Condo Staging Tips to Imbue Luxury

The luxury condo life attracts real estate buyers with prime locations, five-star amenities and investment potential. Amenities are often similar from condo to condo, making it a challenge to make your property stand out amongst the pack. That’s where home staging comes in.

Related: 5 questions for Mickey Alam Khan, president, Luxury Portfolio International

After working in the industry for many years, I’m sharing tips for how to tastefully stage your condo. Taking my advice will help separate the photos and in-person experience of your listing from others, and help maximize your return, especially in the current real estate market.  Home staging aims to create an emotional connection with potential buyers by showcasing a desirable lifestyle.

Here are six essential condo staging rules to follow to increase the appeal of your condominium unit. 

Condo Staging versus Home Staging

Condo staging often emphasizes maximizing space and showcasing a modern aesthetic, while home staging may involve a broader scope, including landscaping and outdoor spaces.  Condominiums want to appear spacious and comfortable, and lots of modern furniture is made to 

There’s huge value in whitespace – those empty areas that give the eye a place to rest – but be careful of having too much of a good thing. Excessive emptiness can dilute a space’s quality, leaving awkward areas. Even if an area isn’t frequently used, stage it to give it an explicit purpose, such as an art wall or nook to display a treasured piece of furniture or accessory. Help a possible buyer get inspired by your use of the space, even if it’s just decorative.

Accessorize to make Cozy, Comfortable Spaces 

Less can be more, but sometimes too little leaves the space lacking. Use art and accessories to make the space look and feel complete. This will help potential buyers envision their life inside your space and feel the lifestyle they can achieve. When placing your art and accessories, resist the urge to line every shelf and fill every corner. Be selective and choose pieces with a high aesthetic or functional value.

Condo Staging Should Match the Price

While it’s uncouth to talk dollars, you know you paid a pretty penny for your premium condo. Your furniture and décor choices should match that level of investment. If you’re staging to sell, consider renting high-end furnishings that are geared to your target buyer and are reflective of the style of the building and its location.

In this case, following classic design rules could yield a big payout. It’s worth saying that when staging for yourself, choose pieces that have longevity and meet high standards for style, comfort and quality. Enjoy your space at its best while living in it, rather than simply staging it when it’s time to sell.

Condo Staging Should Highlight the View

One of the best-selling features of your luxury condo is the view. Many condos are designed with floor-to-ceiling windows featuring vistas of sparkling waterfronts, shimmering city lights or greenery that stretches to the horizon. Make the view a focal point. The most obvious way to finish your windows is with window treatments. Options may include blinds, shutters, shades and sheers, often accompanied by side panels to accentuate the high ceilings, frame the window and of course, the view.

Another overlooked but effective way to frame your condo’s view is with furniture. Create a seating area that overlooks the window, or line it with built-in shelving units to help highlight the view. Keep it simple so as not to detract from the view itself, and ensure it remains unobstructed.

Staging Condo Patios, Balconies or Porch Spaces

If your luxury condo has a big balcony or terrace, stage it like you would an interior room. Ensure it has enough seating and surfaces to accommodate an evening of drinks, dining or relaxing out in the open. Choose lighting that is both functional and beautiful. Add a floor covering to warm up that concrete floor, such as an outdoor rug, treated wood tiles or a strategic patch of artificial grass.

Then, add some colour and life with accessories and plants. Thankfully, there are lots of great weather and UV-resistant products on the market that withstand rain, snow, sun or whatever else mother nature might throw.

Hire the right professional to stage your condo

This is not the time to economize, and I can not stress this point enough. Staging a luxury condo is a large undertaking and it translates into real dollars at the time of sale. Work with someone who has experience in this niche and can handle the task of showcasing your big-ticket property in a major way.

Some say that luxury is a state of mind, but I’d argue that it’s also a state of style. When staging your space, pay attention to the fine details, and surround yourself with the right pieces in the right places, to elevate your luxury condo and truly showcase its true lifestyle potential.

Red Barrinuevo is the Principal Designer at Redesign4More, and an award-winning property stylist and interior decorator based in Toronto, who also appears on HGTV Canada’s Hot Market series.