Plant on a coffee table in a living room

Green staging: How plants can help you sell your home

So you are considering getting your home ready for sale and can’t decide if using plants is the way to go. Whether artificial, real, or freshly cut, using greenery to style your property can create instant appeal. However, there are a few things to consider when choosing the right type of foliage for staging your home for sale.

Why use plants?

Indoor plants have always been a popular way to enhance the air quality in a home, but these days they are more than just a tool for promoting wellbeing. More recently, using greenery for styling has become a design trend, and indeed, for staging a home, there are many other benefits.

Adding greenery not only adds a pop of colour but also creates a sense of calm and relaxation in a room. Plants or flowers also add a focus point in the room, particularly when complemented by an interesting pot or container. Plants can also help create a greater connection to the outdoor space when placed strategically. They also photograph great too!

Cluster of plants on kitchen bench for home staging

Artificial vs real plants

These days, some excellent artificial plants are available that look just like the real thing. The great thing about fake plants is they are harder to kill and require no water or sunlight. This is particularly beneficial if there are no occupants in the property whilst it is being staged. They are also tidier, with no soil or dropped leaves to worry about, and the only maintenance they require is a dust with a damp cloth.

On the other hand, real plants add that sense of earthiness and freshness to a room. The key to using real plants is to ensure they are healthy. Any yellowed or dead leaves need to be removed, and the plants should be regularly watered so they don’t look wilted.

Cluster of plants and vases on a mantle for home staging

What about freshly cut?

Using freshly cut plants or flowers is the perfect way to create a fresh, modern feel in a room. Flowers from your garden can help create a connection to the outdoor area. However, freshly cut plants and flowers do require more attention during the campaign period. Freshly cut foliage has a shorter life, and water needs to be changed regularly to ensure it doesn’t smell bad. Leaves can also drop, making a mess. Consider whether some flowers may have an allergic effect on potential buyers.

Using plants for styling?

Whether it's small succulents or large potted plants, using greenery in staging is a clever way to style a home for sale. Small plants are well suited to add colour and interest to a side table or dresser in a bedroom. Large potted plants strategically placed can replace the furniture and add height to bigger rooms like living areas. In kitchen areas, potted herbs or fresh flowers create instant appeal to potential buyers.

Pots and containers should be chosen to complement the room’s décor. Smaller pots can be grouped with other interestingly shaped décor items.

At The Styling Co we use a variety of plants and flowers to create calm and warmth in spaces for homes we stage for sale. If you are looking to take the guesswork out of styling with plants and décor, talk to us about professionally staging your home with a free, no obligation consultation.