Colette Smith is a Staging Diva® Graduate and the owner of Perth home staging business, Staged with Finesse. Her company recently helped a real estate investor increase the value of a property in a 200 unit complex by $30,000.

In home staging it’s key to decorate a property to sell with a particular target market in mind. In this case, Colette determined that this 2-bedroom unit would have the most appeal with a professional couple or a small family. After attending to various maintenance issues, new carpets were installed and old cupboards removed. The walls were then painted in soft grey and doors and trim were done in dark charcoal to give the unit a modern crisp look. Colette then staged the home with rental furniture, lamps, art, draperies and accessories.

Despite there being two other units in the building for sale at the same time— one for $250,000 and another for $265,000— the owner of this unit was also a real estate agent and after seeing Colette’s transformation decided to list her unit at $295,000. It sold to the first person to view it. Clear proof that home staging works!

Prior to becoming a home stager, Colette owned a picture framing gallery. Shewrites,”Training with Debra Gould gave me the confidence to take what I knew I had and put it into practice. What I did for free before I now do for money and love what I am doing. The gleaming smiles of satisfaction on clients’ faces when they view the transformation is more important than the financial rewards at the end of the day. What a difference a day makes!”

(The photos in this post have been provided by Colette Smith.)

For tips on decorating a house to sell for the right target market, check out the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips Tricks and Floor Plans.

It will help you avoid home staging pitfalls and boost your design confidence through before and after photos, design concepts and floor plans. Written in a conversational tone, you’ll learn what I’ve figured out through the trial and error of staging hundreds of homes.

> Check out the table of contents for what you’ll find in this important home staging guide