Meridith Baer Home Staging

Meridith Baer Home Staging

meridith baer gray living room

If you’ve ever looked for a new house or apartment, you know how difficult it can be to look beyond unfortunate interior design decisions to see the space’s potential. So instead of the large windows, just associate it with a green shaggy carpet from the 70s or a flashy orange color. This is where Meridith Baer comes in. Your home staging company transforms spaces into homes for potential buyers to imagine living in. We spoke to Meridith about how to incorporate staging tips into a sleek, inviting home.

What is your design process when staging a property?

Once the house is empty (and the walls that need it are painted), our designer visits the property and creates a design plan that features furniture, accessories, artwork, and accessories from our 250,000 square foot inventory. The items are packed and loaded into trucks and delivered to the property, where the designer and crew install the entire house in a matter of days!

How can you make a style statement without alienating buyers? Is it difficult to find the right balance?

My design team wants the home to make sense, feel inviting, and look beautiful. It’s our job to show how to live in each room, show all the possibilities and at the same time showcase the latest and greatest in design. We always keep it fresh … and make it look easy. We avoid alienating buyers by letting the light in, keeping the rooms fresh and not hanging up annoying works of art. We’ve been doing this for a long time, so we have a formula. For example, most children’s rooms are filled with toys and projects of every shape and size. Our nurseries have one or two absolutely adorable stuffed animals. Parents can imagine that it will be like this when they move. Ha!

Do buyers often ask to buy all of the staging pieces?

Yes! All of our pieces are available for buyers to purchase. Buyers may fall in love with a certain item that they simply cannot live without or simply want a home that is ready to move into without having to hire a designer. Our staging is tailored to the space. We even make custom sofas for private households so you really can’t find a better job for size and design. For example, when we were staging a home for Brad Pitt, he loved this little vanity stool so much that he brought it to his new home.

Do you have any tips for integrating staging strategies into your permanent home decor?

There are many staging techniques that also apply to permanent home decor. For example, always put a nice chest or console with an inviting vignette in the entrance (if there is space): maybe a lamp, a floral design and a bowl to toss your glasses and keys in when you enter fresh white towels in the bathroom … it feels so luxurious. Once they are worn out or frayed, use them as rags and buy new ones! If visibility is poor, pull open see-through curtains to let light in and distract from what is on the other side of the window.

Are there certain colors or textures that you prefer when staging a home?

We love different objects and textures in the same color, especially white and creams, beige and gray, pale blue.

What’s your favorite design tip or lesson?

White walls, period.

Master bedroom

white master bedroom with vaulted ceiling

In the master suite there is a gray sofa at the foot of a bed with a white tufted headboard. Photo by Scott DuBose

living room

white living room with gold chandeliers

Dramatic golden chandeliers hang over white sofas and chairs in the living room. Photo by Scott DuBose

Playroom

Games room with pool table

A great piece of wall art pops up against the gray and black palette. Photo by Scott DuBose