I had an amusing thought today. When I started Staging, Home Staging wasn't even a field, in fact, it wasn't even a term. I remember using phrases like "decorating to sell" to describe what I did. There were no books, no classes, no online programs. I studied the way everyone else in this developing industry studied. I watched every episode of every show on HGTV that dealt with decorating and home improvement--even landscaping. I read books about architecture and design and every decorating magazine I could lay my hands on. I took art classes and learned about everything from the Arts and Crafts Movement to Frank Lloyd Wright to basic principles of design and color theory. And I learned by experience, by staging my own home and friends' homes for sale.
By the time I got back from South Korea, Home Staging had become a full fledged industry of its own. There were several books dedicated to the topic that I found useful, and several online courses that I found to be mostly a waste of my time and money. Some covered the practical basics that I had already figured out--decluttering and depersonalizing, come on! Others were too gimmicky. You will never enter a home I have staged and find a seashell tied around a towel. One was particularly useful though. I learned a lot about dealing with clients and the psychology of staging and selling a home.
Being a good stager isn't just about knowing how to make a house look great for potential buyers. It is also about keeping it livable for the people selling the home. It can mean playing the role of counselor and cheerleader to people who are about to embark on one of the most stressful experiences in life--turning a beloved home into a hot commodity.
"Decorating to sell" has come a long way since those first days of HGTV and This Old House magazine. I can't wait to see what the future brings.
