KEY TAKEAWAYS
First Impression A well-staged apartment brings an empty unit to life. It highlights its special features and amenities, creating a positive first impression that creates a living experience.
Coordination is Key Thoughtful coordination is key when designing and staging a unit. It involves the cooperation of several trades and adhering to a project schedule.
Marketing Tool Staging is a valuable tool for both in person and online tours. Although it’s an additional expense, it pays for itself when units are rented.
People in search of a new place to live want to visualize the space as their home. Making the space beautiful and inviting to a potential occupant is a profitable marketing practice.
Staging is particularly important when it comes to apartments, and why many developers include it as the final step in the Interior Design process. It’s a tool for making a great first impression and highlighting special features and amenities offered at the property.
Create a Connection
A bare space may look like a “blank canvas” to some renters, but to others it may appear cold and uninviting. Staging the space helps people envision living there and making it their home. Thoughtful furniture selection shows the potential layout and function of the space. Artwork and accessories can help a prospective lessee picture themselves relaxing or entertaining there. Thoughtful layout makes a space feel comfortable and desirable for the renter.
Coordinate with the Project Team
Successful staging requires thoughtful coordination throughout the process with every member of the project team. It starts with the designer and client working together to create the design concept that reflects the desired feeling they want the space to evoke. Once the design is finalized, the designer and owner coordinate orders and delivery with the furniture vendors and work with contractors for scheduling and staging the units.
Photography and videography is the final step in the staging process and an important marketing tool for owners. Interior designers and owners work directly with photographers to capture images that convey the feeling of home for potential renters. A furnished unit highlights its potential and creates a living experience.
Understand the Audience
Consider the demographic the development was designed for. Different types of tenants might have different lifestyles or goals for a home. It’s important to understand the developer’s targeted group and stage the space in a way that’s most appealing for them. Staging an office space may appeal to a young professional, while a nursery may attract a young family. Seniors looking to downsize want to walk into a space that will feel warm and familiar – they want to be reminded of home.
It’s also important to understand the site. An urban apartment building located near restaurants and shopping will have different décor than a waterfront complex or senior living development.
Conclusion
Thoughtful staging provides the developer with beautiful, well-appointed apartments that highlight the property location and amenities it offers. It allows the space to take on new trends and stay competitive in the marketplace, even when the hard construction may start to become dated. Staging units are an excellent marketing tool with a one-time expense that can pay for itself when units rent quickly.