Home staging is about illusions. It's how David Copperfield would sell a house. It's beyond decorating and cleaning. It's about perfecting the art of creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy it.

Contrary to what you might think, it's about more than preparing the house for sale. Staging is what you do after you've cleaned, decluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it's all about dressing the house for sale.

It's about adding the small details: the lipstick, mascara and, for simplicity, a stunning, single strand of Tahitian pearls.

What is a Professional Home Stager?

Professional stagers are highly skilled artists.

They can take a blank canvas and paint a sensuous portrait without ever lifting a paint brush. Stagers possess the skills of a top-level designer and they create dramatic scenery that appeals to all five senses. Here are some of their secrets:

• Arrange sparse pieces of furniture in an appealing grouping known as a vignette

• Showcase a generous usage of soft fabrics such as silk, lambswool, satin

• Display unusual knickknacks in units of 1, 3 or 5

• Drape window coverings with simple lines

• Add unique elements to shelving, bookcases and fireplace mantels, which draw attention to predetermined areas

What Accessories Does a Stager Use?

Stagers bring in a vast array of items to spruce up the house. Here is a small sampling of items professional stagers often use to dress each room. How they are utilized is limited only by the creativity and vision of the stager.

• Mirrors

• Plants

• Silk Flowers

• Floor & Table Lamps,

• Area and Throw Rugs

• Small Love Seats

• Ottomans

• Afghans

• Pillows

• Inflatable Queen-Size Beds

• Baskets

• Plastic Tables & Chairs

Professional Staging Tricks & Tips

An artist for 25 years, David Johnson, is an Accredited Staging Professional Master (ASP) and owner of Dallas Staging Solutions. He says the idea behind staging is to allow rooms to show themselves. "If your home is vacant, it's soulless," David warns. "Without staging, it will probably remain on the market for many months." He calls the kitchen the "heart of the home," and offers this practical advice for making that space sparkle:

• Apply orange oil to cabinets that appear dry, which will renew their original luster

• Put out large bowls of fruit such as polished apples, bright oranges, luscious grapes

• Arrange colorful and fun cookbooks on the counters

David believes in bringing the outdoors inside through the use of greenery and plants; in creating clean, crisp spaces and arranging furniture with plenty of room to walk around. He says bathrooms are essential to dress well. "Bathrooms should look open, airy and delightful," says David. One of his favorite tricks is to add baskets filled with spa treatments such as:

• Towels, tied with ribbons

• Scented soaps

• Creamy lotions

• Moisturizing & Facial jars

The back yard needs staging, too. For patios and decks, David brings in plants and potted flowers, and adds additional color by setting the picnic table with bright, plastic dinner plates.

How Much Does it Cost?

Home staging has been prevalent for years command higher prices. Some real estate agents help sellers Stage^® the home themselves. Most listing agents agree, however, that vacant homes show better with staging and will encourage sellers to hire a professional stager. Fees range from $500 to $5,000 or more, depending on square footage and the number of rooms staged.