If you’re looking to purchase a home, you're probably daydreaming about the possibilities of what it'll look like. You imagine, perhaps if you're in Seattle, an incredible view of the Puget Sound through a large picture window at the end of a handsome living room outfitted with a masterful fireplace, or maybe in Los Angeles you're imagining something with a huge outdoor deck off of your well-appointed kitchen with sleek dining and living spaces. Perhaps, though, you're downsizing in Portland, and you can't wait to only have that one grand master bedroom as the hero of your soon-to-be condo. Beautiful to envision, right? We all love thoughtful features that enhance our lives and show off the environment around us, but what about the items that we use to fill our houses? How will those things help to make it a home?
You know that mid-century house you sulk over every time you drive by it? (Just go with me here.) It's probably not filled with all the mid-century specific furniture you think would go along with it. It's an extremely unobtainable achievement to do such a thing. If that were the case, it'd probably be a superhost listing on Airbnb's luxury experience list of places to stay in Palm Springs. That is 100% an aspirational achievement in decor. Would we love that and feel like a celebrity featured on a movie or magazine set? Definitely. Would we would go crazy with zillions of selfie posts on our profile page? Very likely. (No judgement here.) Again, it reflects a look that is completely and solely aspirational.
When you think about the homes of the average person, though, we all live with an often eclectic assortment of furnishings that have some sort of meaning or history to them. Most commonly, such furnishings are inherited or purchased second-hand. No one's home is furnished purely with all new things. Whether it's your grandmother's dining table that you were lucky enough to inherit, the desk that you used in grad school that now acts as a gaming station in your son's bedroom, or the vintage bench you scored at that random garage sale and couldn't dream of leaving behind. Real houses have furnishings with real stories and real purpose.
So why are we here writing about this for a home staging blog? Because it's a super important detail to recognize, and it goes a long way when it comes to setting a stage for home buyers. By using a mixture of furnishing styles, you create an obtainable look that is relatable. It's a sure-fire way to make a buyer feel more comfortable in a staged home. With this strategy, there is at least one piece in every room that the viewer can identify with, and it may even draw up a conversation because they like it so much! (And yes, we can sell it to you if you so desire.)
Our Creative Principle, Chad Hinke, took this rule of "Aspirational and Obtainable" that was set as a Spade and Archer standard and found a great way to expand upon it for today's generation of buyers. If you have something old, give it a fresh spin by mixing it with something new. The contrast will give it a bit more character in a good way. One common thing you'll find in our home stagings at Spade and Archer is an older dining table with a new set of dining chairs, or visa versa. This way you avoid presenting what looks like grandma's dining room and create an interesting contrast worth gabbing over. Don't get us wrong, new furnishings are spectacular and can be a great investment, but when selling a home, you never know who exactly is going to be considering making the big purchase. You want to appeal to the masses, and the mixed use of furniture styles or ages can help to attract in a bigger audience and have them lingering a bit longer.
With home buying being such an emotional process, it's best to avoid triggers or turn offs that could turn a potential buyer away. There are all sorts of do's and don't's to accomplish that. This notion of finding a happy medium between aspirational and obtainable is not one that most may recognize. Just remember, you want to tell a story with each listing that will inspire and not overwhelm or intimidate. Hopefully, your home stager knows just how to accomplish that.