Do’s and don’ts of holiday home staging

Key insights:

• Focus on bringing out the best features of your home with subtle additions of holiday decor.
• Use fresh greenery to help your home’s exterior pop against the white winter landscape.
• Keep your lighting simple. The space should feel natural and bright, but not overly festive.

Holiday home staging requires a delicate balance. While it’s fun to add festive elements to your space, it’s most important to focus on your property’s top features when staging your home for sale.

Here, we’re sharing insights from top Edina Realty agents on how to embrace the season tastefully – and expertly stage your home to sell over the holiday season with success.

Interior staging tips

Do consider your tree space

Remember to consider the size of your room before you buy a holiday tree. You’ll want to decorate with a tree that complements the space and helps create the illusion of a larger room.

Keep in mind, placing a large tree in an already tight space could make the room look smaller and potentially turn off some buyers. On the other hand, a tall tree can be used to your advantage when showcasing a room that already features impressive height.

Don't clash with existing home decor

When selling before the holidays, it can be tempting to toss up your typical seasonal decor. This time around, you’ll want to take extra care to match your holiday decor to your home’s current color and design scheme.

When in doubt, lean into natural design elements, such as:

• Pinecones and wooden accents
• Festive but natural hues, like oatmeal or silvery green
• Leafy garlands and plants

Do accentuate the positive

Just as you would stage throughout the rest of the year, use accessories to draw attention to your home's best features. Some ideas to highlight (but not hide) your home’s most impressive areas include:

• Flameless candles on an interesting windowsill
• Garland on a stately mantle or staircase
• A decorative centerpiece on a desirable kitchen island

Don’t cover up the negatives

Holiday decor can be used to accentuate your home’s best features, but don’t use a snowglobe or ornamental stocking to cover up anything that buyers should know about. During any time of the year, it’s important to disclose necessary information to potential buyers.

Exterior staging tips

Do use real greenery

"Adorning the front porch or walkway with potted spruce tops shows an effort in making a house a home. And, when all else is barren, fresh greenery is all the more beautiful," said Jen Kyllonen, an Edina Realty agent from the 50th and France office.

And, if you have existing shrubs on your property, keep them free of snow. The extra greenery from the shrubs will help your home’s exterior pop against the snowy winter backdrop.

Don't overdo the lights

Holiday lights are a great way to brighten up your home’s exterior, but it’s important to create a simple and classy setup. Here are some ways to enhance your home with subtle lights:

• Replace all exterior bulbs with matching warm white lights.
• Turn on uplighting, in-ground lights or other outdoor fixtures.
• If stringing lights, choose glowing white over colorful strands.

In other words, be sure your home stands out at night, but don’t fight to be your neighborhood’s Clark Griswold.

It’s selling season!

If you’re thinking of staging a home to sell, it’s time to talk with a local expert about putting your home on the market. Reach out to Edina Realty or one of our agents today for a free, no-obligation estimate of your home’s true market value — and get a jump start on selling your home this holiday season.