Lighting to Stage and Brighten Your Home for Sale

Many realtors advise that staging your home is the best way to quickly increase buyers’ interest. But, even if you have all the right furniture in all the right places, poor lighting in your house can make the most beautiful decor seem drab and uninviting. Here are a few rules to follow when staging your house:

Rule #1: Brighter is better.

A dark house turns off potential buyers. Having a bright, well-lit house proves you’re confident about its cleanliness and have nothing to hide. Add task lighting throughout the house. Under-cabinet lighting is an easy way to add value and give your kitchen a high-end look. Invest in a couple of floor lamps for any dark corners in the living room and bedrooms, as well as reading lamps on nightstands and end tables. If you have tall ceilings, make sure light is reaching all the way up so the space doesn’t look smaller than it really is. Remember you’re trying to sell the house, not set the mood.

Rule #2: Pay attention to color temperature.

Color temperature has a major effect on buyer perception. According to staging and design expert, Sam Jernigan, from Renaissance Design Consultations, "Some bulbs have warmer hues, which are more flattering to skin tones." People like houses that make them look good. So if your bedroom and living room have ambient lighting with cooler white color temperatures, you may want to invest in bulbs with warmer tones, around 2700 Kelvin. Some realtors suggest using light pink light bulbs in homes. The pale, rosy color gives rooms and skin tones a healthy glow. Cool white lights at or above 3000 Kelvin should be reserved for task lighting.

Rule #3: Dimmers are your best friend.

It may seem like a small thing to add, but dimmers are practically a must-have nowadays. Dimmers allow you to maximize the brightness as potential buyers walk in while giving them the option of dimming the light to get a feel for the atmosphere the space can provide.

Rule #4: Don’t ignore the bathroom.

They may get a lot of traffic, but bathrooms can easily be overlooked. Use sconces on either side of the mirror or vanity lights across the top. Around the mirror is the area that needs the most light. Angle recessed lighting to bounce off the walls instead of pointing straight down. This way there will be less glare and shadows, making the room seem brighter. Consider adding lighting in the shower that’s UL listed for wet locations or IP67 rated. It’s often a very dark space compared to the rest of the room.