11 Home Products and Furnishings That’ll Make You a Total IKEA Staging Believer
- Published on
- 6 min read
- Presley Attardo Contributing AuthorClosePresley Attardo Contributing Author
Presley is a Seattle based writer covering interior design trends, home improvement, and market updates. She has lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., giving her a unique perspective on the diversity of U.S. real estate.
Oh, IKEA. You’re so affordable, stylish, and convenient. And trust us when we say: All the traits that made you fall in love with the Swedish retailer when you decorated your first apartment will sweep you off your feet once more when you stage your home for sale.
Staging with IKEA products is an easy, low-cost way to increase your home’s marketability and even boost the sale price. According to HomeLight’s top agent insights survey 67% of real estate agents agree that staging increases the sale price of a home to an extent and 83% believe a staged home sells faster than an unstaged home.
“The whole purpose behind staging is to get the most amount of money out of the home in the least amount of time possible,” shares top real estate agent David Batty who sells properties 72% quicker than the average agent in Philadelphia.
To guide you through IKEA’s endless maze, we’ve curated a list of their best products that professional home stagers secretly (and not so secretly) love. Our list also includes styling advice informed by expert Janet Lorusso, an interior designer and professional stager with 25 years of experience in the Greater Boston Area and over 1.6 million monthly views on Pinterest.
Without further ado, here’s our 11 best IKEA staging pieces:
Product name: EKTORP
Product description: Covered loveseat
Price: $379
Why stagers love it:
This simple sofa for two is available in several neutral colors — beige, dark beige, dark grey, and white — and works in almost any living room. Lorusso comments:
“It’s a timeless design — it’s just a very generic shape. It can be contemporary or classic or whatever you need it to be.”
How to use it for staging:
Arrange two these loveseats around a fireplace, one off to the left and one off to the right. Then connect them with a rectangular coffee table. Or, stage two of the loveseats individually in arrangement with a larger couch or two armchairs. Match EKTORP to any room’s color palette with decorative accent pillows and a soft throw.
Product name: FLITIGHET
Description: 18-piece dinnerware set
Price: $19.99
Why stagers love it:
This classic white dinnerware set includes a set of six plates, side plates, and bowls for an unbeatable price. Staged place settings help buyers envision eating a delicious meal at the table (even if it’s just take-out). Table settings also add texture and color to the room, providing an opportunity to integrate accent colors from the kitchen or living room.
How to use it for staging:
Lay out a maximum of six place settings, even if your table seats more — you want the dining room to feel spacious and low-maintenance. Skip the flatware, glassware, serving dishes, and salt and pepper shakers for a simple, sophisticated look. For a touch of warmth, place a colored napkin and one of these placemats at each setting:
- SOARÉ: Light, woven hyacinth perfect for summer staging
- IHÅLLIG: Natural braided seagrass, suits farmhouse and rustic interior design
- PANNÅ: Dark teal plastic for modern and contemporary styling
Product name: LANGESUND
Description: Round mirror, 31 1/2” diameter
Price: $49.99
Why stagers love it:
Round mirrors are hot, hot, hot at the moment and LANGESUND’s affordability makes this trend even more exciting. Stagers strategically place mirrors so rooms appear bigger and brighter. Round mirrors also contribute curved lines to offset rectangular furniture and countertops.
How to use it for staging:
Hang LANGESUND in the dining room, over the fireplace, above the entry table, on the wall in the living room, or over the bathroom sink.
Product Name: HILLESTED
Description: Patterned, low pile rug 7’ 10” x 9’ 10” (also available in 5′ 3” x 7’ 7”)
Price: $249
Why stagers love it:
This neutral rug anchors in your living room. It also pairs analogously with real estate agents’ top recommended paint color, Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.
How to use it for staging:
Pull furniture off the walls and place them around the rug. Depending on the size of the rug compared to the room, the back legs of furniture can either rest on or off the rug. Place a coffee table or ottoman in the center for a balanced, enticing setup. For warm-toned living rooms, opt for VANTORE, a beige alternative.
Product name: ALLANIT
Description: Glass based table lamp
Price: $54.99
Why stagers love it:
ALLANIT updates nightstands and side tables to contemporary standards with its transparent beveled glass base and simple white shade.
How to use it for staging:
Place a pair on bedside tables in the master bedroom or symmetrical side tables in the living room. You can also use ALLANIT as a statement lamp in the entryway or for a reading nook.
Product Name: GLADOM
Description: Black tray table
Price: $19.99
Why stagers love it:
GLADOM’s simple Scandinavian design is highly versatile, suitable for almost any interior design style. Lorusso shares, “I’ve used this little metal tray table for a million things . . . It works as a table and a pair of them works as a coffee table. Two of them work as bedside tables. They work for everything.”
How to use it for staging:
Fashion the surface (which functions as a removable tray!) with a pair of magazines or books, a coffee cup and saucer, or a small house plant.
Product name: HENRIKSDAL
Product Description: Parson chair
Price: $105
Why stagers love it:
Parson chairs are a must for staging a dining room. They add volume and upholstery to the space, balancing the hard, structured presence of the table. Choose from cream, white, gray, or teal or slip on matching chair covers for even more options. For a more traditional design, HENRINKSDAL’s sister GRUVBYN features a rounded chair back.
How to use for staging:
Stage only four to six chairs to prevent the table from feeling crowded. Push chairs into the table, leaving a 10 – 12” gap for a relaxed atmosphere. For a lighter look, place HENRINKSDALs at the long ends of the dining table, mixing them with wood dining chairs at the table’s side.
Product name: REMSTA
Description: Velvet armchair
Price: $159
Why stagers love it:
This statement piece adds a “wow factor” to your living room or study that buyers will remember. Velvet, especially jewel toned velvet, is trending in design from couches to headboards. REMSTA adds the perfect amount of flair to otherwise neutral staging.
How to use it for staging: Place REMSTA in the corner of a room with an end table or next to a neutral sofa for a pop of color. Play up the blue-green hue with a coordinating pillow on the adjacent sofa or with abstract wall art of similar colors.
Product name: KRAGSTA
Description: Round coffee table, black
Price: $99
Why stagers love it: Round, simple, functional, you can rely on KRAGSTA to pull together any living room. This coffee table is super easy to put together and is fairly sturdy (as far as IKEA furniture goes) with solid wood table legs.
How to use it for staging: Surround KRAGSTA with a couch and armchairs for a timeless, intimate arrangement. Adorn the surface with fresh flowers in a glass carafe and a pair of staggered coffee table books. For a more contemporary finish, KRAGSTA also comes in the form of nesting tables which may be used together as a coffee table or as a side table next to an armchair.
Product name: INGOLF
Description: Crossed back solid wood chair
Price: $49
Why stagers love it:
Available in white, brown-black, and gray, INGOLF chairs perfect an eat-in kitchen. Their graceful, familiar design suits a wide array of interior styles and won’t distract buyers from your kitchen’s most important features like its granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
How to use it for staging:
Place a maximum of four chairs at a small kitchen table. Top with MALINDA or JUSTINA chair pads to soften the look.
Product name: GAMLEHULT
Product description: Rattan ottoman with storage
Price: $69
Why stagers love it:
GAMLEHULT’s small, woven design adds warm texture to a space without taking up precious square footage, making it ideal for smaller living rooms and lounge areas.
How to use it for staging:
Style in front of an armchair, next to a low profile couch, or as a coffee table. Fill the inside with magazines or a neatly folded blanket.
IKEA staging is #winning
Professional stagers agree that when it comes to stylish, affordable staging decor, IKEA absolutely brings it. So take a stroll through their endless showroom, get some staging inspiration, eat some meatballs — your next shopping spree may just add to your bottom line.
Header Image Source: (chuttersnap / Unsplash)