Interior insights from Meredith Baer, home-stager to the stars

Los Angeles-based Meredith Baer may have begun life as an actress, but she now inhabits a far more aesthetic realm of the make-believe.

For the past 15 years, Baer has thrived as one of Americas most important home stagers a unique form of interior design aimed at accenting and beautifying homes on the sales market. With offices in LA, New York, the Hamptons and Miami, Meredith Baer Home clients range from high-wattage celebs Christina Aguilera, Michael C. Hall and Bryce Dallas Howard to high-flying execs. In between, Baer has also found time to star in the recent HGTV show, Staged to Perfection. As her business grows, we spoke with Baer to learn how staging can help get homes sold.

What is staging and why is it important? Staging is using furnishings to dress a property in its finest form to turn a house into a home. Much like when prepping a magazine shoot, empty rooms are filled and dated rooms become fashionable. The home is fully furnished so buyers can imagine how they would live in it. Staging answers the visual and spatial questions buyers have when entering an empty home.

Baers work for Michael C. HallPhoto: Don Lewis Photography

So how does staging work? Staging begins with an analysis of a homes strengths and weaknesses after which our salespeople and designers determine the optimal design scheme for the intended buying demographic. Our team then takes measurements and photos, and heads for our large warehouse to select furnishings for the home. Our crew delivers the furnishings to the property where theyre installed by a designer.

Is staging interior decorating? Staging is not interior design because we are not installing pieces in accordance with the homeowners taste. Staging aims to appeal to the maximum number who would potentially buy the property.

Can staging add value during the sales process? On average, staging a property decreases a homes sell-time by 15 percent, while increasing its sales price 10 percent.

Baers work at Bryce Dallas Howards home.Photo: Paul Barnaby Photography

Is a stager always needed? If you have amazing taste and your home is already updated, you may not need to hire a stager. Look at your home with fresh eyes. Step outside, then walk in and see the space from the perspective of someone who wants to buy the home for themselves. They dont want to look at your clutter or photos of your beautiful kids.

What about costs? The cost of staging is as diverse as the housing market itself. Weve staged entry level homes for $5,000 and weve staged luxury, $50 million homes for over $100,000. Price is dictated by the level of design, customization and fabrication.

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Interior insights from Meredith Baer, home-stager to the stars