{"id":6727,"date":"2018-11-30T14:52:11","date_gmt":"2018-11-30T22:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=6727"},"modified":"2026-04-17T06:50:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:50:32","slug":"how-to-stage-a-house-with-no-furniture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-stage-a-house-with-no-furniture\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stage a House with No Furniture: Use Soft Touches and Accents"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cA vacant home is a soulless home,\u201d says Dawna Johnson, a professional stager for 14 years and the owner of Sacramento Staging Solutions<\/a>. Empty rooms give off a cold, lonely vibe\u2014not exactly the \u201cwelcome home\u201d gesture people buying a house crave.<\/p>\n

Your real estate agent may recommend staging to help move your bare-bones house off the market faster. In fact 77% of Realtors say that a staged property, arranged expertly with select furniture and well-chosen accents, is easier for buyers to visualize as a future home<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But staging an empty house the traditional way is a budget buster and may cost anywhere from $750-$2,000 per month<\/a> or more depending on your house\u2019s size, location, and value. Luckily there\u2019s another option.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith vacant homes, what we\u2019ll do is we\u2019ll go in and we\u2019ll \u2018warm them up,\u2019\u201d says Christie Cannon<\/a>, a top-selling real estate agent in Frisco, Texas, with 21 years of experience. \u201cWe won\u2019t leave them completely empty, but we won\u2019t fully furnish.”<\/p>\n

Intrigued? Let\u2019s dig into how to stage a house with no furniture using soft techniques and creative cost-saving hacks recommended by industry professionals.<\/p>\n

\"Rug<\/a>
Source: (halitomer\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Use area rugs to define spaces and show where furniture would theoretically go<\/h2>\n

When you sell a house, you need to show each area\u2019s distinct purpose, so homebuyers don\u2019t scratch their heads over what to do with an unconventional space during showings.<\/p>\n

When buyers walk into your open concept kitchen\/dining\/family room, it should scream \u201cPopcorn and movie night!\u201d instead of \u201cHelp me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Plus, you\u2019d be surprised how a room that\u2019s just four walls and a ceiling looks smaller than it truly is<\/a>, a problem when homebuyers love the perception of endless square footage.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have furniture to configure into an obvious living space, what\u2019s the solution?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll put out rugs in the main area to just help define the space,\u201d says Cannon.<\/p>\n

Brilliant!<\/p>\n

Most importantly, make sure the size of the rug you put down is proportionate to the size of the space\u2014this can be tricky if you\u2019re not measuring it up against furniture.<\/p>\n

A good rule of thumb, though, is to leave 12-24 inches of floor exposed around the rug in larger spaces<\/a> such as living rooms, and shrink that down to 6-8 inches around smaller areas like hallways and foyers.<\/p>\n

As far as colors and patterns go, the rug should complement the general style of the house. You wouldn\u2019t stage a sleek, modern home with an ornate rug<\/a>, for instance. But rugs with a geometric or abstract pattern<\/a> would fit in a contemporary home quite nicely.<\/p>\n

Your vintage orientals<\/a>, on the other hand, might look great in decades-old charmer with lots of character. Plush rugs<\/a> add texture and softness to a cold space.<\/p>\n

Add a fresh coat of neutral paint to boldly colored rooms<\/h2>\n

Even if you don\u2019t have furniture, you still have walls! And they need to be painted in a nice neutral tone or they\u2019ll be a major turnoff to buyers.<\/p>\n

In HomeLight\u2019s 2016 Top Agent Insights Survey, all of the top agents we spoke to agree: put a fresh coat of paint on those walls<\/a> before showings start.<\/p>\n

The 100+ agents surveyed also weighed in on their color recommendations for this occasion, with 78% saying beige is their top choice<\/b>, followed by white (around 30%) and to a lesser extent, gray (15%).<\/p>\n

Narrow down your options with our list of the top home staging paint colors<\/a>\u2014a mix of brilliant beiges, crisp whites, and go-to greiges.<\/p>\n

Small tables and lamp accessories create warmth<\/h2>\n

According to Cannon, rather than hauling in an entire living room set, you can get away with warming up a space by just bringing in a few end tables and lamps.<\/p>\n

This enhances your ability to define a space and show buyers how a room is intended to be used without blowing your budget. Your real estate agent may have a stash of furniture or work with a home stager who can provide these items.<\/p>\n

For a DIY route, get inspired by these affordable table options from Wayfair<\/a> that range from a traditional to modern look.<\/p>\n

Then add a lamp for another focal element and to brighten up the space. Check out these lamp varieties from Houzz\u2019s 2018 list of the most popular table lamps<\/a>. For a classic space, you could go with something like the Hamilton Antique Brass<\/a>, or the Geometric Chrome<\/a> for a modern look.<\/p>\n

Pick light bulbs that are between 2000K-3000K on the Kelvin color temperature scale<\/a>. These warmer temperature bulbs help create a cozy, calm, intimate, and inviting ambience.<\/p>\n

\"Bathroom<\/a>
Source: (Camille \/ Kmile\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Add a few light staging touches to the bathroom<\/h2>\n

The cold, hard surfaces of a bathroom are softened with some simple and inexpensive additions<\/a>. Hang up or neatly stack some white hand towels\u2014the fluffier, the better\u2014to make the space feel hotel luxury.<\/p>\n

For a small pop of color, pick a neutral towel set with bright trim, such as these Signature Banded White Fuschia towels<\/a> from Pine Cone Hill.<\/p>\n

In addition, put up shower curtains to add another fabric to the room. This white waffle weave shower curtain<\/a> from Target will do the trick for staging purposes, as will the classic gray.<\/p>\n

Hang up mirrors for more natural light<\/h2>\n

Mirrors make a room look bigger and also reflect light to help a space feel brighter and more inviting.<\/p>\n

A collection of mirrors cleverly grouped together can also create visual interest (get inspired by these affordable varieties<\/a> of full-length, irregular, rectangle, and starburst mirrors from At Home).<\/p>\n

Classic mirror spots include the entryway, living room, and above the fireplace.<\/p>\n

Arrange accessories on the kitchen countertop<\/h2>\n

Kitchen staging works best<\/a> if you stick to tasteful, decorative touches\u2014in fact, what buyers most want to see is that you\u2019ve got plenty of counter-space.<\/p>\n

So leave the surfaces mostly bare save a few colorful accessories to add life and to keep the space from looking sterile.<\/p>\n

Interior designers recommend picking up on traces of color, such as blue or coral, in an adjoining room, and using it in various places in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that your kitchen decor does not have to be food related. A few ideas include:<\/p>\n