How to Stage a Home for Winter, Room by Room
- Posted on November 25, 2016
Though showing a home is always stressful, you can have a beautifully staged home even in the winter months—and make it not just inviting for prospective buyers, but cozy for you, too. Here’s a room-by-room list of must-haves:
Front Door
Start with a simple seasonal wreath. Consider adding a bench to the porch and potted evergreens, with white lights if it’s November or December. Have a mat that’s simple and inviting—a classic woven style or something with just one or two colors.
Everywhere
Make sure none of your vents are covered or blocked by furniture, rugs, curtains, or anything else. If prospective buyers walk into a cold room, they’re not going to leave with a warm fuzzy feeling about the house.
And if you’re showing before or during the holidays, garland is practically a must. It can be on mantels, side tables, shelves, and bannisters. A Christmas tree is usually a welcome sight, too.
Entry
The entry is a buyer’s first impression of your home’s interior, so make it count. Bright and cozy are the key words to keep in mind. Add a winter-blooming plant near the door and a table with simple décor, like a vase with winterberries and a stack of vintage books.
Kitchen
Make sure the kitchen has as much light as possible. You may want to add extra light with simple solutions like stick-on lights that can go under cupboards to brighten things even more. Some potted herbs on a counter or windowsill will lend some life and some lovely scents, too.
Dining Room
A simple, elegant centerpiece appropriate for fall or winter can go a long way to improving viewers’ perception of this room. Try garland with candles or a bowl filled with gourds for fall and seasonal fruits for winter like oranges and pomegranates.
Bathrooms
If you have nice flooring, don’t cover it with bushy bath rugs. Let it shine on its own. A single low-pile bath mat is plenty.
Living Room
Don’t forget to add pillows for that touch of interest and comfort. Rich textiles and colors will draw viewers in, especially if you mix and match complementary designs, shapes, and sizes of pillows. White, gold, and gray are the go-to colors this season, but of course green and red are always welcome touches, as long as they’re not overwhelming.
Bedrooms
Just like in the living room, make sure there are textiles and colors to make the bedrooms look warm and cozy. Consider getting neutral bedding that can easily be swapped in when it’s time for a showing, and then use extra throw pillows for pops of color.
Master Bedroom
Follow the advice for other bedrooms, but take it a little further. This is the room your buyers are going to be calling their own. It should be bright and beautiful with an area rug for warmth, inviting bedding, and décor that just says home. If there’s room for seating, add a pair of elegant chairs.