a polished room that is light and airy.
