Tips on How to Showcase The Features of Your Home - Dining Room
As an Atlanta Home Stager, I've had the good fortune of helping hundreds of homeowners with preparing their home for the market. Throughout the years, it's become apparent that one of the biggest challenges homeowners face is understanding how to "showcase the features" of their home.
In the first of the series, (yes, you need to subscribe to my blog so as not to miss one) I'm going to share with you some techniques on how to showcase the features of a dining room. Upcoming posts will feature master bedrooms, master bathrooms, kitchens and then last but not least, kitchens (one of my most favorites rooms to home stage).
Let's get started.
Here's a dining room before being home staged. As you can see. it's a lovely room. It's also a lovely home, in a lovely sub-division. Simply put, it's a beautiful room with beautiful features. However, the one main feature, which is the light fixture, is lost.
Before picture:
Now here's the after picture:
How to showcase the features of your dining room:
- Determine the features you want highlighted. In the case of this home, I wanted the chandelier to be the highlight of the room. By replacing the art to the left and right of the chandelier, and removing the one piece of art that was directly behind it, your eye is now instantly drawn to the centerpiece of the room, the chandelier.
- Minimize. As you can see, there are a number of different items we removed - wine rack, table cloth, artwork and place setting. The result - a simplified and uncomplicated look that lets the room breathe.
- Choose the right accessories. With the determination made on the features of the room we wanted highlighted, we chose to minimize the accessories we used. As you can see, we have only three accessories in the room - a centerpiece and two pieces of art. The "less is more" works well for most rooms.
Note: One of the reasons we changed the table from a light wood to this darker set is that it help compliment the style of the home. At the same time, it also matched better with the wrought iron in the chandelier, making it a win-win for the room. Now let me be the first to add that it's not necessary to change your furniture.
Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392
RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011
Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.
With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.
Home Staging Website: Home Staging Atlanta
Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:
Email: Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com
Blog: Atlanta Home Staging
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Kathy, Thanks for the insightful post!
I like this example. The difference is impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Kathy- I'm a follower of your blogs and love your work. I also like that instead of showing us Before and After's you point out the "why's".
Wow Kathy...simple changes but big difference! I love the furniture and the new Art accentuates instead of detracting from the chandelier. Lot's of times I don't use art in the dining room for the same reason...it can really interfere with the fixtures.
Kathy - Great work, and the changes are subtle, yet appealing. I'll watch for upcoming installments.
Good work -- great to see the side by side comparison. I'd like to see more of your series.
Your work is always so lovely. And I love that dining room table and chairs you brought in. Great job Kathy!
Great job Kathy. You made it look like a model home. I love it. Thanks for the tips and for sharing your amazing work.
Kathy, Awesome job! By making some very subtle changes you succeeded in making this room (and it's lovely features) really pop!
Really wonderful tips and such a dramatic change-The room looks so elegant!!
Kathy ~ Changing out the dining set and placing the new art properly was brilliant. Love how the floral centerpiece repeats the colors in the art. Now the room is the star and it's not all cluttered with all that other "stuff." Fantastic staging and stunning photography!
Nice work Kathy,
what you did made the difference in really seeing how beautiful this room is.
The features of the room were lost before your staging. You transformed it into a Grand dining room in which to entertain. Lovely work!!