{"id":342158,"date":"2024-07-18T14:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/blog-api\/?p=342158"},"modified":"2024-07-18T14:00:02","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T18:00:02","slug":"the-evolution-of-luxury-home-staging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/the-evolution-of-luxury-home-staging\/","title":{"rendered":"The Evolution of Luxury Home Staging"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A high-end property is almost ready to be put on the market. But before buyers ever set their eyes on it, sellers and their real estate representatives consult with <\/span>luxury interior designers<\/span> and decor rental companies to re-envision the home, and set the scene in a way that will capture the interests and imaginations of those who may want to live in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the aptly named process of home staging; and though it seems second nature to many agents and sellers now, there was a time when it was a novel concept \u2014 albeit one that would revolutionize the world of real estate.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Paradigm Shift in Marketing Properties<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Neil Lyon – Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Fe Brokerage<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Why is the term \u201cstaging\u201d so fitting? It\u2019s because Barb Schwarz, a relatively new real estate agent in Bellevue, Washington, previously had a career staging musicals for off-broadway productions. She realized the skills she had cultivated in that industry could be translated to real estate to make her marketing initiatives more effective and in 1972, she coined the concept of home staging.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before that, agents would simply advise their clients to present their properties as attractively as possible in accordance with current styles. Aesthetics such as minimalism, mid-century modern, and Scandinavian design were popular back then, and would become mainstays in showcasing tidy, trendy homes into the present day.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Schwarz invented staging, more eclectic and bohemian styles were in vogue. But the essential philosophy of staging \u2014 to show an idealized version of the home that clients could still project their own visions onto \u2014 remained true.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Professionalization of Home Staging<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Matthew Blake – LIV Sotheby’s International Realty<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

The 1980s saw new styles dominate the <\/span>luxury interior design<\/span> magazines and influence the still-nascent <\/span>real estate staging<\/span> industry, with bolder prints and patterns and a \u201ccountry chic\u201d finish. At this time, the idea of staging was growing in popularity and gaining momentum, but it wasn\u2019t until the 1990s \u2014 a period that saw a resurgence of the functional, minimalist aesthetics that are hallmarks of <\/span>modern home staging<\/span> \u2014 that it would truly go global.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1998, <\/span>House Doctor<\/span><\/i> premiered on Channel 5 in the UK with the iconic Ann Maurice, launching a new era of television programs that would introduce home staging to a worldwide audience. And in 1999, the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) was established.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luxury Realty Makes Amazing Reality TV<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Abby Lathrop Martz & Bill Ligety – Summit Sotheby’s International Realty<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

House Doctor<\/span><\/i> was just the beginning. In the 2000s, reality television truly took over the world, and series that focused on designing, renovating, marketing, and acquiring beautiful homes proved to be some of the most popular features for networks like HGTV and TLC.<\/span><\/p>\n

With <\/span>home staging trends<\/span> and luxury real estate entering the mainstream through the media and entertainment industry, aesthetics at this time tended to feature internationally influenced styles, frequently with industrial accents such as mixed metals and exposed brick. Another milestone for home staging was reached in 2007, with the creation of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA).<\/span><\/p>\n

Through the 2010s, home stagers stayed true to the design principles set during the 1990s and 2000s \u2014 sleek, chic, and simple, though with the addition of rustic or organic finishes. By now, the benefits of home staging were well-known. Not only was it a thriving and diversifying industry, but the prevalence of increasingly sophisticated digital technology introduced the value of virtual staging software.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top <\/span>Home Staging Tips<\/span> and Trends Today<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now, in the 2020s, home staging has become a real estate best practice. According to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 81% of buyers\u2019 agents agree that staging enables clients to more easily envision a property as their future home, and 58% report that staging meaningfully affected clients\u2019 perception of potential homes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, 48% \u2014 almost half \u2014 of sellers\u2019 agents have noted that home staging reduced properties\u2019 time on the market. And 23% \u2014 nearly a quarter \u2014 always stage their clients\u2019 homes before listing them.<\/span><\/p>\n

New innovations and integration with technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) continue to expand the horizons of how immersive staging experiences can be created for buyers. And in terms of aesthetics, sustainability holds immense appeal \u2014 such as energy-efficient appliances, recycled and repurposed materials, and smart home devices to automate lighting and heating controls. So too does a maximalist approach to personalization that brings excitement and expression, interest and inspiration, into the interior environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

While consumer preferences will continue to shift and evolve, it\u2019s quite certain that the demand for <\/span>luxury home staging<\/span> will not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interested in other ways to enhance your home\u2019s interior?<\/span><\/i> Learn more about the Japanese art of Wabi Sabi<\/span><\/i><\/a>.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A high-end property is almost ready to be put on the market. But before buyers ever set their eyes on it, sellers and their real estate representatives consult with luxury interior designers and decor rental companies to re-envision the home, and set the scene in a way that will capture the interests and imaginations of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64295786,"featured_media":342160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1399],"tags":[1427,1448,1473,1474],"class_list":["post-342158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-and-design","tag-colorado","tag-idaho","tag-new-zealand","tag-newmexico"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1r0G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":344384,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/luxury-lens-is-the-u-s-a-buyers-or-sellers-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":0},"title":"Luxury Lens: Is the U.S. a Buyer\u2019s or Seller\u2019s Market?","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"August 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Is the U.S. a buyer\u2019s\u00a0or seller\u2019s market? This is the question everyone wants answered. In the U.S., sellers have enjoyed the upper hand for most of the past decade. \u201cWe've been in a seller's market pretty consistently since 2016,\u201d says Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. But is the market\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-8.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":344166,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/introducing-the-2025-mid-year-luxury-outlook-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":1},"title":"Introducing the 2025 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook Report","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"June 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, the\u00a0Sotheby's International Realty\u00ae\u00a0brand released its 2025 Mid-Year Luxury OutlookSM\u00a0report, which reinforces luxury real estate as a safe haven for ultra-high-net-worth homebuyers and sellers navigating market shifts. The findings reveal that while economic uncertainties and stock market fluctuations may create strategic opportunities for sophisticated investors, the wealthiest U.S. households continue\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/header-7.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":342144,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/introducing-the-2024-mid-year-luxury-outlook-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":2},"title":"Introducing the 2024 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook Report","author":"SIR Admin","date":"July 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today,\u00a0Sotheby's International Realty published\u00a0the next iteration of the brand\u2019s coveted Luxury Outlook\u2120 report. The 2024 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook is a comprehensive examination of the forces and trends impacting high-end residential real estate markets across the globe for the remainder of the year. This year, policy shifts and elections in nearly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/PremierSIR-2-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/PremierSIR-2-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/PremierSIR-2-1024x683.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":344146,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/luxury-lens-who-are-the-most-motivated-homebuyers-right-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":3},"title":"Luxury Lens: Who Are the Most Motivated Homebuyers Right Now?","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"July 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Reports that the U.S. property market has half a million more sellers than buyers grabbed recent headlines but did not tell the full story. Research\u00b9 published by Realtor.com at the end of May found at least one key demographic is actually more motivated to buy in 2025. And that\u2019s millennials.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Header.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":346208,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/the-sothebys-international-realty-brand-outpaces-the-industry-tripling-the-u-s-sales-volume-growth-average\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":4},"title":"The Sotheby’s International Realty Brand Outpaces the Industry, Tripling the U.S. Sales Volume Growth Average","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"March 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Sotheby's International Realty\u00ae brand today announced that its 2025 U.S. sales volume increased 9.3% year over year\u2014more than triple the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae reported overall market growth of 2.6%.1\u00a0Globally, the brand achieved US$182.4 billion in sales volume in 2025, up from US$157 billion in 2024, representing nearly 16%\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Waterfront Estate in British Columbia, Canada","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BC.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":345929,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/luxury-lens-who-is-buying-homes-in-the-u-s\/","url_meta":{"origin":342158,"position":5},"title":"Luxury Lens: Who is Buying Homes in the U.S.?","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"January 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s a changing picture. Take first-time purchasers. The \u201c2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers\u201d, published by the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae (NAR) on November 4, reveals that married couples today account for just half of first-time buyer households, down from 58% in 2016 and far below the 1985 high\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Home in Kailua, Hawaii","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kailua.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64295786"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342158\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

\"\"<\/a>Russell Reddell and Matt Finnigan – New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n