Before and After: See How Home Staging Helped Sell This Dated Victorian Above Asking Price in 2 Weeks

Dark, dreary, drab, and dated are just a few words that described this Victorian home in Glen Ridge, N.J., when its owners put it on the market for the first time in 30 years.

But one real estate agent—who also stages listings as part of her fee—saw serious potential in the more than 2,500-square foot home, which was built in 1908 and has five bedrooms and three bathrooms.

“This home was in pretty rough shape,” says Amy Owens, who works with Keller Williams. “The thought was to clear it out, clean it up, and give the buyers an idea of how it could be an 1890s house with a more modern decor. The two can live together. The older homes give unique details for exhibiting beautiful things, even if they’re mid-century or made by Crate and Barrel.”

Owens enjoys using one-of-a-kind pieces from antique stores and vintage markets to make her listings stand out. And she credits her eye for design to years of working for brands like Donna Karan and Banana Republic in New York City’s Garment District.

So, she and her team worked their magic on this property—and the results speak for themselves. Not only has the home done a complete aesthetic 180, but it sold for above asking price (listed for $699,000 and sold for $725,00) in just two weeks.

Here, Owens breaks down her staging process in some of the key rooms of the house.

“In the dining room, we completed the largest transition. We took down the wallpaper and had the rooms painted a decorator white. The point was to work with the high ceilings and gracious rooms while highlighting some of the historic details. We brought in organic touches like the large fig tree and grasses flanking the mirror above the fireplace. The mirror adds light to the darkest wall. We took out all of their big, dark, dated furniture, except for the dining room table and slip-covered chairs.”

“This unique bay with a curved archway was in the dining room. It held a dark wooden bar, which we suggested removing so as not to block the windows. We loved the jute circle rug (I have this rug in three sizes) with a couple of low chairs. The matte navy pottery is from my personal collection. Navy has been very ‘in’ the past couple of years. I bring it into homes for staging quite often.”

“In the upstairs front bedroom, we had wallpaper removed and the room painted white. The thought of a clean, blank canvas was liberating from all the distractions. We pulled an old real estate agent trick: We removed all window treatments and had the windows cleaned. Replacing the bed with a printed headboard and colorful details showed off the bay window without taking away from the beautiful details of the fireplace.”

“The kitchen was tough. We removed the stick-on tile backsplash and again whitewashed the walls. In a perfect world—and something we do approximately a dozen times a year—we would’ve painted the cabinets. The owner was very proud of the wooden cabinets, so they stayed. We cleared all the countertops and brought in yellow accessories to pretty up all the brown tones.”