Our top decorating tips while your home is on the market:

Keep Colour Palettes Simple & Cohesive:

​We recommend keeping it to a maximum of 2 main colour palettes and separate them by floor, to accentuate and complement your existing décor.  Pair gold or platinum with whites, creams or rustic wood hues and add a pop of colour like silvery blue or red.   ​Remember, as much as it is the holiday season, your house is still up for sale and buyers need to be able to appreciate your home more than the decorations!

Keep Decorations to a Minimum:

Hi beautiful people!

Like many sellers, Francis and Dave were initially reluctant to stage their apartment. Their agent, Annalese, an associate broker, had already helped them declutter and identify home improvements for their two-bedroom ground-floor co-op.. Following Annalese’s advice, the couple had spent about $45,000 tearing out carpets, installing hardwood flooring and new light fixtures, painting, repointing brick and replacing siding on a wall in the rear garden.

But they stopped short of hiring a professional stager to swap out their furniture and art. “I was extremely skeptical, I couldn’t see why things that I had collected over my life, sparsely placed, would be a problem.”

They listed the apartment for $1.85 million in June 2014. Then they watched, dismayed, as it sat on the market for six months, while they gradually cut the asking price to $1.65 million. “I had over a hundred showings, and could not sell it,” Francis said. “Not one offer.”

The couple took the place off the market that December, and at Annalese's behest, sent for a Home Stager.

To the Stager, the home’s décor was too eclectic, “like Victoriana meets ’80s meets Ikea,” she said. She instructed the couple to empty the apartment, except for one small bench that she deemed attractive. Then, for about $26,000, she had the kitchen cabinets, shelving, doors and door frames painted white, and moved in an entire home’s worth of contemporary furniture, including shapely clear acrylic dining chairs and a white pedestal table, an Italian linen sofa and a chrome-and-glass coffee table placed atop a cowhide rug. When Francis relisted the staged property last April for $1.495 million, “the place was mobbed,” at the first open house. A bidding war ensued, and the apartment soon went into contract for $1.8 million, before closing in July. “I can’t believe how it worked out, I still shake my head!”

Recent Work By Upstage By Lili!

Hello beautiful people,

Make a Buyer's Summer Love Last with
Summer Home Staging Tips

1. Approachability is everything.

Often times, nothing says “single and ready to mingle” more than your outward demeanor. The same goes for your home. Before you give buyers your digits – your address, that is - make sure that your house number is clearly visible from the street where potential buyers will approach from. Also, you can also help to boost your home’s approachability by purchasing a stylish new welcome mat. Remember, your home looking good = you feeling good about the sale!

2. Proper hygiene is a must.

When it comes to summer home hygiene, think curb appeal and lawn maintenance. With a home on the market, there is not enough pruning that you can do! Don’t wait for word of a showing to mow the lawn or trim the hedges. You never know when Mr. or Miss Right Buyer will drive by. In the same way that people try to maximize their summertime glow, make sure to maximize your lawn’s summertime green and keep your garden free from weeds or other debris.

3. Getting “decked out” is a good thing.

You want to show summer suitors that your home is beautiful from the inside-out. So, after you’ve invited them in and they’ve got to know a little more about what’s inside, WOW them by staging your patio or deck. It is a great way to increase your home’s square footage or at least make it appear larger. Set up a well-dressed table and chairs or cozy corner where potential buyers can envision themselves relaxing all summer long. Summery pillows and lightly-scented candles will add a nice ambiance as well.

4. It is OK to fall in love with summer.

When you’re staging your home for summer, you can absolutely feel free to embrace the signs of the season. Lighten up your home with fresh flowers or other summery accents. Colorful towels will revitalize your bathrooms and kitchen and bright pillows will make your family room and bedrooms shine.

Hey guys, Lili here! And guess what...the answer is yes! ​

Before

After

Real Estate Staging Association study conducted in Canada

Homes in excess of 1 Million

Home priced $500,000 & $999,999

Homes priced $300,000 & $499,999

Homes priced $100,000 & $299,999

What Real Estate Agents think about home Staging

81% said staging helps buyers visualize the property as a future home 46% said it makes prospective buyers more willing to walk through a home they saw online 45% said a home decorated to a buyer’s tastes positively impacts its value 10% said a home decorated against a buyer’s taste could negatively impact the home’s value. Top producing realtors understand the importance of a home looking great in order to market it more effectively and to bring in offers quickly. When you work with Upstage By Lili I will provide a home staging consultation for your every listing, as well as consultation services.