- The Chi of Home Staging
- By:
Carole Provenzale
Parading a seeming endless group
of buyers through a home only to hear it "just isn't for
them" can be frustrating, to say the least. Words like "Home
Staging", "Curb Appeal" are the current new buzzwords
for many of the Principles Feng Shui Practitioners have been
using for years.
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Feng Shui, literally translated
to mean "Wind and Water" seeks to create an environment
that is welcoming, inviting and balanced making the homeowners
(or potential homeowners) feel enhanced in a space. We believe
it's the ENERGY of a space, not just the design or decorating
although these play an important
role as well.
Some of the very same concepts
Realtors use to show a home we have been using for years but
look at it in a different way. For example, Real Estate Agents
always open the blinds and turn on the lights, making the space
brighter and more open. A big principle in Feng Shui is "letting
the outdoors IN" so that the energy flow is in balance.
Additionally, agents may add plants or fresh flowers as eye deflections
or to add color. We add these very things as well with the intention
of adding Life Force into a space. |
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The hardest homes by far to sell
are those that have been left empty. In that instance, the eye
is deflected to every crack in the wall or imperfection in the
home. Aside from some pretty decorations, filling up a space
even a little changes it from a lifeless home into one with Energy
and feeling.
The very first and one of the
most important principles of Feng Shui is to declutter, something
every home seller is asked to do. From our perspective, you can't
allow the new, fresh energy to enter until you have let go of
clutter. Starting to see similarities here?
What is it, then, that a Feng
Shui Practitioner might change or add in addition to the standard
list already given to homeowners wishing to sell, sell fast and
get the best possible price? First, we want to give them the
very best first impression possible. Let nothing outside be overlooked
from overgrown shrubbery to a clear pathway, color in the form
of flowers, lights or decorative lawn objects. Small wind chimes
look pretty if seen and sound lovely. To Feng Shui Consultants,
the entrance to the home is the Mouth of Chi so it is important
that everything leading to is cleaned and maintained and that
the Front Door is clean and painted, open and inviting. "Grace
your entryway" is a
term often heard in Feng Shui.
Walking into a home should make
you feel welcomed at once. A warm start and the proper flow of
energy throughout the entire home is what appeals to the potential
buyer. A key thought I had used to sell my previous home is not
popular among many agents, but it worked for me.
I was having a gathering of people
and asked my realtor to bring her most interested clients. She
thought it best wait until no one was home but I was somewhat
insistent. The buyers walked into light, laughter, music, nice
aromas and, most importantly, good ENERGY. We got two offers
the next morning.
So, what's the checklist before
showing a home?
*Cleaning it thoroughly.
And when you think you're done, clean it again. A home that looks
well kept looks loved.
*De Clutter. Sometimes
the homeowner doesn't even realize what they are living in. Cleaning
up and cleaning out is the best advice you can give them from
both a Home Staging AND Feng Shui Perspective.
*Depersonalize: A possible
new occupant cannot imagine themselves in a new space when the
homeowner's energy and personal object are all around. Taking
away collections, removing personal pictures and leaving some
spaces open allows people to envision themselves in that space.
*Lighten up: Too much
furniture or heavy furniture makes a room feel heavy. If the
space is too crowded, energy can't flow. Ask them to rent a temporary
storage space if necessary and explain the reasons why to make
them more receptive.
*Look at the Lighting:
Sometimes just softening the lighting in a room can make a tremendous
difference into creating the warmth in a space you are trying
to achieve. See if you can find warm or even some different colored
bulbs on occasion to give a new feeling to a room that needs
some help.
*Decorate with Style.
Setting the table or leaving a bowl of colorful fruits out adds
positive energy.
*Window treatments are very
important. Check to see if they help keep the room light
and airy or have it feeling heavy and dark, even when opened.
Home Stagers often work with a seamstress, can get fabric at
wholesale and have a new look with very little expense.
*For homes that need more help,
a fresh coat of paint or a new rug can do wonders for
a room. Make sure your Stager has a good and inexpensive painter
that they work with to help achieve getting the most for your
money in redoing a room.
*Sometimes, investing in renting
furniture can be a huge payoff. For homes that are left lifeless
and sit on the market a long time, it could have been sold with
even the more expensive methods of home staging for less then
their very first price reduction.
Feng Shui items we use to keep
the energy flowing and achieve the life force and five elements
include the use of mirrors which can draw people into a space
or intensify a lovely object. We use crystals that oftentimes
can't even be seen but help the chi to activate and the energy
to flow. We often incorporate small water fountains for the use
of sounds and a soothing feeling. We love plants and flowers
as they are true life force and always add good energy to a space.
Oftentimes we change the flow just by rearranging the furniture.
We look at the home with both decorative and what we refer to
as "Feng Shui Eyes."
As a Feng Shui Consultant who
frequently works with Realtors, I have heard the horror stories
of a sale about to be made when a Feng Shui Consultant tells
a new buyer that home won't support them. I don't practice Feng
Shui using fear or negativity, I feel a home can always support
a new occupant through the use of simple and inexpensive objects.
Feng Shui was never intended to be the cause of fear or negativity,
it is used to help and enhance everyone in their spaces in every
area of their lives. Feng Shui can assist with a sale as
well when the homeowners are told how the new home will support
them.
People are much more in tune
with Feng Shui and Energy then they were even just a few years
ago. Being the Real Estate Agent with knowledge in this field
gives you an edge over other Realtors in the fact that homeowners
are much more interested and are often impressed with another
way to look at things.
Please note that there are currently
no standardized accreditations in place for either a Feng Shui
Consultant or a Home Stager. Although some carry training that
will give them the appearance of having the work "expert"
or "accredited" after their names, the courses vary
from two day online to several days. Look for someone who has
been in business a number of years or someone who comes with
good recommendations.
Costs for a complete evaluation
of a home for Home Staging, Curb Appeal and Feng Shui Principles
to get that home sold FAST should be under $200. They should
incorporate all of the principles mentioned and be clear to both
the Agent and the Homeowner on what to do to best optimize their
chances to sell quickly for the best prices. |
