Room Theory

10/25/2026

A little Sunday afternoon furniture project! 😊

Today I'm giving some tired tabletops a little TLC for a friend!

They had definitely seen better days, with scratches, watermarks, and years of wear.

Now here's the fun part! 🤭
After watching a few furniture restoration videos, I decided to try something different...ACETONE!
And let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it removed the old finish! 🙌

The next step is a little sanding, and then we'll decide whether to stain them or leave that beautiful natural wood color.

Personally, I'm leaning toward keeping them lighter! But we'll see what my friend thinks. 😉

Sometimes giving an old piece of furniture a second life is just as satisfying as buying something new! ❤️

Stay tuned to see how they turn out!

10/19/2026

Lasting shifts

Warmth and collected character are becoming a design baseline. Houzz’s fall report, based on interviews with nearly 50 design professionals, points to warm wood, earthy colors, layered textures, and vintage details. For staging, one distinctive repurposed piece plus softer textiles can make a room feel inviting without making it feel like the seller’s personal space.

houzz.com
Show the home’s everyday usefulness. The same report highlights flexible layouts and long-term livability. Make the room’s purpose clear—like a small desk in a spare room or a reading spot in an awkward nook—while keeping walkways open.

houzz.com
Short-lived; borrow lightly
Jewel-tone maximalism and deep-green “forestcore” are seasonal style directions. Inman’s September 11 trend roundup suggests trying these through pillows, throws, greenery, or a carefully edited tabletop. They’re easy to remove if the look feels too specific for a listing.

Inman Real Estate News
Market note: NAR’s October 13 report showed September sales rose 1.5% month over month, while inventory reached 1.60 million homes. NAR says higher inventory and longer market times are giving buyers more negotiating power—so staging should clarify a home’s comfort and function, while REALTORS® check local pricing and competition.

nar.realtor
Three takeaways
Use a warm, textured base and add just one or two vintage or repurposed character pieces.
Give each room a clear purpose buyers can understand from the listing photos.

Keep seasonal colors in easy-to-swap accents, and pair staging advice with the REALTOR®’s local market data.

10/17/2026

☕️🏡 SATURDAY COFFEE & SHOP TALK WITH ROOM THEORY!

Good morning, everyone! 👋❤️

Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and let's talk houses! ☕️

I thought it might be fun to start something new here at Room Theory! A little Saturday morning conversation about buying homes, decorating, and home staging. I'll also share a few things that go through my mind when I'm staging a home!
But I want to hear from YOU, too! 🤭

🏡 FIRST UP...LET'S TALK HOME BUYING!
When you're looking to purchase a house, what kind of home are you looking for?

🏠 A starter home?

❤️ Your forever home?

🔨 A fixer-upper to flip for profit?

🤔 Or maybe you're not house hunting right now, but you know exactly what you'd want!

🛋️ TODAY'S ROOM: THE LIVING ROOM!

Two different living rooms, two different layouts!
When I'm staging a living room, I consider the size of the space, furniture placement, and how the room will function.

Whether it's a large open area or a smaller cozy space, my goal is the same...to make it feel comfortable, inviting, and somewhere a buyer can picture themselves living! ❤️

Now take a look at these two living rooms I've staged.

Which one would YOU feel most comfortable relaxing in? The open and airy living room in photo #1 or the smaller, cozy living room in photo #2? 🤔

There's no right or wrong answer! We all have different tastes, and that's what makes decorating so much fun! 🤭

I'd love to hear your answers, thoughts, and questions!

Remember, SHOP TALK is a two-way conversation! ❤️

Thanks for joining me for our very first Saturday Coffee & Shop Talk! ☕️🏡

10/15/2026

👋👋 A BIG WELCOME to all my new Room Theory followers! ❤️

I'm so happy you've decided to follow along! I wanted to take a minute to say hello and thank you for being here! 🥰

For those of you who are new, Room Theory is my little adventure in home staging, decorating, and getting creative with just about anything! 🤣

If you have a little time, I'd love for you to scroll through some of my previous posts. You'll see homes I've had the pleasure of staging, decorating projects I've tackled in my own home, and my newest addiction...creating faux floral arrangements and gift packages! 🌸

I love sharing my projects, ideas, and sometimes even my decorating dilemmas! 🤭

And to ALL my followers, both new and longtime friends, I'd love for you to get involved! ❤️ Please don't hesitate to ask questions, share your thoughts, or engage with my posts! Whether it's a decorating question, an opinion on something I've shared, or just a little friendly conversation, I want to hear from YOU! 🥰

And remember, we don't always have to agree when it comes to decorating. Where's the fun in that?! 🤣🤣

Whether you're here for inspiration, ideas, or just to see what I'm up to next, I'm glad you're here!

Again, WELCOME to Room Theory! ❤️

10/12/2026

Lasting shifts
Comfort and authenticity are edging out showroom perfection. A NAR home-stager’s 2026 outlook points to natural textures, gentle curves, and a few vintage or repurposed pieces that make a room feel personal. For staging, that can be as simple as adding tactile layers and one character piece while keeping the layout easy to read.

Strong photos and the right rooms still matter most. NAR’s 2025 staging survey found 83% of buyers’ agents said staging helps buyers picture a home as their future home. Agents rated photos, physical staging, and video more important than virtual staging; living rooms and primary bedrooms ranked highest for staging priority.

Short-lived or use selectively
Wallpaper patterns and specific fall colors are seasonal signals, not a reason to redo a whole listing. A Thumbtack survey reported current interest in wallpaper and warm greens, browns, and taupes. For a staged home, borrow those colors in easy-to-swap accents; save bold wallpaper for a small, suitable area.

AI-edited listing photos are drawing more scrutiny. NAR reported in August that states and MLSs are tightening guidance on altered images. A useful REALTOR® conversation: check the local MLS rules, label virtually staged photos as required, and keep the images faithful to the home’s actual size, condition, and features.

Three takeaways
Prioritize the living room and primary bedroom when a seller’s budget is limited.
Add warmth with texture, restrained color, and one or two distinctive pieces from your staging inventory.
Offer REALTORS® a photo-ready staging plan, and remind them to verify local disclosure rules for digitally altered images.

10/11/2026

👀 A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK! 🏡
Whew! Yesterday was a busy day for Room Theory! 🤪
Another home staged and ready for its next chapter!
This one gave me an opportunity to have a little fun with different colors, textures, and styles. From cozy little corners to pops of personality, it's all about creating spaces that feel warm, welcoming, and inviting. 🥰
Here's a little peek at some of the details!
Stay tuned for the full reveal! 😉❤️

10/03/2026

A little Saturday project at our house! 💚

My husband gave our front door a fresh coat of paint today, and I’m loving the change from black to green! It’s amazing what a little color can do to completely change the feel of an entrance.

Tomorrow…the back door gets its turn! 😆

What do you think—are you Team Black 🖤 or Team Green 💚?

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

You’ve seen the staged homes…but have you seen where the magic is hiding? 🤣
Welcome to the not-so-glamorous side of Room Theory! Lamps, pillows, throws, books, artwork, vases, greenery and allllll those little pieces that eventually find their way into a staged home.
And this is just the decor! The furniture? Yeahhhh…that had to find a different home because apparently my garage has limits. 🤣🤦‍♀️
It may look a little chaotic, but when I’m pulling a room together, I LOVE digging through all of this and finding just the right pieces. ❤️