Talking with the brilliant ensemble that is The Curated Studio, the sense of camaraderie is immediately evident. Realtors and partners, Dane Robinson and Trista Fischer-Boykin, opened their home staging business a year ago after doing it themselves for years. By pulling in lead designer Mandy Bradshaw and high school student interns like Kylie Kallsen, they built a staging empire that beautifies homes, leading to quicker turnarounds for sellers.
In the current buyer’s market, other agents are hiring The Curated Studio, hoping to keep homes from sitting for too long, and it’s working. According to the National Association of Realtors, 19% of sellers' agents reported an increase of 1% to 5% in the dollar value offered by buyers for staged homes in comparison to similar homes.
“For Brightland Homes, they had two spec homes that had been listed for a little over a year. They hired us to come in and stage it, and we sold both within 30 days,” Dane exclaims proudly. “Brightland is a great builder, but it’s just that sometimes people can’t envision the space themselves.”
One of the unique features of The Curated Studio is that they not only stage vacant or spec homes, but they also stage occupied homes. They are one of the only staging companies that work their magic in occupied spaces.
“That’s what is so great about occupied staging…it’s not about we don’t like your stuff, it’s about how that’s your stuff and your history and family,” Dane continues. “You want a buyer to walk into your home and feel like it could be their home.”
Even with virtual staging now an option, Trista explains how real staging is essential. “There are some virtual staging programs out there right now that do a great job, but you still need to carry that through once you get that person in the house. You might still lose that buyer once they get there, and that’s why I think that we’re still very relevant.”
As the ladies stage homes, they ensure the entire room is staged, not just the parts that are photographed. Small nooks that don’t get photographed are still made to look phenomenal to give warmth and life to the home. They go the extra mile with artwork, bedding, nightstands, lamps, blankets, and rugs. Their signature pieces, which bring a special design to a space, are mirrors and crystals.
“We do these great mirrors,” Trista explains. “And everybody loves them and everyone wants to buy them.” The mirrors brighten spaces, while the crystals bring an organic element to homes, helping set these staged homes apart from the competition.
As the group discusses what sets them apart, Trista adds, “Rugs also bring a whole room together. It makes it look finished and like a home.”
Kylie explains how a homeowner came back after the Curated Staging crew had been hard at work in her home and said, “Oh my gosh, I never knew my house could look like this. Now I really don’t want to move!”
Speaking of Kylie, the Curated Staging staff gives back to the community by hiring high school and college students who want a chance to peek into the real estate, design, and staging industry. Kylie wants to go into real estate, so Dane and Trista are offering her a plethora of fantastic opportunities to see what that’s like.
Mandy says it best when she says, “Dane and Trista have such a great real estate background. I think that is an advantage.”
To stage a space, the crew collaborates to capture video footage, share it via text, and exchange ideas to achieve the best results. The morning of a stage, they have a pre-meeting to discuss challenges, and then they’re off to load the truck with their inventory.
“We switch it up to get some variety,” Dane says. “One stage, Mandy will pull all the artwork, Kylie will pull all the bathroom accessories, and then we all kind of group together and get pillows. We have a saying that you can’t have too many pillows.”
Once at a home, the staging process is foolproof after working together and sharing the bond of seeing a space come to life.
“It’s like instant gratification,” Mandy says after long hours of hard work staging a space. “At the end of the day, you see everything complete, and it just feels so good.”
Trista adds, “It’s like the pictures don’t even do it justice.”
One of the highlights of staging is helping people during such a stressful time. Moving is not for the faint of heart, and these ladies work tirelessly to relieve some of that pressure.
“It’s such a good feeling also knowing we’re helping them with a move,” Dane says. “It’s one of the most stressful things that you do, especially selling your home in a market like this.”
“You want a buyer to walk into your home and feel like it could be their home.”
"It’s like instant gratification. At the end of the day, you see everything complete, and it just feels so good.”