In short
If the home is empty when it lists, you need vacant staging: a complete furniture and décor package from $2,595. If you are living in the home while it sells, you need occupied staging, which restyles what you own and adds key pieces from $1,150. Not sure which, or whether the home needs staging at all? The $195 consultation answers it with a written plan.
What is the difference?
Vacant staging furnishes an empty property from scratch. We design each key room, deliver brand-new furniture, art, rugs, lighting and accessories, install everything and remove it after the sale. See the full vacant home staging service.
Occupied staging starts with the furniture you already own. We edit, rearrange and supplement it with our pieces so the home photographs and shows at its best while you keep living in it. See occupied home staging.
How do I decide in one minute?
- Will the home be empty on listing day? Yes: vacant staging. Empty rooms photograph small and buyers struggle to judge scale, so a full package earns its keep.
- Will you be living there during showings? Yes: occupied staging. It keeps your daily life intact while fixing the flow, clutter and scale problems buyers notice first.
- Do you mainly want advice on what to do yourself? Book the $195 consultation: an in-home walkthrough with a written room-by-room plan.
What is the price difference?
Occupied staging starts at $1,150 for a 1–2 bedroom home and vacant staging at $2,595 for a 1 bedroom condo. At each size tier the gap is the cost of the furniture package and the crew that delivers it. Both include the 6-week initial term, and both renew on the same terms if the listing runs longer. The full size-by-size table is in our Vancouver staging cost guide and on the pricing page.
When does vacant staging win?
- The seller has already moved, or the property is an estate, investment or newly built home
- The rooms are open-plan or unusually shaped and buyers need help seeing how furniture fits
- The listing is competing against other staged homes in the same building or neighbourhood
- Photos matter most: a vacant package gives the designer full control of every angle
In the NAR 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers’ agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualise a property as their future home. Empty rooms are where that visualisation gap is widest.
When is occupied staging enough?
- You are living in the home until it sells and cannot move furniture into storage
- Your furniture is in good condition and mostly the right scale; the issue is arrangement and clutter
- Only a few rooms need help, typically the living room, dining area and primary bedroom
- You want a lower-cost option that still gets the listing photo-ready
What if I am still not sure?
Send us the address and a few photos through the quote form. We will tell you which service fits, what it costs and when we can install, within 24 hours. If you would rather walk the home with a designer first, the $195 consultation gives you a plan either way. Before install, run through our home staging checklist so the home is ready on the day.