Are we over-styling homes?
As I scroll through Rightmove, I can see many agents are embracing the whole idea of styling homes for photography. Even mid-range and some low-priced homes are getting the styling treatment these days. As an industry, we were slow to adopt the idea of home styling, writing it off as ‘too American’ in the early days of the 2000s. Now, it seems, everyone is doing it.
But are we over-doing it?
Don’t get me wrong, I have no desire to step back into the dark ages of simply photographing every room exactly as they are.
Remember my ‘Hall of Shame’? Featured in AOL, I showcased the very worst of agency photography each week, until I decided that focusing on the best styled and photographed homes, instead of the worst, was probably more motivational for agents.
First, let’s define what property styling is – and is not.
“Property styling is enhancing what’s already there.”
It’s not the same as property staging, which can be described as setting a ‘stage’ for the buyer. It’s more effortful, and often leaves nothing existing in the room, instead replacing each item, including furniture, with that of the stager’s.
Styling is much softer. It’s about showing the space in the home in its best light, and showcasing its features. At its heart, it’s simplifying the home so we don’t distract the buyer with unnecessary clutter and objects.
When we as property marketing professionals get property styling right, the resulting images of the home help it to stand out online, leading to more views and clicks, which lead to more viewings, which in turn leads to more offers and ultimately, a quicker and higher-value sale.
As a bonus, other homeowners notice the styling, especially neighbours who are familiar with the home’s interior, and are impressed with how you’ve presented it.
When you over-style, it can be over-bearing, intrusive and simply makes each home look the same. If you always cover each bed with a grey throw, add a book and glasses, and a vase of flowers, every bedroom is going to look the same as every other bedroom you have styled.
Styling ISN’T
- Removing large furniture or replacing it
- Completely rearranging the room
- Painting walls
- Replacing bathrooms or kitchens
- Re-carpeting
- Deep cleaning
Styling IS
- Taking away distracting items where necessary
- Simplifying rooms by removing everyday clutter
- Dressing rooms by adding some stylish accessories like cushions or candles for a lifestyle touch
If you find yourself overstyling homes for photography, you’re risking alienating your client. Most homeowners simply do not want, or see the need for, a complete re-style of their home. It can be uncomfortable and even insulting. Remember that the valuer (maybe you) has taken the care and time needed to build trust and understanding with the vendor, and if the negotiator approaches the photoshoot as a mammoth project and a home overhaul, that trust can be shredded and disappear very quickly.
Let’s keep styling simple and purposeful
To help you decide how to style for a photoshoot, I’ve created a list of my 8 Golden Rules of Home Styling:
1. Style the shot, not the room – this means you don’t need to overhaul whole rooms, but instead simply style for the photographer’s image. Decide between you what’s going to be in-shot, and style for that frame only.
2. Enhance by simplifying – simplification means taking away a few items, not ransacking the room, with the purpose being to help the buyers see the room’s features without distractions.
3. Style the features of the room – following on from number 2, consider the main features of each room. These are usually windows, fireplaces and period details. These need enhancing through careful styling so they are showcased in the images.
4. Style conscientiously and discreetly – remember you’re there in a professional capacity, so be careful and considerate in your undertaking of the task in hand.
5. Lifestyle shots are always close-ups – if you’ve added lifestyle elements like a cake with strawberries, or a bread and cheese board, clear these for the main room shots.
6. Always take a ‘before’ shot on your phone to make sure you can put the client’s items back exactly where they were.
7. Not all clients want or need styling – be considerate and intentional in your decisions whether or not to style. Even homes that need styling could be owned by clients who just do not want you to style them – are your perfectly-styled photographs worth the potential damage in a client relationship?
8. Sell the lifestyle not the rooms – remember that the purpose of styling a room is to sell the lifestyle of a home; to help a buyer envisage how they will live in the house. You’re not there to improve the house itself, only showcase the lifestyle.
As you can see, styling can actually be simpler and easier than you’re probably currently doing. By focusing on what’s important, including the clients’ feelings on the subject, you can get your photoshoots done quicker, and more effectively. And the finished photographs will be much more representative of the clients’ home, which makes for happier buyers as well as sellers.
If you’d like to know more about how we style and market bespoke homes, here’s a podcast episode you’ll find useful:
Doing what most agents won’t to become a high-value market leader – Julie Hill
