That was very interesting! Guess I need to get the gray paint out, if I ever decide to sell...

I looked through the gallery---when you stand back farther the room gets bigger.

I think most of the after pics were stunning by comparison to the before. Didn't look like a big investment for most, either.

One thing I found interesting was in one of the LR pics toward the end, where it looked like the tv was behind doors in the built-in, they took the doors off to feature the tv. My goal would always be to find a way to hide the tv and assumed that would appeal to most, but apparently showing a place where the tv fits might be important.

Did you stumble upon it when reading today's post by Maria Killiam, by any chance?

Because I first read yours..then, in a couple hours, I receive her new blog post, here: http://www.mariakillam.com/roomlooklarger/

so I recognized the citation

that's a nice post, first of all because it lead me to read the other post, about the scale..and I'm thinking now I'm going to get this book by Saladino, at some point

secondly, I was really amused at some citated wording..like "demographically pleasing furnishings". LOL!!

But I must say-every room will look nicer if you pick up garbage from the floor..)) and clean..for example. Light also helps. Not a big professional mystery here or something.

As for the pictures..I do believe right pictures help. For example I hate pictures we have now. They're too wide lenses, distorting..the colors are jarring, much brighter than in real life-it was a very sunny day plus lights on plus I don't know what he did when working with the pics on the computer ..the pictures don't do a good job of translating the space, at all. The realtor agrees with me by the way, but says all the photographers do the same job nowadays. I'm seriously thinking to bring one of my friends..she always wanted to shoot my house (she has a start up business in photography)..of course she wanted to shoot it when it was MY house, and not that strange mix of me, Hobby Lobby, and "demographically pleasing furnishings"..but she told me she'd come if I want her to.

By the way the same photographer did the listing photos 6 years ago when we saw the listing and bought the house that very same day. It was the right scale, darker, and rooms were full of personal stuff..they were clean and de-cluttered of course, but were not staged. the furnishings weren't demographically pleasing, and there was ton of art.

I liked THAT listing much more. It had character. I could see the house. I could connect to it..I don't need "demographically pleasing furnishings" for that.

Why do they photoshop so much nowadays? It's not always helpful. Not at all.

Otherwise, it's an interesting subject, and I enjoyed looking through the gallery.

Yes, came across it in the MK newsletter.

It thought it was interesting because some of the differences were quite dramatic, even with the same furniture, like that green dining room. Yes, they removed the clutter and took picture from a different angle, but paint, new chandelier, and accessories made a huge difference.

I'm interested to know how they go about the chandeliers..the chandeliers are to stay with the property, right? since they're attached? So the seller buys the chandelier probably, because the stager doesn't leave his things to stay there-he needs them for other staging, right?

I just noticed two similar chandeliers..they probably tell the seller which one to buy? Because it can't be they take one chandelier from place to place, like it's a throw or a pillow or something

That duo of pics you put into the initial post -- the after looks better, but I find the carpet covering the floor by the fireplace disconcerting. I'll take a gander around the photos in the link next.

Just checked. The grey paint did not sell me on any of those. Tidying up, that did.

Better lighting works on me.

I noted as I went along where they kept or repurposed the owner's furnishing. For example, dining chairs got replaced, but dining tables did not. The blue painting with the vertical lines was repurposed from a before bedroom to an after sitting room.

Re. Chandeliers, seems to me that those are the kind that pop up in new houses here in my area. They probably recommend that sellers buy them somewhere inexpensively.

Re. dining sets, breaking up sets makes things look more updated, as well as older, more traditional tables paired with more contemporary chairs.

As far as colors, anything away from green and the Tuscany look works on me :)

That and removing valances, fussy drapes, and opening up windows.

Finally, as far as fire hazard of the rug in front of the fireplace. It's staged for selling, not for actual living, and the rug doesn't convey :)

Oh, and I just read about a trick to visually enlarge room: When entering, people's eye goes to the far left corner, so put something tall there that draws attention, and the room will expand. Haven't tried it out, but seems to me that's why that first picture works. Your eye is drawn to the window and beyond.

No, it''s not that rug is a fire hazard; it's more that that part of the flooring is not too pretty, and they cover it with a rug:) that's what I thought, don't know what artemis meant..

As for eyes going to the furthest corner-all true, and it's a well known trick; I just never heard it has to be the left one lol. Why left? If anything, should depend on what eye is "the main" one..)) Do they explain it?

PS I'm totally nuts about green lately.

I think I don't like burgundy with forest green though.

I'm also not a fan of Southwestern scheme..not all of it but some.

I think you can't really know what will people like. I for example don't prefer cool colors. Unless they're jewel tones. Meaning: already not so cool.

Either you like the house. Or you don't. Or you do but not quite enough. It's intangible, for the most part. Of course there are some givens, for example location and number of bedrooms. But it can be alright and you feel nada.

And if you do love it to the point you buy it-you buy and repaint.

Thanks for sharing! Doesn't look like a lot of work to update the rooms. Makes me look around my own home and wonder what I can do to refresh my home's look.

FWIW, using the correct lens makes a big difference as does proper exposure in some of those afters. But plain old paint can make a big difference, too.

In each group here, the first photo is from a listing, the second photo in both sets is not staged, just the way they have the house decorated. (These houses aren't currently on the market).

Don't love the decor myself (hate tv over fireplace, etc) but it does show how just a good plain paint job changed the rooms completely. First photo in each case is from the listing before they bought:

Even without any furniture or window treatments there would be a huge difference.

Neat gallery of photos. Many many years ago I took a staging class offered at the local community college and it was such fun to see the befores and afters, so satisfying!

As a home buyer myself I guess I am too contrary or DIYish to be motivated by all those pale, put-together but impersonal rooms--I don't like to think of myself and my family moving in and making someplace WORSE, lol. I'd rather buy the cluttered house with dated paint and have the "Ta-da!" of turning it into our space for ourselves.

I guess I'm in the minority. My brother and SIL were just told by their realtor to paint their entire house gray if they want it to sell. It's a large house on a lot of land in an area with very good schools, not a 'starter home', but apparently buyers cannot see past ivory, sage green and French blue.

omg maggiepatty why would you make it worse lol. of course you would make it better. whether it was staged or not

i'm not sure you're in the minority-i'm really mad at myself i went along with the idea of staging

we didn't repaint or anything(we had to paint and touch up a lot though because of this stupid "take all of your art off the walls", but didn't change the colors), and buyers seem to be totally fine with colors, out of all things, by the way...but it's just so..I don't know..it used to be such a cozy house and everyone loved it including me..and now it's just another condo...

our new place-the one we bought and remodeled-i didn't like one element of the decor, separately... the floors were too old, the kitchen-too new and didn't fit the style..the bathrooms-oy...no walk in closet.. you know what was wonderful though? the vibe..

they did declutter of course..you know what picture was on the wall? very funny, huge, pink dragon..))