Susan is one of those people you can't help but click with moments into a first meeting. Her energy, creativity and joy for what she does is contagious. If you're curious about staging (is it worth it?) and what the process entails – get to know the Kingston home stager and designer beautifying homes across the city.
EG: Hi Susan, tell us a little about yourself.
SP: Hi, I’m Susan Poffley, the owner of Design Style Kingston. I am a Professional Home Stager (Certified Staging Expert) and a Certified Color Consultant. I originally grew up in New Brunswick. I have lived in Kingston for 21 years, where I met my husband and we raised our children. I retired last year after working for the government for 25 years.
EG: How did you get into staging?
SP: I started designing early in life (at age 10, I was drawing up designs for my future apartment) and it feels like I have always had an innate understanding of what looks good where. I helped so many friends and family over the years staging their properties for sale, that it was a logical next step for me to start my own home staging company – Design Style Kingston. As a member of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA®), I uphold a professional code of ethics, I attend monthly meetings in Ottawa, and I complete regular training on design trends, colour consultations, and other home staging-related topics. Staging owner-occupied homes is my specialty. I also provide an accessory package, photo preparation, vacant staging, and colour consultations.
How we live in our homes and how we stage homes for sale are two very different things.
EG: How would you describe your interior style?
SP: My own personal style is Scandinavian/Mid-Century Modern, but as my company name suggests, I can work with all design styles. The goal of home staging is to appeal to the most buyers, so this typically entails updating homes with more modern furniture and accessories.
EG: Unless a reader has sold a home recently, staging can be a bit of a mystery – what are the benefits? What does staging entail? Talk to us about your approach.
SP: As a certified staging expert, I help your home look bigger, brighter, and more updated for prospective buyers. This involves strategically arranging furniture, decor, and other items in a way that showcases the property's best features. I work hand-in-hand with your real estate agent, with the common goal of getting you the best price for your home, as quickly as possible.
Professional home staging is one of the most important decisions you can make for your successful home sale, as it sets the stage for amazing photos. Nowadays almost all home buyers start their search online–you want your listing to beautifully stand out! Home staging can increase the price of your home as well as reduce the amount of time your home is on the market. Based on 2023 RESA Statistics, staging owner-occupied homes in 2022 resulted in sales prices that were on average 21% above the listing price.
Of course, not every home needs “hands-on staging”, but every home can benefit from a staging consultation. Design Style Kingston has an affordable, comprehensive staging
consultation, which is the start of most of our services (but also can be “stand-alone”). We address everything from updates to curb appeal and include a clutter consultation (what furniture and other items need to be removed). An important focus is furniture placement as well as adding lighting, to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
EG: What are common ‘problem areas’ you see in many homes? How do you help fix these?
SP: How we live in our homes and how we stage homes for sale are two very different things. A lot of home sellers have heard that you need to pre-pack personal photos (which is great!), but there are also other ways that we personalize our homes that might interfere with a home buyer’s ability to envision themselves living there.
Your personal style might include brightly coloured walls/furniture, well-loved furniture that has a “date stamp”, and treasured collections which do not have universal appeal. I recommend which walls should be painted and suggest some neutral colour options. I let the homeowner know which furniture and accessories should be pre-packed. Some rooms may be arranged in ways that make sense for the current homeowner (for example, a treadmill/exercise bike is located in the main living area); however, these items should be relocated to the basement or a separate room when the home is listed for sale.
A professional home stager has fresh eyes on your property and can direct your attention to items that need to be addressed. Suggested changes are often inexpensive, but go a long way in presenting your home in the best possible light: for example, light fixtures that should be replaced, excessive furniture that should be removed, doors or trim that should be repainted, and other small items needing attention that you might have “lived with” for years.
Each home is unique and I give it the individual attention it deserves. I take great pride in showcasing the best attributes of the homes I stage; this takes vision and preparation and it is the opposite of a "cookie cutter" approach
EG: Where do you like to source your staging pieces?
SP: I like to buy my staging furniture/accessories from Urban Barn, HomeSense, Structube, IKEA, Bouclair, Wayfair, and Amazon, just to name a few. Large department stores sometimes have a designer line and I like checking those out as well. Mixing in just the right amount of classic furniture, accessories, and décor can create a truly unique look, and I find these one-of-a-kind pieces at boutique/antique shops or from fun thrifting adventures. One of my hobbies is finding pieces that need some work and updating them with paint, new upholstery, etc.
EG: You’re quickly building a reputation for creative and quality staging in the city. What do you think sets you apart?
SP: Each home is unique and I give it the individual attention it deserves. I take great pride in showcasing the best attributes of the homes I stage; this takes vision and preparation and it is the opposite of a "cookie cutter" approach! I take my time to select the perfect items from my staging inventory to best complement the home I am staging. I believe in quality over quantity; I currently purposely schedule only one or two home stagings per week so that I can give them my full attention. Of course, I also block off time to complete a few consultations as well.
EG: What are some of your favourite YGK spots?
SP: My husband and I enjoy a weekly dinner date out at a variety of our favourite Kingston restaurants; there are so many amazing spots!! We really enjoy taking our Golden Retriever for neighbourhood walks in the west end. Kingston has so many beautiful lakes and we are fortunate to be able to spend lots of weekends at our cottage on Buck Lake.
Connect with Susan –
A sincere thank you to Susan for her staging insights and collaboration.
Photos courtesy of Susan Poffley & Frank Fenn. All rights reserved.
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