Home staging can mean the difference between a quick sale and a home that sits on the market for months.  The living room is one of the most important rooms for staging because it helps to evoke emotions that make a buyer fall in love with your home.  When prospective buyers walk into your living room, you want them to be able to picture their own family cuddled up and relaxing together.  Staging the living room also helps buyers visualize their own belongings in the home and suggests ideas for how they can set the room up.  When it comes time to put your house on the market, here are a few tips to help you stage your living room. 

1. Revive Hardwood Floors
   Staging your homes means that you are accentuating your home’s best features so don’t forget about the floor!  Hardwood floors are a huge selling point for many buyers but they can also be put off by floors that look old and dingy.  Give your living room that “wow factor” by refinishing your hardwood floors. 
2. Clean or Replace Carpeting
   Again, your flooring can have quite an impact on buyers so you want it looking its best.  If your living room is carpeted make sure your carpet is clean and free of stains and spots.  You might be able to get away with a professional cleaning but you might also consider investing in new carpet for the living room.  Potential buyers love the idea of a move-in ready home and if they don’t have to replace carpeting right away it can be a huge selling point.
3. Give it a Fresh Coat of Paint
   A little paint can go a long way when it comes to staging your home.  Brighten up your living room with a coat of fresh paint.  Stay away from bright colors and go with something more neutral.  You can always add pops of color with accessories. 
4. Accentuate Built-Ins
   Buyers love built-in bookshelves but you want to showcase them in their best light.  You want to avoid filling them with clutter and stage them to sell instead.  Arrange items in clusters and choose neutral colors.  You don’t want any particular item to stand out too much.  Avoid personal items such as photos and children’s artwork and go with generic pieces instead such as pottery, books, and greenery. 
5. Light It Up
   Buyers will love a space that feels bright and cheery so you want to brighten up the living room as much as possible.  Avoid blocking windows with large curtains or pieces of furniture so you can let in as much natural light as possible.  Make sure there are a few lamps located throughout the room so you can turn them on for showings.  Use floor lamps to illuminate dark corners.
6. Create Conversation Areas
   Buyers want to see that a room is made up of useful space.  Arranging furniture in vignettes creates conversation areas and gives the room a purpose.  It makes buyers feel like it is a warm and cozy space that is inviting for guests.  They will be able to envision themselves sitting in one of the chairs with a cup of coffee. You want to avoid giant pieces of furniture that take up too much space and opt for a smaller sofa and chairs instead.  It will make the room appear much larger.
7. Make the Mantle a Focal Point
   Set a mirror over the mantle along with a few candles and perhaps a small basket to draw the eye to the fireplace.  It will bring warmth to the space and make the room as a whole feel much cozier.  Mirrors are also a great way to add depth and dimension to the room.
8. Add Colorful Accents
   Neutral colors for walls and furniture always work best but it is great to pair them with colorful accent pieces.  Choose some fun toss pillows or place a bright throw over the couch.  Bring in some greenery or a beautiful vase of flowers to add color and vitality to the living room