So I’ve watched about 6 episodes of this new program and I have mixed feelings about the show. In case you’re not familiar, the gist of the show is that Stager, Lisa Lynch, has 8 hours and $1000 to stage each home which includes minor renovations. She mostly uses the homeowner’s things to stage and buys new accessories and furniture, as needed.
What I like:
• Lisa has a high energy personality which is good for TV
• Lisa does a good job of explaining what home staging is
What I don’t like:
• The march of the Staging crew in the beginning of the show - that’s pretty hokey and a complete rip-off from Extreme Makeovers Home Edition (bigger impact when you have hundreds walking v. the smaller group)
• The drama surrounding the timeline
• The timeline is SOO unrealistic - there’s no way that they can completely vacate a property, pack all the homeowner’s belongings, paint, put in new flooring, lighting, do other “repairs” and stage within 8 hours…how do I know, because I’ve staged and managed renovations of enough homes in the last few years
What doesn’t make sense:
• How can you paint walls and furniture within 8 hours (and usually those projects don’t start at the top of the hour) and have them “dry” in time so that you are able to hang art and physically handle the furniture?
• Did you see the episode where at the last minute they found the master bedroom closet doors and they sanded, painted, and hung them just in time? And in front of a closet FULL of clothing? Like those doors would have been anywhere near dry enough to be handled in real life.
I’m always in favor of getting the public educated about the benefits of Staging Your Home to Sell, but yet again, it’s another program that is not a true reflection of Home Staging in the real world.
What do you think of the show? Share your comments with me.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Alice,
I am so glad you did such an accurate review of yet another show that TV has given potential clients, convincing them that their project can be done within an unrealistic timeline and for next to nothing $$. I have been a strong advocate against this because it truly impacts the ways clients feel work is truly done and dumbs down the skills that make our jobs so important. I really hope there will be more “truth in advertising” and better depiction of staging and design on these channels soon!
Alice, I agree with your comments about the host of the show. She’s a perfect choice to do this - attractive, dynamic and a real home stager with a real business (I love her Dad too!). And I also agree it is completely unrealistic to get all of that done in 8 hours. I wonder if the timeline is “faked”. I am sure Lisa is there before the staging day, planning what she needs to do. The show makes it look like she just walked in the house for the first time, and minutes later her crew shows up ready for work. Also, we now have another show that says staging costs can be kept to some low dollar amount, in this case $1,000, because it completely ignores the cost of labor. The upside is that it shows how and why homes need to be transformed before they go on the market. The additional upside is that it’s on TLC, spreading the word about staging to the general public, and not on HGTV which attracts a more specialized audience.
The timeline has to be “adjusted” somehow because I just can’t see how else they can swing all those projects in 8 hours. We need a reality show…a true depiction of life as a Stager…you want drama, we’ve got drama! =)