Monthly Archives: June 2026

Preparing an unoccupied property for the market is different from arranging one currently being lived in. Maybe your home didn’t sell quickly enough, and you couldn’t pass up on the perfect place you found! Or maybe you owned several properties and had a tenant move out unexpectedly or have acquired a newly built house.

Whatever the reason may be, if you find yourself with a vacant home on your hands that you need to sell, these tips will help you do it successfully!

The for-sale sign outside your vacant property signals an opportunity for burglars to act. Make sure you take the appropriate measures to keep the property safe and protected. Alert local authorities and ask them to make a note of your vacant home. This way, they’ll recognize any strange activity and can even schedule a drive-by every so often. It’s also a good idea to inform your old neighbors that your house will be unoccupied for some time, so they can be attentive and check in with an extra key.

Don’t let the exterior of your vacant home fall to the wayside! Occupied or not, the outside of a home is the first impression buyers get of the space—make sure it doesn’t look neglected and unkempt. Boost curb appeal by mowing the lawn frequently and maintaining the front and back yards. Trim the shrubbery and sculpt the garden and other greenery surrounding the property. A nice set of porch furniture and a welcome mat also adds a charming touch.

The best way to entice buyers is to stage your vacant home so it looks lived in. It’s difficult for people to envision themselves living in an empty space. You need to give their imagination something to work with and show off the best assets of each room. The most efficient and cost-effective option is to have a professional staging company come in to make the place look inviting to potential buyers.

There are also a few small things you can do to make your home look occupied in addition to home staging. Keep the lights on or put them on a timer to give the impression that the house is being used. Don’t forget to grab the newspaper and mail every few days so it doesn’t build up, create clutter, and signal an easy target for burglars.

If you’re a home stager looking to gain recognition for your hard work, then submitting for the RESA® Home Staging Industry Awards™ should be at the top of your to-do list. These prestigious awards are not just about adding a title to your resume—they are about setting yourself apart, showcasing your expertise, and growing your home staging brand.

We’re here to take the headache out of submissions with this step-by-step guide to submitting your home staging projects for industry awards.

What Are the RESA® Home Staging Industry Awards™?

Established in 2008 by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)®, the Home Staging Industry Awards™ recognize the best of the best in the staging industry.

Over the years, Staging Studio students have been nominated for hundreds of awards, including Jason Saft of Staged To Sell Home (Luxury Vacant Staging United States 2024), Ashley Tapley of House Candy Home (Occupied Staging United States 2022), Heather Good of Attractive Interiors (Luxury Home Staging Team of the Year 2020), and countless others. The awards honor home stagers who demonstrate exceptional talent, professionalism, and innovation.

These awards are peer-voted, meaning they are judged by fellow industry professionals through a blind voting process. This ensures fairness and highlights the credibility of winners and finalists.

Why Should You Submit for Staging and Design Awards?
Differentiate Yourself From Competitors

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rising star, winning or even being a finalist, can have a huge impact on your business! Our own staging business grew by leaps and bounds when we began winning awards for our staging excellence.

Marketing yourself as a RESA® Award Winner or Finalist sets you apart from the competition. Being able to say something like “I am an award-winning stager” or “the best Airbnb designer in the USA” builds confidence in your work. Clients, real estate agents, and industry peers will see you as a trusted expert, leading to more opportunities and referrals.

Increase Your Visibility & Marketing Power

RESA® actively promotes award finalists and winners throughout the year. Your staging projects could be featured in:

✔ RESA® marketing materials
✔ Online staging guides
✔ RESA®’s website and social media
✔ Staging Studio’s annual announcement of award winners

That kind of exposure helps boost your search engine optimization, leads potential clients to find you, and makes it easier to attract new business.

Get Recognized at RESACON

Winners and nominees will be celebrated at the live award show at RESACON, the home staging industry’s largest annual event. Think of it as the Golden Globes of home staging, complete with a glamorous gala event, envelope reveals, award speeches, and professional photos on stage.

Which Categories Can You Enter?

There are multiple award categories tailored to different types of staging and design projects:

For Stagers in the USA

Luxury Vacant Staging Project
Vacant Staging Project
Occupied Staging Project
Short-Term Rental Staging Project
Interior Styling Staging Project
Photo Prep Project of the Year
Rising Star Occupied Project of the Year*
Rising Star Vacant Project of the Year*
Real Estate Agent of the Year

*Note for New Stagers: If you’ve been in business for less than 2 years, the Rising Star categories are perfect for you!

What Are the Requirements for Submitting Photos?

RESA® has some stringent rules when it comes to submitting projects for staging awards.

Throughout the year, whenever you have a great project that you think could win an award, follow these tips to make submissions easy:

Always take quality before and after photos from the same angle.
Make sure all “before” pictures are of a vacant room with no furniture, decor, boxes, construction materials, people, or any other objects in the photo. (Pro Tip: You can take the “before” pictures after destaging.)
Ensure there are no identifiers in the photos. That means anything visible through the window that could identify a geographic location, your moving truck or a car, people, etc.
Keep a dedicated Dropbox folder to organize award-worthy projects throughout the year.

When it’s time to submit, return to that Dropbox folder and find your best before and afters for each category. Rename the files something generic – remember, no identifiers like your staging business name, the street address, or the photographer’s name.

Just Submit – The Stage is Yours!

Don’t let self-doubt hold you back. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer to staging, submitting for the RESA® Home Staging Industry Awards™ is a powerful way to elevate your career, showcase your talent, and build your brand.

Ready to take the leap? Submit your project today!

As home stagers, it is important to stay up-to-date on interior design trends. Of course, most of your staging inventory, especially case goods, should be neutral and as timeless as possible, but you will add in more trendy items into things like art and accessories.

Many stagers are now offering design services like short-term rental styling and this is where you can really lean more into design trends. Successful Airbnbs typically marry the local aesthetic with up-to-date design trends.

Since the furnishings in a vacation rental will get much more use than your staging furniture, Airbnbs will also likely need to refresh more often. That bachelor party that got a little too rowdy might knock a piece of art off the wall, and the guest that brought a misbehaved dog might leave spots on the rug. This inevitable turnover offers an opportunity to keep the Airbnb trendy.

These are the trends we are seeing and expecting to see more of in 2025.

Deep, rich hues are making a comeback, and color drenching dark cherry red is leading the charge.

For a recent Airbnb design project for a tiny cabin, we were inspired by the Farrow & Ball color Brinjal. It is absolutely gorgeous and so trendy right now! But, short-term rentals are all about making the highest return on investment, so we opted for a less expensive dupe: Sherwin-Williams® Deep Maroon.

This bold color brings warmth and sophistication to the cabin, and guests have been loving the vintage library vibes. It has been booked every weekend since it first went on Airbnb a few months ago!

Book your stay at the western North Carolina vacation cabin here. The private hot tub is a perfect place to spot a baby bear stealing fruit from the peach tree!

And this is how we incorporated cherry-colored elements into a recent staging project. Notice only the chairs and pillows are the bold color. You don’t want to go overboard with purchasing colors, but a few pops here and there can be a huge asset to your inventory.

Cherries Are the New Bows

Last year, our trends blog predicted that bows would be everywhere. And wow! Are they ever.

You will still see a lot of bows for much of the year, but cherries are quickly replacing them as the “it” motif. While you might expect them to first show up in kitchens, look for cherries in bedrooms too.

As a stager, you might incorporate a cherry-print pillow or some art. If you’re designing a short-term rental, use that as an opportunity to make a cherry bedroom! Airbnbs can be way more taste-specific and follow trends, so why not dive deep into that American-farmhouse style for one of your projects this year?

Staging Tip: Pair dark cherry red with muted tones like brown or matte black to ground the design and avoid overwhelming the space.

Tassels, Texture, and Maximalism

Tassels, layered textiles, and ornate details reminiscent of the Rococo period are trending. From grand couches and furniture to intricately detailed lampshades, designers are embracing playful, feminine maximalism. Think of it as replacing the Grand Millennial style with French Maximalism.

Consider mixing vintage finds, like estate-sale tassel lamps or textured rugs, with modern pieces to achieve a curated, yet contemporary, look in your home staging and design projects.

Bench Seat Sofas and Canopy Beds

Furniture trends are shifting towards timeless comfort and elegance.

Bench seat sofas, known for their seamless, cushion-free design, are gaining popularity for their clean lines and modern feel. As is usual for newer styles, these bench-seat sofas are currently more expensive than multi-cushion dupes. It is important to balance the impact of those extra lines on the sofa with the added inventory expense. Will it make that much difference? Will people, other than designers, even notice?

Notice the picture below. We love the look of this Four Hands sofa we have in our inventory, but remember that when you pay more for your inventory, your margins either get slimmer or you have to charge more. Will your market bear the higher price?

Meanwhile, canopy and four-poster beds are making a resurgence, offering a sense of grandeur and intimacy.

Canopy and poster beds are difficult to use in staging as they require more time to set up and they can be more visually imposing – NOT the effect you want! But for Airbnbs, canopy beds could be the perfect thing to add romance and interest to a room.

Photo and staging by Staging Studio.

Color and Pattern Drenching

Color drenching trended in 2024 and it isn’t going anywhere in 2025. Drenching is when walls, trim, and sometimes ceilings are painted in a single hue. It provides a cohesive, immersive experience that can make a room feel larger and more intentional.

Not only is color drenching still in, but pattern drenching is on the list too. In most cases, pattern drenching may be too taste-specific for staging, but consider it for making a statement in design and short-term rental projects.

Playful Maximalism

Fun is on trend! Think contrast trim, mix-and-match bold patterns, eclectic prints, and more color.

At Las Vegas Market, we saw many neutral aesthetic games used as decor, like dice, tic-tac-toe, and stacking blocks.

Clustered Coffee Tables

Clustered and nested coffee tables are dominating luxury living room layouts, adding movement, scale, and visual interest.

Photo and staging by Staging Studio.

Nested coffee tables have been trending, but start thinking about it as a cluster of tables. The photo below (AI, so not perfect) is close to this idea. Take this and add another smaller table to join the bunch!

This trend aligns with playful maximalism, where design elements don’t just serve a function, but also contribute to the room’s overall artistry.

Other 2025 Design Trends to Watch

A few other trends we’re seeing are terracotta (did it ever really go away?), round stools (these are perfect for stagers because they’re easy to store in the warehouse!), and extra long lumbar pillows. Shag rugs are making a return, and the boucle trend isn’t going anywhere this year.

These 2025 design trends encourage boldness, personality, and a mix of textures, colors, and eras. By integrating dark cherry red accents, incorporating maximalist elements, and balancing vintage with modern, you can create striking, memorable spaces that capture the imaginations of buyers and travelers.

Choosing the right paint color is one of the most crucial and challenging decisions in home staging. Over 40% of paint sold is the wrong color the first time! It’s a common struggle.

Just think about it: a single paint deck holds over 1,200 colors. No wonder most people feel overwhelmed!

But as a home stager and color consultant, you have the power to guide clients to the right choice, saving them time, money, and frustration. The right colors can transform a home, making it feel larger, brighter, and more inviting – helping it sell faster and for top dollar.

The Psychology of Color in Staging

Color has a profound impact on emotions and perceptions. It can influence how people feel in a space and how they interact with it. For example:

Warm colors like red and yellow create a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
Cool colors like blue and green promote relaxation and calm.
Bright, vibrant colors energize a room, making it feel lively and cheerful.

In home staging, the goal is to strike a balance. Neutral enough to appeal to a wide range of buyers but not so bland that it lacks personality.

A sea of beige can feel uninspiring. But a home with too many taste-specific colors can turn buyers away. That’s why finding the perfect neutral paint color is key.

The Three Keys to Understand and Define Color

Most people struggle to see subtle differences in color, especially on small paint swatches. That’s why understanding three key ways to define color will help you make the right choices.

1. Light vs. Dark or Tints vs. Shades

This refers to the amount of white or black in a color—also known as its tint (adding white) or shade (adding black).

For example, let’s look at Sherwin Williams’ Cocoa Whip (SW9084). It’s darker than Realist Beige (SW6078) but lighter than Sable (SW6083).

On a paint strip, you’ll see different tints and shades of the same hue. Why does this matter? Darker colors recede, making a space feel smaller and cozier. Lighter colors advance, making a space feel more open.

2. Warm vs. Cool Tones

This refers to whether a color has more yellow or blue undertones.

Warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) feel cozy and inviting. Cool colors (blues, greens, purples) feel refreshing and calming.

You’ll want to consider the direction a room faces, too. This can also influence how color reads.

North-facing rooms receive cooler light, so warm tones can balance it out. South-facing rooms get warm light, so cooler tones can keep the space from feeling too hot.

3. Clean vs. Dirty or Vibrant vs. Muted Colors

This is the trickiest, but possibly the most important, way to define color.

Clean colors are pure and vibrant. Dirty colors are muted with hints of gray or brown.

When clean and dirty colors are mixed incorrectly, something feels “off.”

Knowing how to balance clean and dirty colors is crucial to making a home feel fresh and modern.

Staging pro tip: Colors that are a little “dirtier” can often feel more expensive. If a space feels like it is lacking a luxury quality, ask yourself if the colors in the room are too “clean.”

By mastering paint color selection, you become the expert that homeowners and agents turn to for guidance—before they make costly mistakes.

These are all our favorite paints (white included)!

Pro Tips for Selecting Paint Colors for Staging

✔️ Stick to soft, muted tones – Avoid highly saturated colors.

✔️ Use contrast to add depth – Pair light walls with dark accents.

✔️ ️ Test colors in the actual space – Paint swatches on poster board, not directly on the wall.

✔️ Choose finishes wisely – Flat for ceilings, eggshell for walls, semi-gloss for trim.

Become the Color Expert Homeowners Trust

As a home stager, understanding color theory gives you a major competitive edge. You’ll be able to:

✅ Choose the perfect neutral without guessing.

✅ Guide sellers to smart color choices that increase home value.

✅ Avoid common color mistakes that turn buyers off.