The kind of furniture you have in your home can either complement or distract potential home buyers. A couch or table in the wrong area or that does not match the theme of a room or overall home staging, can look very out of place. Furniture items that are also too big or overstuffed will make an area look smaller than it actually is, and this is not attractive to home buyers looking for more space because they have outgrown their current residence.
Most professional home staging strategies include changes, upgrades or additions to your current home furniture selection. 
Purchasing new furniture is not always necessary though, as there are options for renting furniture for home staging, or you can ask neighbours or extended family if they have any pieces they are not using which can be used to create a positive impression on buyers. In the property pictured here, the home seller did purchase newer pieces although they did so selectively in order to improve the impact the main living room area would have.
Some helpful tips in selecting your furniture for home staging:
- Avoid too much furniture. As mentioned previously, space is the primary consideration of potential home buyers. The pieces you have in your living room, dining room, kitchen, or bedrooms should be there to add value and style to the space, not be the center piece. Remove any furniture that crowds the area or does not serve any real purpose and store them off-site.
- Balance different textures and materials. When a potential buyer walks into a room full of wooden chairs, wooden desks, wood panels and wooden floors, it can be a bit overwhelming or worse, a turn-off for a person who does not particularly care for wood anyway. Balancing different materials makes it more neutral and appealing to more people with various preferences.
- Visualize a path in your mind, and prioritize a smooth flow. During showings or open houses, potential buyers will be walking around your home, touring the different areas. Furniture should not get in the way or make it difficult for people to move around. If the potential buyers keep bumping into the backs of couches or table edges, they would conclude that the home itself lacks space.
- Clean & Spotless. You might be surprised at how new and fresh your home furnishings would look if they are given a much-needed cleaning and maintenance process. Dusty shelves and soiled sofas are extremely distracting and signal poor maintenance; make sure everything is as clean and spotless as possible.
