Here’s How to Pick Art for Your Home When Staging, According to the Pros

Awhile back I was asked along with a cluster of very talented designers across the northwest to chime in on what makes staging and art curation successful. I thought more about this, and truly it is paramount to executing the right “feel” and tone you want to convey to potential buyer pools. I really appreciate Redfin featuring Aisling Designs on this article and want to share what other professional Home Stagers and Interior Designers have to say on this topic. I hope you enjoy! –

Deciding to finally put your home on the market can be both an exciting and daunting
experience. And, with an increasingly competitive housing market, a well-staged home can make
all the difference in placing your home on a buyer’s “must-have” list. Artwork plays a critical
role in adding the finishing touches when prepping your home for sale, and you’ll want to make
sure you’re picking the right kind to create a polished look. To help present your home in the
best light possible, we reached out to design experts from Seattle, WA, all the way to Cambridge,
ON for their top tips for choosing wall art when staging a home.

Make sure you’re choosing the right scale, style, and color
palette

Bigger, more abstract pieces show better while smaller artwork makes a space look
cluttered and busy in pictures. Less is always more in staging, meaning don’t forget to leave
plenty of negative space in order to give the eye a place to rest. There is no need to fill every
wall; it’s good to give potential buyers plenty of room to envision their own pieces in a space. –
Decorate to Show

Make sure you scale the size of the pieces to the individual spaces. Including neutral,
monochromatic pieces usually work best. And popping in metal colors can really help draw the
eye to optimally focus on architecturally appealing features of the home. Lastly, be careful not to
overdo it with too many pieces or very personalized art, as this ultimate goal is for your buyer to
picture themselves living in the home. –Elm Tree Design & Home Styling

When choosing artwork to hang above a sofa, be sure to select the right size. If a piece of
artwork is too big or too small, buyers may get a sense that something just feels off in the room
(and the home), even if they can’t put their finger on it. Follow the 75% rule: the length of
artwork should be at least 75% of the length of the sofa. Try coordinating the artwork with the
throw pillows on the sofa to create a cohesive and pleasing look. –BA Staging & Interiors

If you’re stuck on how to pick art for your home when
staging, look to the house as a guide

Look at the era of the home, the furnishings, and decor as a guide when picking artwork.
From there no matter what style, keep it simple. Remember that less is more, and it can also
make a statement. I also like using color theory in my art selections, so if my furnishings are very
colorful I typically choose a monochromatic piece to balance the room. –Aisling Designs

Choose artwork based on the décor of the entire room as it will be seen in a photo, not as a
“stand-out” piece on its own. Remember that 97% of homebuyers start their home search
online, so the artwork they see is part of a photograph and not viewed in person at first. Also, be
aware that viewers form an opinion of what they see in the first 90 seconds, multiple studies
show that between 62% and 90% of the opinion is based solely on color. Our recommendation is
that artwork supports the look and feel of a room, blending in but also completing it, rather than
making it a focal point. – TruPlace

Artwork should be in keeping with the style of the room. In other words, don’t use coastal
art in a rustic or sophisticated room. Instead, bring interest and variety into the space with art
while also being careful that there’s a common theme throughout the pieces being used. Color,
style, and size all play into creating a cohesive look. – Bobbett & Associates