How 2 Stagers Transformed a Sunroom into a Retro Lounge

If you think that staging a home for sale always means blanketing the space in white or gray paint, then the colorful makeover of this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Pasadena, California, just may change your mind. 

When Daniel Coffman and Jacen Crehan, owners of Staged Spaces, took on this project, they were tasked with preparing a much-loved family home of 30 years for today’s buyers. “The home had many dated finishes, but there was little deferred maintenance, as these homeowners truly loved their house,” Coffman says. Because the home was in good condition, Crehan, who was also the listing agent for the property, decided to embrace the home’s retro vibe. Their goal? “To make the home feel fresh again and to give the idea of modern life existing quite comfortably there,” Coffman says.

Throughout the home, the stagers kept all the existing doors and windows and left the kitchen and bathrooms untouched. Instead, they updated the flooring and lighting throughout the home and gave most rooms a fresh coat of paint. 

In the dining area and expansive living room, Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy added a dose of dramatic color that works well with the existing fireplace and kitchen and tied the spaces together. That left a neglected sunroom that Coffman and Crehan knew they could turn into a major selling point. “Spaces that are a little funky need one thing above all: purpose! Once buyers see a room with a dedicated use, they appreciate the addition of the space and consider it a benefit,” Coffman says.

To turn the dreary sunroom into a space where buyers would want to spend time, Coffman and Crehan leaned into a punchy, retro vibe. “We took big risks on an electric color scheme that felt playful,” says Coffman. They kept the existing woven shades but added orange drapes to bring energy to the space and downplay the dated walls and windows. 

An unattractive ceiling fan was replaced with a transitional globe pendant that complemented the room’s high, angled wood ceiling. “We chose that fixture to feel modern and fresh, but also appropriately retro,” notes Coffman. A trio of electric green comfy chairs with throw pillows in a fun orange-and-white print created a casual seating area perfect for reading or entertaining friends. “What was a dingy afterthought of a space is now an adult weekend lounge space,” Coffman says. “Making this room a memorable spot on the home tour added loads of value to this listing!”

Within a week on the market, the home sold for $50,000 over the asking price — a number which far surpassed the amount the sellers spent on staging and improvements. “Sellers that enter the MLS with the mindset that buyers have the ability to ‘see through’ the challenges of the space are doing themselves a disservice,” explains Coffman. “A home is the single most expensive thing most people will ever purchase. Having your home staged professionally provides for the most impactful buyer experience.” 

Thanks to a combination of bold colors and furnishings that embraced, not fought, the home’s retro vibe, this home impacted buyers in the best possible way.