Let’s rewind for a second. Home staging isn’t some new Instagram trend cooked up by lifestyle influencers.
It’s been around since the 1970s, when a savvy agent in Seattle named Barb Schwarz started encouraging sellers to treat their homes more like a product. Her pitch? Don’t just show buyers how you lived in it, show them how they could live in it. It worked then. It works now.
But staging today is less about fresh-cut roses on the nightstand and more about strategy. It’s visual storytelling.
The psychology behind it
When a buyer walks into a home, they’re not just checking for creaky floors. They’re imagining their future. Staging makes that imagination easier.
An empty space can feel cold or confusing. A staged space gives them context. Scale, layout and possibilities, all there in plain sight.
No, it’s not just about pretty furniture
Good staging is tailored. In Sarasota, for example, we don’t use the same formula for a modern waterfront home as we would for a Spanish revival in Laurel Park. Different buyers. Different story.
The furniture, art, and color palette should complement the architecture and vibe of the home. Cookie-cutter staging is noticeable… And not in a good way.
What sellers get wrong
Many homeowners think staging means hiding their personal taste. In reality, it’s not about hiding, it’s about editing.
We’re not pretending no one lives there. We’re just creating space for someone else to picture themselves living there. That usually means packing up the gallery wall of family photos and dialing down the leopard-print throw pillows.
It pays off, literally
Homes that are staged sell faster. Often for more money. Staging works because it makes buyers feel something. And in real estate, feelings drive decisions.
So if you're selling and able to stage your house? Don’t doubt it. It will help in the long run.
Kelli Eggen
