Stage To Sell: Beautiful Clutter

On Sunday, a fellow Stager and I visited several Open Houses. Our primary goals were meeting local realtors and builders, admiring (and picking up tips from) Staging work done by other Stagers and/or Interior Designers, and discussing how we would handle the unstaged and vacant houses.

This, my friend, is a Stager's idea of a good Sunday afternoon (when not working).

Hendersonville, NC is a boom town for retirees who want four seasons and for snowbirds who want temperate summers with views. On Sunday we toured several retiree's houses. In each space, the history of the owner was displayed in furnishings that crowded together family pieces like Victorian occasional tables and paintings, early just-getting-started personal purchases like mid-century modern bedroom sets and pictures, and later we-have-arrived purchases like heavy 1970's sofas, chairs, and rugs.

I am a mid-century modern kind of gal. I adored that part of the show.

Anyway, in each house or condo my friend and I admired the history, the love, and the lifestyle the furnishings proclaimed. Then we discussed which pieces needed to remain to allow the owner to live in comfort; and which pieces needed to be stored away in a safe place to showcase the house. In each case about 50% of the furniture, pictures, and tschotckes needed to be stored away. And most of what remained needed to be moved to enhance focus and flow in each room.

One house keeps bothering me, though.

Intrinsically the house was lovely. But it was very, very cluttered. And the clutter was way too much truly wonderful artwork and beautiful furniture. Small walls were made even smaller by being literally covered by exquisite paintings. The kind of paintings that deserve to be admired. Walking around in the rooms required occasionally walking sideways to get around large and very nice pieces of furniture.

I did not get photos. I have included some stock photos here, to give you the idea.

The home was beautifully decorated. It was truly Staged To Live: everything about it supported the current owners' love of art and family, need for space, and preferred lifestyle.

I stood in the living/great room, about 18 by 18 feet, and counted a sectional sofa, three chairs, 19 paintings, four end tables, two coffee tables, 22 figurals, three occasional tables, two statues, three lamps, three rugs, two large windows with heavy draperies, and a fireplace. All color coordinated. All quality. Each piece an original, designer work of art.

A narrow path led single-file from the foyer across the room to the kitchen. Walking into the room was a delicate undertaking because I had to weave my way around the furniture and breakable objects.

I truly believe most potential buyers are going to stand in the foyer, look into the room, and tread the narrow path to the kitchen thinking there is no way their furnishings will ever fit in such a delicate, small, and dark space.

In my mind I packed and stored two chairs, 16 paintings, two end tables, one coffee table, 19 figurals, all three occasional tables, both statues, all three rugs, and the heavy curtains. Just over 75% of the furnishings need to be removed to make the room feel full enough, neutral enough, welcoming enough, and beautiful enough to engage the imagination of a potential buyer and to invite buyers to explore the room without worrying about breaking something.

The whole house was like that.

When we met them, the owners were not interested in Staging. I am going to keep an eye on the house. Maybe that perfect buyer, the one who can see beyond any kind of clutter, will find it. Maybe it will sell quickly.

I do wish the owners the very best of luck and the very fastest of sales.....

I did, however, give them my card.