I'm too young to feel so out of touch with the times, but nevertheless, I do. So many things leave me asking, "Why?" Take, for example, the new Chelsea Handler show on Netflix. Why do I want to see Chelsea Handler do drugs and promptly get sick in a bucket? And why did Kate Hudson feel the need to Instagram a photo of herself, bare-bottomed and in a bubble bath, in an effort to make her boy toy, Nick Jonas, jealous? Perhaps the question I ought to be asking myself is, "Why am I spending so much time reading about this trash on the Daily Mail?"
And after reading last week's New York Times article, "The Art of Home Staging", I felt even more out of touch than before. If you haven't yet read it, I highly recommend doing so, because the piece confirms what most of us already knew- that flair and individuality, those once-lauded virtues in the world of interiors, have become real deal-killers when it comes to the buying and selling of residential real estate. The way to sell your home quickly and for more money? Hire a home stager to banish the old and bring in the new- and banal.
Before I go on, I should mention that I'm all for doing what is necessary to sell one's home. If staging means more traffic and more offers, then by all means, do it. What I find troubling is not home staging itself, but rather the innocuous décor that buyers seem to prefer. If what real estate agents and home stagers say is true, home buyers want to see white walls, plain-jane curtains, contemporary furniture, and a live-edge coffee table. Do these buyers not realize that the furniture moves away after closing? And is it really that difficult for people to see past a home's paint and wallpaper, furniture, fabrics, and- heaven forbid- antiques in order to assess a home's bones?
What really struck me is that one of the article's examples of a successfully staged apartment was that of designer Jean-Paul Beaujard. His New York City home was featured in Architectural Digest about five years ago, and I was so taken with the interiors that I actually wrote about it on my blog in 2011. But, sadly, such interiors don't sell homes these days, so the apartment's listing agents at Corcoran suggested bringing in a home stager. All of Beaujard's beautiful furniture was sent away to storage, while contemporary furniture and plain white fabrics were brought in. (Oh, and the walls were painted white, of course.) Beaujard was quoted as saying, "It's the complete opposite of what I like," but admitted that, "now, you see the proportions of the apartment better. Even I was surprised." The staging worked, because the designer recently accepted an offer on his apartment.
While I find traditional decor's lack of broad appeal to be depressing, I did take heart in readers' comments. It seems that many of them, like me, preferred the pre-staged version of Beaujard's apartment, while others bemoaned home buyers' lack of imagination. So with that in mind, I'm once again showing the "before" of Beaujard's apartment. If you'd like to see how it looked after being staged, please click here to visit the Corcoran listing.
All photos from Architectural Digest, Miguel Flores-Vianna photographer.
In the UK especially London prices are now set per square foot and it scarcely matters if it's renovated not needs work. People are quite savvy that unless it's a new build and you're buying off plan no estate agent asks that you stage. But I suppose in a bear market staging matters more.
ReplyDeleteThe further problem with all this banality, is that it drives people who can't redecorate but may need to move, to live with it from day one. People worry about resale value while they are just beginning to live there, and any individuality is in small portable objects. A temporary, erasable life.
ReplyDeleteI have shared many conversations with 4 friends who are at a stage in life where children are out of the house and retirement is around the corner. They have all had realtors come through to do an assessment. All of them live in older homes built in the early part of the 20th century which they have loving rehabbed over the years. In our area (the north shore of Chicago) grey is the neutral color of choice. Homes are staged to look like Pottery Barn or RH showrooms. The real estate market in our area has not rebounded from the last decade -- which means prices are down from what they were 10 years ago. I suppose the comment by the realtor in the NYT article was spot on -- with so much new construction competing with older homes people want to move in without even changing the wall color. I have had the wonderful experience of working on two older houses over the past 30 years and making them "mine". I just don't understand the mentality of the current buyer. Susan Adler Sobol
ReplyDeleteUgh -yes I agree with you and never understood people not looking past small decorating devices to see the house. 'I hate that sofa I can't live here' - etc. Thats why I had to stop watching HGTV! I can't stand the stupidity.
ReplyDeleteThat said, one has to admit that no matter how gorgeous his apartment was it was a bit over the top perhaps? I can understand maybe moving a few of the antiques out but putting in the cheap replacement furniture is really unappealing. And the white paint also seemed a tad unnecessary but at least they didn't totally bring it back to a bland shoebox. After creating something so beautiful isn't it sad to just destroy it upon moving out? One would think he'd be getting offers to buy it FURNISHED!
I agree with you that the decorated version is much more attractive, but the staged version of this apartment didn't look too bad. I think that is because the bones of the apartment are so good. I wonder how much of that work--moldings, quality windows, mirrors-- was done by Beaujard? Unfortunately, most American homes I've seen are just empty boxes painted white which look much worse when staged with "inoffensive" furniture.
ReplyDeleteA designer friend of mine listed her house and over the course of the year, the comments that came back were that people didn't like the wall colors or window treatments. Which of course made no sense. So, she eventually repainted everything more neutral and removed most of the window treatments. And it sold. Unfortunately, most people can't see past the decoration. I will say, though, I'm with Stefan, while Beaujard is a wonderful designer, the decor did clearly hide much of the apartment's truly beautiful architectural features and I do think it would have been difficult for buyers to see past it all. I would have removed much of the drapery - in particular the door drapery - and some of the excess furniture and accessories and it would have been fine.
ReplyDeleteReally? I don't think the staging looks so bad. Yes, maybe it's a little generic but to me the before was too busy and cluttered for my taste. It is a lot easier to see the apartment with so many things put away.
ReplyDeleteSome judicious editing of his apartment would have done the trick, je pense, but people have no imagination at all, it seems. HGTV has become the land of insipid banality and is now unwatchable. Even most of Architectural Digest leaves me cold these days. Flip through it quickly and let your eyes glaze over a bit (which happens anyway if you actually read it). You'll see a blur of greigeness and bleached out sameness that is so disheartening. Usually things swing back the other way, though, so let us hope that warmth and welcoming colours will return to the home.
ReplyDeleteI've been a decorator for over 30 years now, and have never felt as discouraged about the industry as I do now. The appetite is for sameness. My colleagues and I have discussed and fretted over this for some time, thinking and hoping that things would change, but it seems to be settling in for good. I was even hopeful that the popularity of Downton Abbey would trigger interest in classic style, but I guess not. In recent years, staging has become a somewhat regular request of my office, and the term used the most by the realtors is 'neutralize'. I will sometimes walk into one of these homes to be staged and think to myself that it's quite lovely, but the realtor will tell me that people are turned off by the rug, or the pictures, or the fabric on the sofa. So, what's happened? Where's the imagination? Where's the desire to make something your own? I had a frank conversation with a young client about this, and I thought his answer offered some insight. He said people of his generation do not expect to work in one place for a long time, but anticipate moving to another company or being transferred within a few years. So, they want to set up house quickly, and do it in a way that will sell quickly, and because they might move far and often, they will take very little with them. The move is easier if they sell everything and buy new at the next location. He said 'We are Nomads'. When I started out as a young designer, clients would pay 10K for a sofa not only because of the quality, but just as importantly, because it would be inherited by their children. I guess those days are over, or mostly over. Thank goodness for Jennifer and this blog.
ReplyDeleteJ,
ReplyDeleteIt's simple. You have a MUCH higher taste level!
Dean
As a designer (thankfully, mainly a RETIRED one!), I despair for our industry, too. The young (and they're the ones with the money) have zero imagination or nesting instinct. Yes, they are Nomads and that is a tragedy. It's one thing to be a Nomad as a single person, but as a family with children? How horrible for the children! As a young "tween", I was a huge fan of the Janet Lambert series of books for girls. It was about a career military family. One thing I have never forgotten was the young daughter saying, "When we move to a new strange house in a new strange place, the first thing Mummy does is lay the oriental rugs and hang the pictures and put the framed photographs around and then it seems like home." Children need roots - frankly I think we ALL need some roots - and leaving everything behind and just getting new at the next location does not seem like a recipe for rootedness at all.
ReplyDeleteThe world is constantly changing, but for me, having my house filled with the things that tell the story of my life (all 72 yrs of it) are the one constant I can have. I just pray that I can pass this on to my grandchildren - I know I have to my children.
You're absolutely right, Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteI read this article the other day and found it shocking (not to mention depressing)!
The trend in Blighty has been to follow IKEA. In the '90's their theme was 'chuck out your chintz.' Now it's to buy awkward floral patterns. There is a furniture company which sells unattractive furniture on the telly. Their ad campaign is having people knocking on pieces to indicate they are solid. Veneer is bad apparently. Not much else the ad agency can do with their client’s product. The norm is to wallpaper a single wall/fire place or paint a single wall/place using brown/grey/magenta. The furniture is clunky. This includes restaurants and pubs. Even the cushions are clunky with over-sized photographs of people’s offspring on canvases. It isn’t much better at the high-end of the financial food chain. And yet people flock in their thousands to the grand manor houses. One would hope they would take back with them real design ideas; not solely the guide book. The 'Nomad' title is an excuse. Lots of people have transferred over the years in the States; taking with them family heirlooms and quality furniture. They just don't seem interested in the interiors where they live. I've moved all my life. Hasn't stopped me from collecting Art Deco furniture! Thank goodness we have this gem of a blog.
ReplyDeleteThree years ago I was hired to gut and design a home with beautiful, classic, timeless details to be followed by an equally timeless décor. After the drawings were submitted I heard nothing more. About a year later I was called back in Aug. 2014 for a few hours of consultation on electrical outlet locations. Only studs were up. This past Aug, 2015 I happen to drive by while the front door was open. Still only studs up so I figured they were having financial difficulties. This past December I drove by again to see a real estate sign was up. I had a look at the listing. The interior was finished but nothing like I designed. It was in the innocuous white paint, pale floors, no details to speak of, all cleaned lined modern built-ins and recessed halogen lighting covered the ceilings. It looked like the interior of a new condo. I'm sure the real estate agent told them "If you want to sell this place forget your traditional details and do it in this style" I guess that's what sells today. Plain Jane with no personality or warmth.
ReplyDeleteOh. Goodness. The staged looks just that staged where as the lived in looks quality and timeless and so luxurious. Pitty.
ReplyDeleteOur neighborhood's best agent says folks have no time, no patience, no imagination and they have the Internet and strict sense of "move-in ready." My superb stager friend says you don't want to over-determine a space: make them think they HAVE to have a big art piece here, a giant sofa there, whatever. You want to show that you don't need so much furniture or decor, you want to suggest that this or that room could be an office OR a nursery.
ReplyDeleteBoring but it sells better.
As an amateur house stalker, give me a place that's lived in with all the human clutter.
Hi Jennifer, So many great comments here from many I admire in design and architecture! Unfortunately, no matter how we feel, to sell most homes in this day, it must be stripped of all personality and color!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Dreams of Spring!
They are plain Jane because the "homes" are just bank vaults in our over financed lives. Why bother with the nesting instinct, when your career depends on mobility? Homes have not been homes for a long time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, adult children of the monied crowd don't want "Mommy's friend" and seek to set their own "stamp".
Jennifer, always remember what Hadley said, about in the future people still want the comforts of a "home". It was a great quote, I can't remember exactly but to that effect.
This is just a passing phase, too many HG TV viewers..you'll see.
Nomads...mobility...lack of warmth and personality. These comments have given me much food for thought. Perhaps today's prevailing tastes will eventually give way to more traditional and classic styles and forms. The question is, How soon?
ReplyDeleteWhen Globalization comes to an end. This experiment has brought havoc and no one any good. Completely unsustainable.
DeleteWhat is sustainable in our modern culture is good design that is timeless. Again..you'll see.
Yes to all of the above.If we are all Nomads, I want all of you in my tribe. We decided after the first big bust we would stay in our house and retire. I don't care how much I "over improve" it's cheaper than a move. I don't care what has to be done to make my house easy to sell. Other people will take care of that. In the meantime, I'm putting leopard carpet all over my house. I am doing exactly as I please to please myself. In the end that's all that matters. Don't fret, you don't want to be a pale, neutral, never to offend faceless room!
ReplyDeleteI've been struggling with decorating in the '15s - I just don't relate to what is going on. But - I will say this, the AD pictures are gorgeous, fabulous, but the real estate photos of the old apt. don't look quite as good as the staged ones. Nothing compares to a professional photographer. If they had shown the AD pics in the paper, maybe they would have had bigger showings. Great article!!!! Lots to think about!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought our home a couple of years ago, it was "staged". I was looking past all of that. Now that I have lived here, I truly wish they wouldn't have removed the old school kitchen and floors. I have since repainted everything and have made it me, mine, my house.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that NYT has folded the Living section into Real Estate is telling: HGTV has apotheosized the realtor, and the NYT is following suit. A quick scan through the comments revealed the term "advertorial" more than once.
ReplyDeleteThe tide will turn. I remember this article from 2011, where an older couples' very personal (if wasp-y) furniture and accessories helped sell many properties in Charleston: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/garden/home-stagers-who-have-perfected-the-art-of-living-well.html
I forgot about that article until reading your comment. I wonder how their business is doing today?
DeleteI think "banal" is the perfect word for what today passes as "decorating". Even my daughter thinks the current trends are just plain boring. Thanks. Mary
ReplyDeleteBy pure coincidence, on the day previous to this post, I happened upon some images of the grand Library/Drawing Room which Mark Hampton decorated for Susan and Carter Burden. My very first thought was, that this sort of thing would rarely if ever show up in a shelter magazine today. It was the room of a collector and bibliophile, its dominating feature being over-scaled bookcases filled with--can you imagine?--those quaint items formerly known as Books. What represented civilisation in the final decade of the last century, would now be classified as Granny, to use the stager's term. Forget about distinguished provenance--those classical bronzes, the model staircase, the rondels attributed to Verrio, are mere clutter, distracting elements which must be banished from the sight of prospective buyers.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sorry state of affairs when real estate agents begin to dictate or perpetuate the most mundane trends in design, as seen in the re-vamping of the Beaujard apartment...which by the way didn't strike me as particularly overdecorated. True, there were bits of whimsy here and there, which any intelligent person could look past. They were indicators of individual taste, but never so overwhelming as to obscure the architecture. Nor did those emerald green curtains, which gave such style and energy to the scheme, seem to me "deal breakers".
People are not raised to understand antiques and good, old things.
ReplyDeleteThe IKEA generation moves a great deal and by the time they settle, they have not established any foundation of furniture to use, or any discernment.
Completely agree on all fronts! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303773704579268322983216550
ReplyDelete"Before," for sure. A realtor once told us on our previous home that because of the colonial style we'd given our colonial revival home we'd made it basically unsellable. A couple years later other realtors came in and said the exact opposite. Uncluttered and clean is important so people can see what's there. Beyond that, high-quality photographs in on-line listings is tantamount. That's how people shop, exclude, and decide what to go look at.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I am sorry that I led you astray. I read in the British "House and Garden" Feb issue the feature on how to incorporate brown furniture into contemporary interiors. Daryl Carter is a proponent of using antique secretaries as unique storage pieces in today's homes. Other designers also recommend armoires or wardrobes for more than clothes- docking stations, monitors or Tvs. We should not disparage. The "New York Times" has a readership of 1.3 million, but you have a better grasp on American design. New York is a unique animal with unique DNA.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is a big country. We will survive white walls.
The staged version look like the most wonderful hotel suite....
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of his use of the green drapes and accents!
From what I've seen in the houses of friends and neighbors is that a lot of people are scared to death of color and think that a symphony of beige and brown is the height of chic. I don't get it. It's dreary, but it's not going away either.
ReplyDeleteSameness is not only occurring in the interior design field. Have you visited department stores lately? Or individual shops dedicated to fashion? Thousands of garments, all looking essentially the same. While Paris, New York, London and Tokyo show innovation on the runways...and fashion magazines bring that innovation to their pages...the vast majority of people all dress alike no matter where in the world you visit.
ReplyDeleteBlandness is not a trend. It's a reflection of our society which is so bombarded with information and minutia, we choose the easy solution: Beige on our walls and floors and denim on our bodies.
April Dilbeck
So true April, yoga pants and skinny jeans. Even men and woman dressing and looking alike. Androgyny.
DeleteFor all their diversity, sophistication, and globalization, they are more homogeneous and timid than ever.
I thought realtors asked people with ugly or wildly overdone places to use staging - it never occurred to me that they'd ask someone with an apartment this beautiful to stage it! Even with this kind of money, people can't figure it out? How very sad
ReplyDeleteThank you! As someone whose house is full of color, books, art and personality, I don't undetstand the fear of committment I see in homes and gardens today. I'm finding the shelter magazines more and more boring as they are featuring these hotel-like houses. Lots of money, no taste or imagination.
ReplyDelete