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13 Home-Staging Secrets

Whether you're designing to sell or designing to dwell, here's how the home-staging pros get that "I have to have it!" look — and how their tips and tricks can make your own home look like a million bucks.

By Leah Hennen
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10. Paint It Black
« 9. Use Color Creatively | 11. Rearrange Your Art »
Using white-painted furniture is a tried-and-true tactic for freshening a room, but don't forget its opposite: a coat of satiny black paint can revive tired furnishings and lend a chic, dramatic flair to just about any space. "Painting an old piece black immediately updates it," says Michael Friedes, Nest Home Design stager based in Oakland, Calif. "We use black in staging all the time. It has a graphic quality, provides contrast and makes a real impact." Designer Andreas Charalambous uses a black table and frames to add sophistication to this corridor.

Not only does black work with every other hue, it makes the colors surrounding it pop, and melds with most any decor, from vintage to ethnic to modern. The key, as always, is moderation: Use black as an accent in picture frames, lampshades, accessories and small pieces of furniture. "The big black leather couch of the '80s is black gone awry," Friedes warns. Get more ideas for decorating with black from top designers.



1. Make an Entrance

2. Conquer Clutter

3. Less Is More

4. Float Furniture

5. Mix It Up


6. Repurpose Unused Rooms

7. Let Light In

8. Light It Up

9. Use Color Creatively

10. Paint It Black


11. Rearrange Your Art

12. Accessorize With Threes

13. Bring the Outdoors In


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