When it comes to home staging, lighting is an essential ingredient that, if done correctly, can ensure a positive first impression for prospective buyers. Achieving good lighting is as easy as 1, 2 and 3:
#1 - Boost Your Wattage
Most homes are lit improperly. A house should be warm and welcoming, not dark and foreboding. A quick fix for this is to raise the wattage of your fixtures and lamps. Aim for a total of 100 watts per 50 square feet, with at least three distinct lighting sources:
Ambient (overhead)
Task based (under-cabinet, reading lamp or pendant)
Accent (table or wall)
Work with lighting to neutralize strong colors for the broadest market appeal. A neutral home will seem larger to the human eye and has less chance of being visually offensive. Capitalize on natural light too by opening up blinds and draperies to let the good chi and positive energy shine through.
For rooms that are too bright, sheers are a great solution that will help diffuse the light and cast a welcoming glow into the room.
#2 - Incorporate Adjustable Lighting
Certain rooms shouldn’t be full of light – think libraries, studies and cellars. In these instances install adjustable lights as well as accent lighting to draw attention to carefully selected pieces of art. The lighting should be in accordance with the room’s designed purpose. A study that’s too bright runs the risk of communicating the wrong purpose of a room to a prospective buyer.
The main advantage of utilizing installed adjustable lighting is that it gives rooms a greater ability to cater to a buyer’s particular needs, making the house more attractive when being shown. You don’t necessarily need an electrician either. Just install dimmer units to wall switches, or use short extension chords with dimmers between lamps and their wall outlets.
#3 - Lamp It Up!
In need of a cheaper and faster lighting solution? Lamps. They’re cost effective and they can all be bought in one afternoon. Just plug them in, and turn them on. When thinking about appropriate sizes and locations to place lamps, let the existing design of the room lead the way. A few well-placed lamps, evenly distributed around the room, will provide functional and welcoming lighting that will surely grab a potential buyer’s attention.
The light of a room is one of the few variables that can be controlled when staging a home. When a home is given the right “spotlight,” it will give an award-winning performance.
