The art of lighting a staged home is one of those pro-level details that often get missed.
That’s unfortunate because the right lighting can make a big difference in both listing photos and showings.
Lighting helps you achieve a few important goals:
- Your rooms will look larger, and happier;
- You can draw attention toward areas you want people to notice (and away from other areas);
- You can set the mood to match the story your staged home is telling: from sophisticated to homey and anything in between.
Factors that influence your lighting choices
Strategies vary based on the home’s style, size, layout, and natural lighting. These tips explain the factors we consider and how to work with your stager and photographer. Together, you can achieve the best possible results for your sale!
Exterior Lighting: Outdoor lighting not only adds visual interest, but can help your home feel safer. (You’d be surprised at how many prospective buyers cruise neighborhoods in the evening to check out the area!)
- Install or clean path lights that shine downward. Add upward-facing floodlights to highlight trees and your home’s exterior.
Natural light levels, room-by-room: Meaning, how much natural light is available from windows, doors, and/or skylights.
- Consider the direction of the windows, as south-facing windows tend to get the most light. Also, think about tree cover and how the space looks on rainy days or in the evening.
Ensure overall brightness fits each room’s purpose: kitchens, bathrooms, and basements need the most light; living, dining and work rooms next; bedrooms least.
- Balancing overall amount of light with task-specific lighting. Under cabinet lights in the kitchen or workbenches, or reading lamps positioned near chairs.
- Add a small lamp to brighten dark spots caused by furniture or architectural details.
Strategically accentuate high ceilings: Some beautiful trim or other ceiling details beg for attention; but other times high ceilings are just… high.
- When that’s the case, an attractive fixture hanging down may perfectly accentuate the long drop.
Build light using layers: whenever possible, we suggest using different types of lights, in roughly similar hues.
- First, create an overall level of brightness that suits the room. Then, highlight specific areas with task or localized lighting. This can make the room look larger while adding a subtle sense of coziness for buyers.
First look, before staging
The “after” photo (see how color, decor, and lighting work together?)
What bulbs and how many?
- We recommend classic incandescent light bulbs, if you can, or any “soft white” bulbs (2700-3000k, or “kelvin” if you want to be precise).
- Halogen bulbs are the closest to natural daylight. You can’t put them in just any old lamp, of course, but if you have fixtures or lamps that take them, they’ll help brighten a space without looking harsh.
- Aim for 100 watts of light total for every 50 square feet of space. So, in a typical bedroom you can expect to use at least two lamps with a minimum of 60-to-75 watts each.
- If you happen to have Philips Hue lights, or a similar “smart” bulb set up, you’ll be able to adjust the color as needed for photos.
When it comes time to plan out lighting a staged home, it’s generally better to err on the side of “more,” avoiding any positioning that leads to dark gaps (particularly in your photos, where they’ll stick out like a sore thumb!). And if you’d like a pro on your side to ensure you’re making smart investments that will help you get the best possible offers, just give us a call!
