Staging That Speaks to Your Target Buyer

Home staging is both an art and a science—and for me, especially in Occupied Staging, it always starts with one important question: Who’s most likely to buy this home?

You’ve probably heard of demographics before—things like age, income, family size, and life stage. Super helpful, right? But here’s where it gets even more fun: have you heard of psychographics?

Psychographics dig a little deeper. They help us understand how potential buyers live and what they value. Are they career-focused city dwellers who love minimalism and tech? Growing families looking for connection, practicality and school districts? Downsizing retirees craving simplicity and calm?

Knowing who’s likely to buy the home (demographics) and what matters to them (psychographics) helps me create spaces that don’t just look nice—but actually feel right.

Because people don’t just buy houses. They buy that feeling of “Yes… I could live here.” And when you can spark that emotional connection, you’re not just staging a home - you’re setting the scene for someone’s next chapter.

Photography - Pristine Snapshots

Know the Neighborhood, Then Tell the Right Story

We’ve all heard it - “location, location, location.”

And as it turns out, it’s not just a real estate catchphrase - it’s also a great place to start with staging.

If I’m staging a home in a neighborhood filled with young families, I make sure every bedroom is staged as such. In a 3-bedroom home, all three should function as bedrooms - no makeshift gyms or storage zones. In a 4-bedroom, we can sometimes turn the fourth into a styled home office or flex room, depending on the most likely buyer.

And let’s not forget the dining area. If the floorplan has space for a full table - even in an open concept layout - I’ll absolutely style it that way. Buyers want to picture themselves gathering for dinner, hosting holidays, or helping kids with homework at the table. A beautifully set dining space makes that vision come to life.

Now, in a community where the average buyer is 55+, we’ll shift the vibe - maybe a guest room for visiting grand-kids or a reading corner instead of a nursery. It’s all about painting the lifestyle buyers want to step into.

Photography - Glennrose Real Estate Photo

Staging with Strategy, Not Just Style

Yes, we want your home to look beautiful—but beauty alone isn’t the goal. A space can be perfectly decorated and still leave no emotional impact.

If buyers can’t envision their life there, they’ll move on—or offer less than what the home is really worth. Strategic, thoughtful staging helps bridge that gap. It tells the story your buyer wants to hear, using layout, function, and subtle styling to help them feel at home.

We’re not just fluffing pillows. We’re helping people imagine their next chapter.

Neutrals That Whisper “Welcome Home”

Now let’s talk about one of the most common challenges I see in Occupied Staging: bold paint colors, wallpaper, artwork or dated finishes. I often walk into homes that reflect years of personality - and understandably, there’s not always time or budget to paint or update.

Instead of fighting it, I work with it. I’ll pull the color into the overall palette, balance it with soft textures, or draw focus to other areas of the room, highlighting the best features.

Wallpaper? I’ll style the surrounding space in a way that minimizes visual competition and helps the pattern feel part of the design rather than a leftover project.

The goal is always to make the home feel cohesive, welcoming, and intentional - without overwhelming or distracting the buyer. Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring. It means calm, clean, and easy to connect with. Add texture, contrast, and just a touch of personality, and now you’ve got a space that’s memorable in all the right ways.

Photography - Shot Archives

Make Buyers Fall in Love at First Scroll

These days, online appeal is the new curb appeal. Most buyers fall in love with a home on their phone - long before they ever step foot through the door. That first impression? It’s happening through a screen.

That’s why it’s so important that your staging shines in MLS photos and online in general.

A beautifully styled home captured in the right light and angles doesn’t just look good - it stops buyers mid-scroll, gets them emotionally invested, and gets them through the door.

I always recommend pairing your staging with professional real estate photography. It’s the perfect way to highlight the lifestyle, flow, and function of the home - and showcase all the intentional touches that went into preparing it for market.

Because in today’s market, those photos are your open house - and they need to make buyers say, “Let’s go see it in person.”

From Lived-In to Move-In Ready

At Hanisch Designs, I specialize in helping homeowners make the most of what they already have. Whether we’re working with bold walls, tight timelines, or limited budgets, I bring fresh eyes, expert styling, and a buyer-focused strategy to every space.

Good staging isn’t about filling rooms - it’s about making people feel something. The right buyer should walk in and think, “This is it.”

If you're getting ready to list, let's connect. A Buyer’s Eyes Consultation is the perfect first step to uncover your lived-in home’s full potential and get it show-ready.

~ Rita Hanisch-Dunbar