All posts by : artem

Each real estate season is unique and requires different tactics to ensure a sale. Summer is a season for buying and selling a home, and real estate is usually blooming during this time of year. Parents with children want to get settled in a new home before the school year begins, and many people have more time on their hands to search and decide on the perfect place to live.

Here are a few tips for selling your home this summer season!

A great benefit of selling during summer is the opportunity to show off the outdoor living space. Now is the time to clean off that patio furniture and arrange a comfortable setting your buyers could see themselves using. You may even have some indoor decorations or furniture that would look perfect on the patio or deck. If your property has a pool or grilling patio, highlight them during tours.

Spend some time walking around the property, thinking about how to create the best curb appeal. Mow the lawn at least once per week, trim those bushes, and plant some flowers, anything to make the home and yard look more inviting.

Most people expect a home to be air-conditioned in the summer. This is true whether you have window units, central forced air, or mini-split heat pumps that double as air conditioners.

So, come hotter weather and home showings, you want to ensure that your HVAC system can keep your home cool. If it’s been a while since they’ve been serviced, get a technician in for any tune-ups. That way, you can feel confident that the temperature inside your home is comfortable during showings and open houses.

There are many ways you could decorate to give your home a warmer vibe for summer. Natural light is key, so keep any curtains and blinds open for sunlight to flow through the home. Accenting your décor with plants, flowers, and bowls of fresh fruit can also help provide a more organic summer feel.

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!

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.

Renovating may be a lot of stress to take on, but it’s worth it when you keep in mind all of the amazing value it can add to your property. From updating your windows to keeping the property safe from flooding, there’s a lot the average homeowner can do to boost the house’s price.

These are some of the most valuable renovation projects you should do before listing your home for sale!

It may seem simple, but people judge a lot on a property from the way its roof looks. First, how old is the roof itself? Beyond that, when’s the last time the gutters were cleaned? If your home is on a property that has a lot of trees on it, it’s a good idea to install gutter guards so that you don’t have to worry about them filling up with leaves while you’re trying to sell the house.

Beyond just appearances, gutter guards also add value to your property since it saves buyers the amount of work they would have had to spend every year cleaning gutters when fall comes around. This saves everyone a lot of work and boosts your property’s value instantly.

Older windows can be a major issue for anyone trying to sell a property. Not only are they unsightly, but they also have problems allowing drafts and insect life into the home. Instead of letting windows ruin your home’s value, consider looking into window replacement inserts so that you can update these.

Seek out windows that can handle whatever weather your area has and that can seal your home’s interior away from any risk of boosting the heating and cooling bills.

Updated windows are a major selling point because buyers know it’ll save them money every month, plus it’s enticing for them to know they won’t have to update their windows again for another twenty to fifty years.

The exterior of your property tells a story to buyers: what story is it telling? Is the driveway stained and dark? Does the brick have horrible staining from years of pollen, or is the siding dirty and gross to look at?

You can rent a power washer for less than a hundred dollars a day and use it to scrub your home’s exterior, from steel siding to concrete paths, without any trouble besides hooking up the water. These are amazing because it gives you the chance to deep-clean your home’s exterior and make it look brand new so that buyers won’t have to think about how old it is when they arrive at the property.

Flooding is something that many are worried about, and currently, 12% of the properties in the USA are at risk. If you want to help your property’s chances and ensure buyers don’t have to worry, there are some steps you can take to protect it from standing water or flooding from rainfall.

One of the best landscape drainage solutions is covered ditches that run through your property and are only noticeable if someone is actively looking for them. These can be covered by pavers to make pleasant walking areas while also directing water away from your home.

You can also build a rain garden, which allows your soil to absorb as much water as possible, and adds a gorgeous look to any property. This can be more expensive to do since you have to buy, plant, and upkeep the plant life, but it’s worth it for all of the value it adds.

The home update that adds the best return on income is updating your garage door. You’ll get every cent you put into the garage door and even more just by editing it: and this also adds curb appeal on top of everything else. While you’re at it, take the time to update your garage into a beautiful work and storage space. Adding vertical storage, a great waterproof garage floor, and updating the lighting in this area can make a garage feel brand new.

Smart homes have been an obsession on the American public’s minds for the last hundred years, so it makes sense that everyone still wants one! The average home for sale should have one key piece of smart technology built into them to be alluring. This is a smart thermostat, which allows homeowners to control their temperature, and, therefore, their heating and cooling bill, regardless of where they are in the world.

Whether this is a home you’ve owned for years and you’re updating it finally to sell, or you’re flipping this property and moving on to another property you want to convert, it’s a great idea to update it with your return on investment in mind. Try a couple of these great options, and your property’s value can skyrocket! All of these projects can really help a property stand out when staging it to sell as well.

Your home isn’t the only place that can benefit from professional staging. Commercial property staging provides a better impression to potential tenants than the usual viewing of empty, vacant space. A commercial office space for sale has a lot of potential to create a productive and desirable atmosphere when the right staging techniques are applied.

Here are the advantages of staging your commercial office space to get the most desirable offer!

If you have an empty open office, adding desks and furniture that show the potential of the space will help tenants visualize the functionality of the room. Like home staging, commercial staging entices potential tenants with the possibilities of the space. Creating an atmosphere that inspires prospective tenants to visualize their own business is how you get the space to sell quickly.

Quality office spaces are hard to come by. Staging your commercial office ensures your property will stand out prominently and favorably against other commercial properties for lease or sale. Potential tenants believe they are seeing a quality product, which encourages them to move faster on securing a deal.

It’s important to remember that most commercial spaces for rent or sale are advertised online, and images of the space will be shown. If your office is not professionally staged, how do you expect people to get excited about a large empty room? They will quickly scroll past your posting and click on another commercial office for sale that shows a beautifully put-together space. Humans are visual creatures, and many people lack the creativity to imagine the potential of an empty room; they need to see it laid out in front of them already put together.

When selling a house, speed often becomes a top priority. However, the process can easily drag on and leave you waiting impatiently. Read on for must-do tips to sell your DC-area home as quickly as possible.

Cash offers are the express lane in the home-selling process. While they may not always maximize profit, they ensure a streamlined sale due to the absence of lender protocols. Something else to consider: Once you factor in maintenance costs and agent fees, a cash deal might closely match what you’d net from a traditional sale.

Home prices in Washington, D.C., are on a downward trend these days, providing advantages to homebuyers as the market adjusts in response to rising mortgage rates and reduced demand. And you can accelerate the sales timeline by pricing your home competitively. Understand its market value and consider marking it 15-20% below to potentially incite a bidding war among buyers.

First impressions are crucial, so make sure the exterior of your home is in pristine condition. 

Power wash or put a fresh coat of paint on your house to make it stand out. Repair any screen doors or window screens that may have holes or are unable to close properly.Take a close look at your front door. Does it stand out from the street? Front doors command the most attention when people pull up to your property, so if your door is old or dull, replace or paint it.  Remove any debris from your yard. A yard containing dead plants and tired mulch won’t have great curb appeal. Mowing the lawn and freshening up your landscaping can improve the value of your home and help you sell it faster. 

When potential buyers walk into your home, they need to imagine themselves living there, so clean it up! Toss out the stacks of magazines you have sitting on the floor and any clutter scattered across countertops. Take down personal items like family photos, awards, or personalized art. Keep it simple and neutral.

Buyers should feel the spaciousness of each room, so even if it feels too minimal for you, it will show better this way. Get out your cleaning supplies and scrub every corner of the house (or save yourself the hassle, and hire a cleaning crew). A spotless and clean home can significantly influence a buyer’s decision. 

The aroma inside your home is a small detail some people overlook. After all, a pleasant smell can enhance a home’s attractiveness. Use subtle scents like essential oils or fresh flowers to create a welcoming atmosphere. 

Fix any issues related to water damage, plumbing, or electrical work that could cause you to fail a home inspection.Refresh carpets and flooring. While you may not have the funds to replace the carpets entirely, a clean carpet can certainly transform a room, so have the carpets cleaned professionally and polish the hardwood floors.Other simple updates including fresh paint and new caulking can make a big difference.Consider updating the cabinet handles and kitchen appliances for a modern touch and a fast sale. After all, the kitchen is the most important room potential buyers are looking at because it’s the most used room in a house, and buyers these days are demanding a modern kitchen. Granite countertops, a nice backsplash, bright lighting, and custom cabinets are all important for this space.With a growing demand for eco-friendly homes, those with renewable energy options and sustainable materials are selling much faster. Upgrade your appliances, thermostat, lighting, and alarm system with more energy-efficient options.

Staging can significantly elevate the perception of your home. A well-staged home appeals to a wide demographic, ensuring it’s seen as welcoming and ready to move in.

When selling your home, first impressions are everything. Before a potential buyer steps through your door, they’ve already formed an opinion based on the exterior of your home. This is where the concept of curb appeal comes into play. Enhancing your home’s curb appeal can not only attract more buyers but also potentially increase the sale price. Here are essential tips to stage the exterior of your home effectively, ensuring it makes a memorable first impression.

1. Focus on Landscaping

Landscaping is one of the first things potential buyers will notice. Well-maintained yards signal to buyers that the rest of the property is likely cared for with the same diligence.

Trim and Shape: Keep your lawn trimmed and edges neat. Bushes should be pruned and flowerbeds weeded. Use mulch to define spaces and give a clean look. Refresh any areas with older mulch with a new, fresh layer of new mulch. Replace plants/shrubs that are diseased or dead with live ones and consider filling in blank areas with new plantings.

Color and Texture: Plant flowers and shrubs or group potted plants near the entryway. Use colors that complement the exterior of your home for a cohesive look. Seasonal flowers can add vibrancy and warmth.

Lawn Health: Ensure your lawn is healthy and green. Address any bare spots or discolored areas with appropriate treatments or sod.

2. Enhance the Entryway

Your front door and entryway are the focal points of your home’s exterior. Make them inviting to give a positive preview of what’s inside.

Door Makeover: If your door is old or faded, a fresh coat of paint will bring it new life.. If it is dented or damaged, this is the time to replace it.  Choose a bold color that contrasts nicely with the rest of your home’s exterior to make it pop and provide visual interest in your photos.

Hardware and Fixtures: Update door knobs, house numbers, and light fixtures. Modern hardware can transform the look of your entryway without substantial investments.

Welcome Mat and Decor: Use a new, clean welcome mat and, if there is room, an outdoor bench and/or pot with a plant by the door as this will create a welcoming entry to your home.

3. Upgrade Lighting

Good lighting ensures that your home looks welcoming and safe. It also allows evening viewers to appreciate your home’s exterior.

Pathway Lights: Install low-voltage or solar landscape lighting along the walkway to your door to enhance safety and aesthetics.

Porch Lighting: Ensure that the porch or entryway is well-lit with fixtures that complement the style of your home. Consider adding hanging chandelier style fixtures or pendant lights.

Accent Lighting: Use spotlights to highlight architectural features or landscaping elements, such as beautiful trees or your home’s facade.

4. Refresh Paint and Siding

The condition of your home’s paint and siding plays a significant role in curb appeal. Peeling or chipped paint can signal neglect.

Paint Touch-Ups: A fresh coat of paint can be transformative. If a complete repaint isn’t needed, focus on touch-ups for shutters, trims, and fascias.

Clean the Siding: Wash the siding to remove dirt and grime. For vinyl or brick, a power wash can restore the appearance significantly.

Paint any additional exterior doors: Beyond just your front door, don’t neglect your back door and, if applicable your garage door. These often need a fresh coat of paint and will look fresh and new once they have been addressed.

5. Consider the Roof

Don’t overlook the condition of your roof. It’s a large part of what buyers see from the street.

Clean or Replace: Clean moss and debris from the roof. If your roof is old or damaged, consider replacing it before listing your home. This can be a significant selling point.

6. Accessorize Thoughtfully

Like interior staging, the right accessories can enhance your home’s exterior.

Outdoor Furniture: If you have a porch or patio, showcase these areas with attractive outdoor furniture. Arrange seating areas that invite relaxation. Is there an area of your yard or outdoor space that you can showcase that currently is going unnoticed? Perhaps there is a corner that could become a fire pit/conversation area or a place for a bistro table and chair. Look around and make sure you are capturing the full potential of your yard and outdoor space. If you have a balcony, make sure to give it a function with some furnishings– don’t leave it empty.

Decorative Elements: Use outdoor decorative pillows, an outdoor rug, lanterns and candles as well as pots of plants to accessorize these areas completely, creating a space that buyers will be drawn to and can envision enjoying. These elements should complement the home’s style and not overwhelm the space.

7. Regular Maintenance

Leading up to and during the listing period, regular maintenance is key.

Keep It Clean: Regularly sweep walkways, clean windows, and maintain the yard.

Seasonal Adjustments: Adapt your curb appeal strategies to the season. Ensure pathways are clear of snow in winter, leaves are raked in fall, and weeds are kept at bay in the summer.

By investing time and effort into enhancing your home’s curb appeal, you not only increase the likelihood of attracting potential buyers but also set the stage for a successful and speedy sale. Remember, the goal is to make potential buyers fall in love at first sight, and these tips will help you do just that.

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.

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.