Remote Staging

At the start of the corona virus lock-down, I was contacted by a seller in Asheville, NC about getting assistance with staging their home. They had decided to put the house on the market, hired a painter and needed help ASAP to choose colors, design a staging plan and make some strategic decisions on how to spend their staging budget.

Although Asheville is only a few hours drive, a pandemic as well as a recent decision to begin offering virtual staging consultations motivated us to get started right away with a FaceTime call. The sellers had purchased their 1992 contemporary ranch home 3 years earlier and had already invested in renovating the kitchen and master bath, as well as some interior painting. The home was neglected and dated when they purchased, but they loved the location and views overlooking the mountains.

The painters were scheduled to arrive the day after our meeting to start interior painting, but the exterior of the home needed to be painted as well, so colors had to be chosen first.

Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and Tricorn Black

Sherwin Williams Exuberant Pink with the Fairy Garden down left!

Paint Selections

The wood exterior siding was a dark blue, chipped and faded, so we decided to keep the drama of the dark paint and went with Sherwin Williams Iron Ore on the siding and Tricorn Black for the trim. The front door stood out with a semi-gloss finish in Tricorn Black. The seller went rogue on her own and chose Exuberant Pink for her side door out to the back patio and fairy garden. I love what she chose and can’t wait to find another home to use this gorgeous pop of color!

Inside, the walls and some trim were already painted Benjamin Moore White Dove. The contrasting finish of semi-gloss on the trim and satin on the walls was just enough, making the white backdrop perfect for the colors of their furnishings and art.

To Paint the Trim or Not

The trim throughout the house was originally natural wood. During the renovations, some of it had been painted White Dove. A decision needed to be made about whether or not to paint all the trim, some or leave the mismatched trim. In some small areas like the foyer and bedroom halls, the trim was busy making the areas seem small, but in the open living space overlooking the mountains, the trim acted as a picture frame for the beautiful scenery.

Just WOW. Leaving the wood trim here helped frame the gorgeous view.

We decided to leave some of the trim natural so that the best feature of the home, the view, was the star of the show. In the foyer, the bedrooms and darker areas of the basement, the trim was given a fresh coat of White Dove, giving those important areas and updated, fresh and bright look. While it doesn’t match throughout the house, the strategic use of paint gives each area a cohesive look.

Staging a Tricky Area

One area the seller had always struggled with was side by side seating areas next to the kitchen. One area had a step down with low built-in shelving, while the other was used for TV watching, so it naturally had the most furniture arranged for TV viewing with the family pets. By separating the sofas, using some brightly colored chairs at the divide and removing some of the smaller pieces of furniture, they created two wonderful seating areas, including a spot to watch TV comfortably. Rearranging the lamps brought balance and pre-packing all the personal family items created two gorgeous areas the buyers could imagine living in and enjoying the view.

The dining area was already gorgeous with a dark, dreamy Benjamin Moore Galapagos Turquoise and antique furniture. Family photos were replaced with art and the 2005 edition of the chandelier was replaced with a modern sphere fixture. The result is an eclectic mix of old and new, perfect for family and friends to gather.

Benjamin Moore Galapagos Turquoise paired with the collected pieces over time.

Other gorgeous colors included Sherwin Williams Sea Salt in the family baths, Benjamin Moore Gray Owl in the guest room and Smoke in the children’s rooms.

Staging Secondary Spaces

Throughout the house, we strategically staged bedrooms, the office, pandemic inspired workspaces for high schoolers and storage rooms. Closets, built-ins and outdoor living were considered. The kitchen, already renovated, required a bit of pre-packing and depersonalizing but was otherwise beautiful. The seller added fresh spring flowers and greenery as well as a layered welcome mat at the entry. New outdoor pillows at the fire pit outside completed a special staging touch to each area.

An earlier renovation was to update the cabinets with paint, hardware, new backsplash, counters and stainless steel appliances.

Staging Success

The result was a gorgeous 4200 square foot mountainside family home that appraised 36% higher than the original purchase price just 3 years earlier. It sold in just 6 days in the middle of a pandemic to a lucky family relocating from the mid-west. This is one that I’m especially proud of, not just for myself – I loved helping – but I’m proud of and so pleased for the sellers who followed instructions, worked hard to prepare their home and in the end maximized their investment and sold for more than they had hoped.