Every quarter we celebrate homeowners, realtors, developers, and home renovators who are so often our home staging clients. In honor of Get to Know Your Customers Day (we prefer Get to Know Our Client Day), we asked homeowner client Chris Holdren three questions.

Our Client!

Chris Holdren was skeptical about the benefits of home staging. He was ready to sell TWO homes quickly and for the best price. Realtor Steve Penner of William Pitt Sothebys International Realty recommended Staged Ryte. After a thoughtful conversation with Dawn Trachtenberg, Chris took the plunge! Now he’s a believer in the impact home staging (and home styling) can make. Dawn Trachtenberg worked with Chris and his realtor to sell two northwestern Connecticut homes quickly and for a great value —a lovely home in Gaylordsville, Connecticut (styled) and the OLDEST home in Warren, Connecticut (staged).

Quick definitions! Home Styling is when a home stager uses the existing furniture and accessories in a home, rearranges room layouts, edits existing pieces, relocates items to other locations in the house and often brings in additional or alternate pieces to enhance the home’s look. Home Staging is when an empty or partially furnished home is furnished and accessorized to grab the attention of potential home buyers.

The before and after photos are from the Gaylordsville styling. Dawn used the homeowners’s furnishings and accessories to reimagine the spaces so they engaged house hunters. See more photos!

Read this Q & A!

Q. Staged Ryte has done distinct transformations for two of your homes: one focused on styling, using furnishings and decor already in the home and utilizing them to create a polished look for prospective home buyers in Gaylordsville, CT; the other a complete staging in Warren, CT. Start with the styling and tell us about those experiences and outcomes.

A. I was skeptical of the benefits of styling to be honest. After all, our home was well designed, clean, and perfect for us. I didn't fully appreciate the difference it would make until Dawn had worked her magic. When you're surrounded by your things each and every day, you don't fully appreciate the impact an expert and outside eye can have. It isn't that she "de-personalized" it, but she made it more inviting and arranged the furniture to highlight the unique attributes of the house. Her work definitely helped broaden the appeal for potential buyers and ultimately sell the house.

Q. How did you learn about our home staging and design firm? Why did you choose to work with Staged Ryte?

A. I was referred to Staged Ryte by my realtor, Steve Pener. I was listing two houses for sale with him, and he'd had great success with Dawn in the past. It made all the difference for both houses, but the transformation of the one that was staged made a dramatic and welcome change. Dawn turned an empty house into a home where people could envision living, complete with a room that looked like children had been playing.

Q. What would you say to someone selling a home who is unsure if they should stage their home.

A. After going through this process with Dawn, I'm a believer in the advantages of staging and styling. Dawn's staging work made me fall in love with the house all over again and remember all the reasons we had bought it in the first place. I definitely recommend staging when someone is selling a home and highly recommend Dawn and her talented team.

The below photos are from the Warren staging. It was important to respect the bones and structure of this home AND make it feel comfortable and contemporary. Note the children’s space that Chris mentions. Take a tour of the home here. And follow us on Instagram.