See How a Stager Transformed a "Chaotic" Living Room into a Bright, Functional Space

"Staging a home can often conjure up images of a total transformation: A homeowner's belongings removed to make way for different furniture and replaced artwork. This kind of staging (known as vacant staging, as the home is typically sitting vacant) is a great way to demonstrate a home's potential and appeal to buyers with brand-new and trendy furnishings. But it's also typically more expensive, as the stager will decorate the space from scratch, hire movers, and possibly buy new pieces if they don't have furniture appropriate for the project."

"Occupied staging is a common alternative to vacant staging that utilizes what a homeowner already has to create a fresh space. Stagers may pare down a home's belongings to better maximize the footprint or add a few missing pieces, but for the most part everything is done with the existing furniture inside a home."

""I specialize in occupied staging, so the goal of any stage is to use as much of the homeowner's furnishings as possible and to stage the space affordably," explains Fehsenfeld. "My goal was to make the open spaces more cohesive with an edited color palette, and make the space less cluttered and chaotic feeling.""

Occupied staging leverages a homeowner's existing furnishings, making affordable edits to create cohesive, welcoming spaces without the expense of vacant staging. Vacant staging often requires new furniture, movers, and additional purchases, increasing overall cost. Occupied staging focuses on editing belongings, unifying color palettes, and adding a few missing pieces when necessary to maximize a home's footprint and appeal. Painting communal rooms a neutral tone can instantly calm and unify open areas. The approach aims to reduce clutter, create cohesion, and demonstrate a home's potential while keeping staging budgets modest.

Read at Apartment Therapy