The Difference Between Home Staging & Interior Decorating

Many people are under the misconception that home staging and interior decorating are one and the same thing. But that is inaccurate.

The fact is that home staging is simply a temporary form of home design which is specifically done to attract buyers or potential tenants, generally selling homes faster and for more, explains Ian Joseph of tacomapmc.com, whereas interior decorating is a more complex and permanent undertaking and which is usually done by homeowners for their own needs and to their own liking.

Read on to see the list of differences between home staging and interior decorating:

Home Staging

1. Purpose

   Home staging is done to create an atmosphere of warmth, cleanliness, and openness; it is an illusion simply created to make the home appear more attractive to potential buyers.
   
   Home staging is usually done by professionals to ensure that the home appears brighter, cleaner, warmer, and bigger. It is like putting on makeup and a new dress for a big occasion.
   
   

2. Duration

   Home staging is usually done when you want to sell your home or find new tenants. You decorate the place and spruce it up a bit to make it look nice and proper.
   
   On the other hand, interior decoration is something more permanent. The owners may consult with a specialist for redecorating or do the task themselves but the goal is not to find a buyer or a tenant.
   
   
   
   

3. Clutter

   With home staging, all the clutter, debris, and junk are removed. The key is to make the place look nicer for the buyer. All unused and broken furniture is removed, holes in the wall are patched up, and paint is applied to make the place look new and bright.
   
   

4. Furniture

   With home staging, if hired, a professional staging company will bring in carefully selected furnishings and artwork designed to make the home highly attractive to home buyers. Real estates agents sometimes have their own supply of furnishings that they use for this purpose as well. The outcome is highly dependent on the experience and inventory of the stager.
   
   But as soon as the home is sold, all items used for the staging are removed. With interior decorating, all changes are made by the owner, and they are only removed when the owner wants to change anything or redecorate.
   
   

5. Rearranging

   During home staging, there is a rearrangement (or removal) of existing furniture. An experienced stager generally brings in new furniture to enhance (or replace) the decor and make the home look trendy; in other cases, existing furniture is used, but the way it is displayed is changed.
   
   Most of the time, the goal is to attract a certain type of buyer; therefore, the type of staging is usually dependent on what would  appeal to the target buyer.
   
   

6. Highlight Features

   When it comes to home staging, the aim is to highlight the best features of the property. The buyer is usually shown aspects of the home that look great or the many ways in which certain rooms or certain space can be utilized.
   
   With home staging, even the external features of the home are highlighted. For example, some large plants may be placed near the door, the lawns may be well-manicured, and minor dents in the driveway might be fixed.
   
   All this is done to enhance curb appeal. With home staging, the external impressions also count.
   
   
   
   

7. Repurpose the space 

   Another trick used in home staging is to repurpose any space. For example, the hallway may be decorated with flowers and a mirror; and extra fancy lamps may be placed to ensure that everything looks bright and open.
   
   

8. Remove personal items

   With home staging, all personal items of the owner are removed like family photographs to create a more generic space that appeals to the buyer.
   
   

9. Accessories

   To spruce the home, home stagers utilizes many accessories that include plants, lamps, picnic tables, throw-over pillows, baskets, love seat, rugs, silk flowers, paintings, and mirrors.
   
   

Interior Decorating

Interior decorating involves changing the feel and look of the home. It’s a more permanent change and is done by the homeowners themselves, or someone they hire, for their own personal gain. The style selected is based on the personal preferences of the homeowner.

While getting rid of clutter and old furniture is part of interior decorating, in most cases, newer items are added which include:

• Window treatments
• New artwork and paintings
• Re-painting the home
• New furniture
• Renovating the bathroom
• Using light fixtures to create a specific mood
• Replacing older kitchen and bathroom appliance with new appliances

The key is to transform the home to the owner’s taste. Unlike home staging, interior decoration is not a one-shot deal; it takes time and thought.

Finally, home staging is relatively inexpensive, especially considering the strong benefits that it can bring in selling a home faster and for more. On the other hand, interior decoration is an expensive undertaking depending on personal preferences.