**The Power of Staging: How a Few Smart Tweaks Can Maximize Your Home’s Appeal and Value**
As an award-winning home stager, I’ve seen firsthand how strategic staging can dramatically impact a home’s appeal and sale price. And this doesn’t necessarily mean spending thousands or even hundreds of pounds decorating and renovating. It can be achieved with a few smart tweaks and tricks that are free. The key is to understand what buyers are looking for and how to design a home they’ll want to call their own. Whether it’s a compact city apartment or a multi-million-pound townhouse, staging isn’t just for luxury homes – it’s a method that can be applied to any property at any price point to maximize its value. For example, I’ve chosen a diverse range of homes currently on the market, each with unique challenges and opportunities. Let’s take a closer look at each property and how staging can transform them into desirable homes.

1. One-bedroom apartment on Pentonville Road, Angel, London, N1 – £450,000

At £450,000, this apartment is essentially two rooms, meaning the buyer – whether a young professional or an investor – will be looking to maximize every inch of space. With the right staging, we can elevate this to a Carrie Bradshaw-style apartment, blending chic, cosmopolitan charm with practical solutions.

Define the kitchen and living space

• A high bar table in the centre of the kitchen would act as a visual divide between it and the living room, creating a natural flow while also offering a practical dining and workspace. • Removing bulky storage units and replacing them with sleek, built-in storage solutions can maintain practicality without overwhelming the room. • Good lighting is key in small apartments. Layering different light sources – such as pendant lights over the bar table, stylish floor lamps, and wall sconces – will create depth and warmth. • Adding soft furnishings like textured cushions, throws, and a statement rug will bring in an inviting, high-end feel reminiscent of a boutique hotel.

Maximize bedroom space with smart sleeping solutions

• A day bed or a complete wall bed system (Murphy bed) would free up valuable floor space during the day, making the room feel more like a stylish lounge when not in use. Four-bedroom house on Oaks Avenue, Worcester Park, KT4 – £900,000

This property has great potential, but right now, it feels a little cold and unloved. With the right approach, we can make this house feel warm, inviting, and truly like a home. Let’s explore some staging tweaks to transform this house from a blank canvas into a welcoming family home.

Create warmth with better lighting

• The current listing photos were taken with the lights off, which makes the space look dull and uninviting. Simply turning the lights on and adding warm-toned bulbs can create an ambient, cosy atmosphere that instantly feels more welcoming. • Freshening up with a lick of white paint on the walls and cabinets would brighten it up dramatically, making the kitchen feel more modern and spacious.

Softening the living room

• Adding a plush rug, stylish cushions, and soft throws in warm neutral tones would make the space feel far more inviting. Storing away extra dining chairs that aren’t in use would also help declutter the room and create a more streamlined look.

3. Four-bedroom apartment on Carnation Way, SW8 – £6.6M

With a price point at this level and the luxury amenities the building provides, it’s clear this apartment is designed for a high-earning corporate buyer. Yet, right now, the space is completely empty, which is a huge missed opportunity. Let’s stage this apartment to showcase the lifestyle it’s meant to offer.

Furnish the space to sell the dream

• Without furniture, it’s overwhelming for buyers to grasp the full potential of each room. Carefully selected furniture would define key areas, giving the apartment both functionality and personality. • Creating three distinct living zones – a formal dining area for entertaining, a relaxed lounge area for socialising, and a cosy reading nook or work-from-home space – would showcase how the apartment can seamlessly accommodate a busy lifestyle. Six-Bedroom House on The Lane, St John’s Wood, London, NW8 – £12.95M

Stepping into this property feels like a scene straight out of The Holiday – a unique blend of Cameron Diaz’s sleek LA mansion and the quaint, cozy charm of Kate Winslet’s English cottage, particularly in the garden area. It has all the makings of the perfect family home, but it’s missing one crucial element: warmth.

Layer in warmth with textiles

• The first layer of staging is complete, but adding plush cushions, textured throws, and soft rugs would make the space feel more inviting and lived-in. • Enhancing the kitchen with thoughtful accessories – like fresh herbs, wooden chopping boards, and ceramic vases – would soften the look and make it feel like the heart of the home. • Furnishing the cinema room properly would immediately make the space feel more enticing, with a deep, luxurious sofa or sectional.

Expert Insights

Rewritten from an interview with interiors expert Liv Conlon, 26, who runs two seven-figure businesses: multi-award-winning ThePropertyStagers that stages 400 properties a year; and StagerBoss – a coaching business teaching women how they can do the same.