Hollywood Stylists Help Sell Your Home for the Big Bucks

Celebs in Hollywood wouldn’t dream of putting their house on the market before Hollywood stylists have given it the once over… and we can’t help but think they’re onto something.

Coined ‘Home Styling’, this phenomenon has been popular in America since the 1990’s and according to a recent survey conducted by estate agents Rokstone, 3 in 10 luxury properties in London are now jumping on the home styling bandwagon before selling up.

The idea is to enlist the help of an expert stylist or interior designer to ensure your property is looking in tip-top condition; the process typically takes around two weeks and involves de-cluttering, tidying up messy areas and introducing chic accessories such as candles, coffee table books and carefully selected art work.

Making your property the most aesthetically pleasing it can possibly be is obviously a great way to secure your asking price; luxury and thoughtfulness are a great way of catching potential buyers’ attention.

However most of us don’t have the bank balance of P Diddy (home styling regular) so instead of paying for expert help, why not put in place our 12 top tips all by yourself? Whilst some of them are very ‘Hollywood’ (they’re straight from a celebrity stylist’s mouth, after all) there’s nothing to say you can’t do some of the more costly things on a budget.

Managing director of Rokstone, Becky Fatemi said ‘‘we did some staging for celebrity P.Diddy for a palace he was using in Marrakesh. We had to fly more than 400 accessory items to personalise and dress the palace for him including the finest Egyptian cotton sheets and pillows, Diptyque Baies scented candles and white orchids.’

Home styling originated in California in the 1990’s with Hollywood celebrities staging their homes for photo shoots and media interviews. Then when the global recession hit it was only a matter of time before the mainstream property market caught wind of the genius idea, and regular people (with luxury homes) started dressing their homes to impress.

Fatemi added: ‘London is just beginning to catch up with the concept and appreciate how important it is, especially for luxury homes. As in America where VIPs and tastemakers lead the mainstream will follow.’

A 3 bedroom flat in Marylebone recently styled by Rokstone is now on the market for £3.95m. Rokstone added 40 accessories and expert floral arrangements over 2,000 sq ft; this process took a mere 1.5 days to complete yet no doubt will cut the selling period in half.

Photo credit: image supply/Shutterstock

Like what you hear? Here’s our 12 tips to selling your home Hollywood style – on a budget!

1. Books – Display attractive hardbacks neatly on coffee tables, side tables, bedside cabinets and shelves
2. Candles – Scented candles can really lift the aura of a room. Beautiful candles should be used throughout the home and most importantly in the master bedroom, living areas and main bathroom.
3. Lighting – Bright homes are appealing to the buyer, but don’t go overboard; go too bright and your home will look like a hospital corridor.
4. Art – Borrow some carefully selected artwork to display whilst the property is on the market to wow potential buyers.
5. Curtains – Plain, neutral colours are best. Garish or wildly printed curtains should certainly be replaced.
6. Plants and flowers – Give your home signs of life with flowers and bonsai trees. They create warmth and colour in a room and can act as features within a living space.
7. Magazines and newspapers – Exhibit the latest most up to date editions on your coffee table or kitchen table – this will give your home a lived in yet still attractive feel.
8. Accessories – Use luxury, recognisable brands as far as possible e.g. Missoni cushions. If you can’t afford the real deal, more modest furniture shops provide stunning alternatives.
9. Photographs – Family portraits should ideally be replaced with more generic photos. Buyers want to be able to imagine this home as theirs.
10. Flooring – Feature rugs with zany prints or lots of fur add the wow factor to any living space. Deep tread carpets in bedrooms allow buyers to envision being cosy and comfortable in your property.
11. Master Bedroom – Dress the bed with Egyptian cotton sheets and add a splash of colour to the room with throws and pillows.
12. Ambience – Put calming music on low volume (so as not to overbear guests) whilst showing them around – this is bound to make them feel at ease.

Feature image credit: Breadmaker/Shutterstock