Home Staging vs. Interior Design
Many people think that we can use the terms “home staging” and “interior design” interchangeably. Although there are differences in the processes used between the two, the best place to start the comparison is at the end. The end goal is the main difference between these two activities.
Differences in the End Goal
In home staging, we are trying to present the home to prospective buyers in its best light to allow sellers to get their home under contract sooner. They typically get higher offers for their home as well. It’s about prospective buyers, and it’s about money.
In interior design, we incorporate lifestyle and personal flair into the décor, no matter how whimsical it may be. Pieces are chosen and used to provide comfort, function and to reflect the homeowner’s personality. All the colors, furniture, and lighting choices contribute to the owner’s space’s comfort and beauty.
Home Staging – It’s Not Personal
The magic word here is “neutral.” The objective of home staging is to help the property appeal to the largest group of potential buyers. One of the main strategies here is to strip the home of personalization… family photos, sports pictures and trophies, pet items, wildly colored rooms, or furnishings. Removing the things that would identify it as unique to sellers tends to inhibit the buyer from seeing it as theirs.
When home stagers work their magic, their vignettes may not even be practical for everyday life, but that’s not the objective here. The object of the exercise, remember, is to show the home in its best light. The big oversized sectional may look comfortable, but it will also make the room look smaller and raise doubt in the prospective buyer on whether the room is big enough for their furniture.
Interior Design – It’s All About You!
We can take everything we just said about home staging and turn it on its head when it comes to interior design. Interior design has no regard for ROI. It’s about the personal comfort and day-to-day functionality and flow of the rooms and the furniture. Here, we remove the small, uncomfortable, but classy sofa and bring something more suitable for the owner.
We maintain a sense of style and beauty and cater to the owner’s preferences and lifestyle. Everything that we design in the home… the elements of color, the select pieces of furniture and accent pieces, and lighting choices… are all made for the owner’s comfort and enjoyment!
A Word About Pricing
The differences exist in pricing these services as well. Although costs amongst individual firms will vary, as a rule, interior design services are typically more expensive to the consumer than home staging services.
As a real estate professional, one of the ways you can gain a competitive edge is to partner with a home staging company and provide this service to your sellers. Everyone benefits. Your sellers and prospective buyers will appreciate having the house look its best when offers come in and are accepted.
Get the Interior Drama Advantage
When you’re in the Chicago area, you’re lucky enough to have Interior Drama Home Staging here to help with home staging and interior design. If you need help staging a home, contact us today. With over 20 years of experience and an 8000 square foot warehouse full of furniture and accessories, we have just the right pieces for your property or home. We charge a flat fee for consultations and can bring you the results you want!