Luxury home stagers are putting more emphasis on “merchandising” a space, believing it’s a way to get buyers to better connect to a home. Stagers are looking beyond sofa, dining tables and bed furnishings to putting greater focus on the layering—the artwork, books, florals, lighting and other carefully curated details that can give a room a sense of purpose and personality that can catch buyers' attention.
“Luxury home merchandising is really about helping buyers emotionally connect with a home,” says Alex Aviles, staging designer with Vesta Home. “Furniture gives a room its purpose, and merchandising is what brings it to life.”
Those finishing touches can be particularly important in high-end properties, where buyers may be evaluating not only the architecture and finishes but also whether the home delivers a particular lifestyle that meets their needs.
“It’s the artwork, books, florals, lighting and personal touches that make someone stop looking at a property and start imagining how they might live there,” Aviles says. “Whether it’s a $700,000 home or a $20 million estate, buyers consistently respond to spaces that feel warm, intentional and complete.”
It’s More Than Decorating
Aviles says one of the biggest misconceptions is that merchandising is simply the final decorating step after staging. Vesta Home does an initial, foundational furniture installation, followed by several more days of layering and editing each room.
“That’s when we bring in fresh florals, style shelving, hang artwork, adjust lighting, and make hundreds of small decisions that buyers may never consciously notice but absolutely feel when they walk through the front door,” Aviles says.
An item Aviles always gravitates toward: floral arrangements.
“We almost never use premade arrangements because every home deserves something that’s tailored to the space,” Aviles says.
Books, artwork and decorative objects receive the same consideration. The goal is to make a home feel curated rather than overly decorated.
“Everything is carefully edited so it feels collected rather than purchased as a matching set,” Aviles says. “Buyers have become incredibly discerning, and those details make a big difference.”
Merchandising the Lifestyle
Luxury merchandising also isn't one-size-fits-all. The design should reflect the property itself and the buyer who is likely to be drawn to it.
“Before we place a single accessory, we're thinking about who the likely buyer is and what kind of lifestyle they're looking for,” Aviles says. That can mean dramatically different approaches even within the same market. A contemporary condo in Miami Beach may call for a different story than a family home in Coconut Grove or an estate in Palm Beach.
“The merchandising should reinforce the architecture, the location and the lifestyle,” Aviles says. “When those things work together, the home feels authentic.”
Luxury buyers increasingly want homes that feel complete from the moment they walk in. It’s prompting more home staging companies to offer not just temporary decorating services when selling, but whole furnishing packages buyers can purchase the entire look.
“The majority of my clients purchasing homes in the $5 million-and-up range choose to purchase the furniture package along with the home because they want the experience exactly as they saw it,” Aviles says. “They don't want to spend months sourcing furniture after closing. They want to move in and start living.”
The merchandising principles aren't limited to multimillion-dollar properties.
“Buyers remember homes that feel cohesive, welcoming and thoughtfully lived in, regardless of price point,” Aviles says. “Creating that emotional connection truly [is] what separates a memorable showing from a forgettable one.”
