Be Your Own Stager
As a realtor/designer here in Palm Springs, I see dozens of homes each week with and without clients. As a result I see the spectrum of staging: the good, the bad and the truly ugly.
The Coachella Valley has its very own style, with lots of midcentury influences and desert-inspired preferences. They may all be beautiful or interesting or quirky. But they might not sell your home.
Here’s is my very specific staging advice for anyone hoping to sell their home in the Coachella Valley:
Desert Don’ts
Nix the Nudes
I can’t tell you how many homes feature nude art here. Photography. Painting. Sculpture. That’s great. Embrace the body. But also embrace your prospective home buyer. AKA, strike the naked bodies if your home is on the market.
Gothic Be Gone
Skulls, spider webs and vampires have curiously proliferated throughout the valley during the past decade. Maybe great for Halloween, but not for closing the deal. Ditto Christmas lights that seem to slither through so many rooms these days. More clutter always equals less buyer interest.
Midcentury Overload
People are looking for their next home. Not a furniture showroom. A staging mistake I see over and over in Palm Springs is filling every room with a catalog’s worth of midcentury furniture, art and accessories. Often in turquoise, orange and lime green.
It’s one thing to have a vacation home for long weekends. But those overly dressed homes very often lack a reality check for homebuyers.
Desert Do’s
Go Big
Blank walls feel empty. Gallery walls can be chaotic. The sweet spot? Opt for one or two large pieces of art for the main walls. Keep your furniture neutral, but when it comes to art (painting, photography), use big color. This will enliven a space without overwhelming it. Local vintage stores can offer great large pieces at relatively small prices.
Take It Outside
Here in the desert, it is critical to treat outdoor space like the inside. For half the year, people come here to live outside! Make sure chair and lounge cushions are matching and in good shape. Take a few extra minutes to put matching towels on the patio furniture, add flowers or plants to tables. These details instantly elevate your home to a resort.
Go Pro
Here are a few things that stagers all do that make a big difference: Don’t hide your cookbooks. Put them on display. Get creative when you make your bed. Add a contrasting colored throw blanket at the foot of the bed. (Instagram page? Pinterest page?)
Wall Power
So many desert homes are painted white-white throughout. Consider painting walls warm neutrals like soft gray or misty blues and greens. English paint company Farrow & Ball has some of the best colors anywhere. They’re not cheap, but it costs almost nothing compared to the impact of beautiful and warm wall color.
Green Day
Resist Instagram. Do not create an indoor jungle. Plants are an amazing way to enliven a space for very little money, but opt for fewer, bigger plants instead of a profusion of smaller specimen.
Need more information about Palm Springs Real Estate Market:
text or Call me: 310 422 8797