3 Tips for Staging Your Historic Home to Sell

Staging your home is one thing, but staging your historic home? That’s in a different ballpark.

You’re most likely catering to a select set of buyers when you put your historic home on the market. These people are interested in your property for the same reasons you were when you bought it – charm, character, and original details preserved.

With these things in mind, here’s how to stage your home when it’s an old beauty.

Staging Your Home Intelligently when It’s an Old Charmer

Old homes aren’t to every home buyer’s taste. For those who do love them, you can highlight your home’s charm and still make it feel like a welcoming abode – not a building stuck in a time warp.

1. Freshen the Walls with Classic Paint Colors

Now is not the time to experiment with color or try something crazy on your walls in your old home. Instead, to appeal to the widest range of buyers and highlight your home’s architecture, choose classic colors in subtle shades.

You can do a bit of research and see which paint colors would have been used when your home was built, if you want to go a step further.

2. Ditch Period Décor

Some historic home owners think they have to go whole-hog and festoon their homes in period-accurate décor. However, when you’re selling, this isn’t the best idea.

For one thing, most period décor, especially Victorian style, is frilly, fussy, and elaborate – completely out of step with modern trends. If you deck out your house this way, it will look like a museum, not a livable home.

Instead, keep the bones of your home intact and feel free to use modern furniture and décor. Choose period-inspired light fixtures, highlight the molding, and refinish original wood floors.

3. Maximize the Square Footage

Most historic homes have character in spades, but one thing our ancestors weren’t concerned about was ample-sized rooms. You may be wondering how to stage your home if it still has the original layout.

Since most period homes have lots of small rooms versus the open floor plans most people covet today, you need to maximize the space. Declutter and take out unnecessary furniture. Focus on making each room seem as big as possible.

Painting the walls lighter colors and leaving breathing room around furniture can help in a pinch. If rooms are dark, don’t cover the windows in heavy drapes. Let as much light in as possible and add extra lamps.

Using Restraint Is How to Stage Your Old Home

When it’s time to sell your charming old house, don’t go overboard. Make changes and tweaks that have the widest appeal, and keep in mind that your house is a home, not a showpiece or a museum. You’ll make the sale quicker than you think.