One of the first questions we ask a seller is simple: are you still living in the home, or has it already been vacated? The answer changes almost everything about how staging is approached.
Staging a Vacant Home
Vacant properties get a full furniture and styling install — every element you see is brought in specifically for the campaign. This gives full creative control over layout and buyer appeal, which is why our fuller packages (Signature Edit and Gallery Edit) are generally best suited to vacant homes. For safety and to protect styling pieces, pets are usually excluded from vacant packages.
Staging an Occupied Home
For homes people are still living in, our Hybrid Edit blends your own furniture with selected staging pieces to elevate what’s already there, rather than replacing it wholesale. It’s a lighter-touch, lower-disruption approach built specifically for real life continuing around a listing campaign.
Sometimes if a piece isn’t working for the space (dated, the wrong scale, or worn), we’ll flag it and suggest either removing it for the campaign or storing it elsewhere in the home, out of view for photography and inspections. We’ll always discuss this with you before anything is moved.
Is Partial Home Staging Cheaper?
Often, no. It is a common misconception that keeping some of your existing furniture makes the staging process cheaper. We can only indicate this once we complete an on site consult.
In reality, The Hybrid Edit is a highly specialised design service. Rather than working with a blank canvas, our team must meticulously curate our luxury inventory to flawlessly match the scale, style, and colour palette of your existing pieces. Additionally, installing premium staging inventory around a family currently living in the home requires significantly more logistical planning, careful handling, and time on site. You are investing in a bespoke, editorial integration, rather than a budget shortcut.
The Nightly Reset Option
For occupied bedrooms in particular, styled soft furnishings are for display only during inspections and photography — with a simple nightly or before viewing reset routine so the room stays completely liveable day to day, and is re-styled again before the next showing.
Not sure whether your home needs a full vacant home staging or a partial home staging? Get in touch and we'll recommend honestly based on your situation.
What About Pets and Damage?
Unlike vacant packages, pets are permitted in a Hybrid Edit under certain conditions, since we understand most Perth households include one. All home staging projects have a Bond paid in full before installation, regardless of how you’re paying for your styling package. This covers potential cleaning and damage.
The bond rate is low for vacant properties (circa $150) but increases for occupied staged homes as the risk of damage and need for cleaning is much higher – especially in homes with pets or young children.
If the inventory doesn’t require cleaning (eg pet hair or stain removal) AND there is no damage beyond normal wear, then the bond is fully refundable within 14 days.
Where cleaning is needed or damage beyond normal wear is identified (eg pet hair, stains, tears, marks breakages or loss) then a cleaning, repair or replacement cost is deducted from your Bond reflective of bringing the item back to professional home staging presentation standards. For this we are happy to provide an itemised breakdown and photos. Any remaining Bond is refunded within 14 days.
Where damage exceeds the Bond, the balance is invoiced separately, due within 7 days.
Which Approach Is Right for You?
The right choice usually comes down to a few practical questions:
- Have you already moved out, or are you living there through the campaign?
- Do you have pets or young children in the home?
- What’s your budget and preferred timeline?
- Does the property already have furniture worth building around?
Let's Elevate Your Listing
Perth home staging that turns buyers into offers
We curate beautiful, market ready spaces designed to captivate buyers and maximise your final property sale price. Connect with our property styling studio today to ensure your property launches to market flawlessly.
