Digital Styling vs. Physical Styling - Which is better?
There’s no denying that we’ve seen a rise in home decorating, DIY projects around the home and a plethora of ‘home styling’ online courses in the last few years. With this we’ve seen a knock on effect on how important it has become to present your home for sale in a way in which is on-trend, thought out and eye catching in order to maintain potential buyers attention.
Whilst Property Styling has been around in Australia far longer than you may realise, it’s gaining more and more traction amongst the Real Estate game. But with this has meant a rise in digitally generated styling. So, what’s the difference? And why is physical Property Styling the better of the two? (yes, we’re biased).
Property Styling
Physical Property Styling involves hiring a professional stylist (like us) to visit your home and provide a thorough consultation with an unbiased opinion that is going to discuss with you how to best present your home in order to attract the largest number of buyers and appeal to the market it is being targeted to. It could be as simple as advice on decluttering or depersonalisation or as advanced as furniture hire and placement along with soft furnishings placement and styling ensuring your property is ‘photo ready’.
Property Styling is a service you can take up whether you live in the property (Partial Styling) or if the home is vacant (Full Styling). Regardless of whether the property is occupied or not the aim remains the same. To accentuate your property's best features, create a warm and welcoming environment, appeal to the widest range of buyers in your target market and to display a lifestyle that your prospective buyers can fall in love with.
The average cost of Property Styling varies throughout Australia but packages with us start from $1500 inc GST which over a general hire period equates to $250 per week inc GST.
Example of physical Property Styling by Nestled Interiors
Digital Styling
Digital Staging is becoming a service more and more Real Estate agents are offering to their vendors. Why? - because it’s cost effective and when you’re listing your home for sale in Australia the costs can sometimes be outrageous. Whilst for me it’s not difficult to pick-out images that have been digitally rendered, for others it can actually be quite near impossible (trust me, I’ve done the test).
So, how can you spot one? Well usually the furniture doesn’t match the home’s architectural style and it tends to look ‘over staged’ with very boxy and modern furniture (see below). You would’ve seen digitally rendered furniture in homes being sold ‘off the plan’ - nothing looks that perfect in real life, it doesn’t matter how great your stylist is.
The average cost is usually a few hundred dollars and can be completed on vacant or occupied properties to present better online if the decor is outdated or in poor condition.
Digitally Rendered Living Room
A lot of harsh lines within a room that is already quite long and rectangular. This appeals clinical and univiting. The addition of a warmer colour pallet and round furniture/furnishings would’ve helped the space feel more inviting.
Source: RealEstate.com.au
Digitally Rendered Kitchen/Dining
The colour of the furniture in this space just doesn’t work. Whilst mixing timber colours can be done, it needs to be done carefully and subtlety - this is not. The oak and seaside artwork don’t suit the homes existing features and the lack of decor makes the space feel really dull and sterile.
Why is Physical Styling the better option?
Yeah yeah yeah, I know I mentioned I’m biased when it comes to the Digital vs. Physical debate but hear me out.
Whilst Digital Styling is a great cost saver and works just as well when you’re attracting your audience via online listings or development projects off the plan, a major downside to the Digital Styling world is that for those that are visual and tactile orientated it does absolutely nothing for them when they step foot into the home. Buyers have viewed the home through their computer or phone screen and from there have decided to take the time to go and view the home in person. They’re expecting what they saw online but walk into an empty shell. This leaves them feeling cold and uninvited, creating a false misconception to what they hoped they would see.
Another downside to Digital Styling is that when buyers go to view the home in person and it’s empty they’re exposed to every imperfection the mythical furniture cannot conceal (not that we’re out here using furniture to conceal major faults but it does help to distract the eye from cosmetic imperfections). Giving the buyer the conception that there is far too much that needs fixing in the home and that will cost them money, meaning they will now put in a lower offer - if they put in an offer at all.
Yes, Physical Property Styling is far more expensive but what it does do is allow the buyer to have an emotional, tactile and positive experience whilst they walk through the rooms picturing themselves snuggling up on the sofa whilst the kids play in their rooms or hosting family Christmas on the back deck.
So there you have it, our opinion on the Digital vs. Physical Styling debate. For more information on our Property Styling services please click here.
