See How a “Bachelor Pad” Got a Light, Airy Refresh (and Sold in 2 Weeks!)
When a three-bedroom “bachelor pad” in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, was put up for sale, Chad Harmer and Aly Justice of Modern Organic Design knew their mission: Transform the house with smart staging to make it sell more quickly in the family-friendly community.
Harmer says they wanted to make the home “a warmer spot where families would walk in and immediately feel at home.” The home was in excellent shape and only needed cosmetic changes — aside from a bit of repainting, it was Justice’s staging that transformed the home into a welcoming retreat that would appeal to a wider demographic than single folks.
The duo shifted accents and decor from darker tones and leather to warm neutrals and lighter fabrics. The small dining area originally featured a corner bench and a round wooden table. Justice kept the bench, but swapped out the floral pillows for solid, neutral-toned ones. She also opted for a more modern-looking wooden table that complemented the beautiful flooring and added a chair. The floating shelves remained, but Justice switched up the decor and its placement, making the small space seem lighter and even a bit larger.
“I think a lot of the furniture choices and overall textiles and textures that are picked in there just give the illusion of it being lighter and brighter,” says Justice.
While the ceiling fixtures stayed the same, Justice brought in more lamps for the side tables to complement the recessed ceiling lighting. The shades were kept on the living room windows as well as the sliding glass doors to the outdoor area, but she also added curtain rods and airy drapes that further lightened up the look of the space.
However, it was the living room that would likely scream “bachelor pad” vs. family home the loudest to potential home buyers, thanks to the heavy leather furniture and gaming equipment underneath the TV. They also removed a beer keg, says Harmer — another easy way to depersonalize the space for sale. Note that the owner’s canine roommate and accessories figured prominently in the before photo but not the after — a gentle reminder for fellow pet parents that not every home buyer will appreciate your fur babies as much as you do.
Justice also reversed the entire layout of the space. The flipped design opened up the living room, rather than closing it off, and demonstrated that the room could be used for gathering outside of screen time.
It was natural that the television was a focal point in the room for the seller, as the seller was a gamer. It remained in place, but Justice made sure to hide any wires and tech that went with it. Some stagers will go as far as to remove a TV completely to get rid of tech clutter. However, Justice says that doing something to control or hide the wires behind the TV definitely helps and is just as easy. And even if the new buyers decide to face the furniture toward the television — on that wall or otherwise — Justice achieves the stager’s goal of showing the potential of the space.
After the property was cleaned, Justice and her team only needed about a half day of work to do the staging. The swift transformation paid off. Harmer says that while the homes in this area stay on the market for an average of 30 days, the “bachelor pad” was snapped up in just two weeks at the asking price. Mission accomplished.
“It’s pretty unreal what you can do with layouts and different furniture and decor,” noted Harmer.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
