SA home stylists share their tips to help you sell or revitalise your property
Paying $4000 to get your home professionally styled ahead of putting it on the market could add $100,000 to your sale price. These are the experts who can help you pull it off.
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An “out with the old and in with the new” mentality when selling your home could add hundreds of thousands of dollars to your final sale price.
Novari Collective senior property stylist Jessica Jeffs said some form of property styling when selling was now commonplace, as vendors chase top dollar and a fast sale.
Her company’s packages start at $2500, with her clients’ median spend around $3800.
“You’re pretty much guaranteed a 10 per cent profitability on their property when styled, and in this market, I’ve styled a place that made $250,000 over the asking price,” she said.
“Anything from $20,000 to $70,000 over is common, and in this market at the moment my homes are sitting in the $80,000 to $100,000 over asking price range.
“To spend less than $4000 and to get $100,000 back, it’s really a sprinkle on top and it’s very much a no-brainer.”
Ms Jeffs acknowledged while market conditions certainly play a role in a final sale price, home styling presents a consistent visual aesthetic throughout the home, and helped prompt an emotional response in buyers.
She is just one of the go-to home stylists across Adelaide for those either trying to sell a property or simply revitalise their living spaces.
We’ve spoken to 10 of the best from across the city to share their experiences in the industry, as well as some styling tips and tricks to try at home yourself.
JODI COULTHARD
Art Department Styling
Instagram handle: @artdepartmentstyling
What makes a good stylist?
Attention to detail would be first and foremost in our minds and great spatial planning. Less is always more. We often see over styled properties which lack personality – they are all very cookie cutter and don’t highlight the properties key features.
If you want your property to stand out online (if you are selling your home), it needs to stand out for all the right reasons, not because of bold bright furniture choices or poor spatial planning. Beautiful, considered, quality furniture and beautiful art selections make all the difference in our eyes and why we are at the forefront of styling in Adelaide. We help achieve a higher sale price too.
Your favourite project to date?
Wow, now that’s a tough one, we get to style so many amazing new builds, by some of Adelaide’s best custom home builders. We styled a modern barn at Strathalbyn built by custom home builders Aaron Martin Construction, which we styled for the TV show Open Homes Australia. It has also been featured in magazines, and gained a bit of an Instagram cult following for its modern take on a luxury barn living. We also styled a display home for Custom Built New Homes, which also rates high on our fave’s list for its modern selections and design.
The most lavish project you have worked on to date?
We styled both of the sub-penthouse’s at the Adelaidean, which is Adelaide’s tallest residential building. The views from this sub penthouse were phenomenal. I wish I had that view to come home to after a long day at work.
What are you working on currently?
We are currently working on building designer Michael Foggerty of MF Building Design’s new office space on Unley Road and a project for Taylored Construction’s new home and office space. Because we offer art direction, furniture hire and styling, plus photography and video services for builders, we do see and style some of Adelaide's finest new builds, which is one of the best parts of what we do.
Your personal interior style?
My personal style is modern Australian with a nod towards Scandinavian design. We have so many amazing furniture brands at our doorstep here in Australia and as a GlobeWest referred designer we like to stay up to date with furniture trends. As we also position ourselves in the styling market as ‘on trend stylists’, keeping up to date is key to staying one step ahead of the game and our competitors.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
Avoid primary colours – your home should be a place to relax and feel comfortable. Softer tones are easier on the eye and evoke a more peaceful ambience. I like eclectic interiors, but this look is hard to achieve. Keep it simple, work on a three-way colour palette and choose items that give contrast to the hero items in your home.
My best advice for clients who are selling their home is to repaint and declutter. Paying an expert to come in and style your home for sale is money well spent. One of the key objectives with styling your property for sale is achieving a high number of views on real estate sites by making your property stand out ahead of the rest. You want every possible buyer to fall in love with your property and styling helps achieve this, as it creates that emotional connection.
Like Coco Chanel once said, “less is always more”. When it comes to styling and at Art Department Styling, this is a motto we live by.
SUE STROBEL
Studio 2 Home Styling
Instagram handle: @studio2_homestyling.
What makes a good stylist?
Creating a bespoke look that connects potential buyers to a property. We bring a level of flexibility, style ideas and techniques to every job we do.
Your favourite project to date?
We recently worked on a beachside project for Chad Cornes, which was an impressive contemporary build, with plenty of indoor/outdoor entertaining space. The client was open to all ideas to accentuate the sale of the property including renovating key sale features of the property.
The most lavish project you have worked on to date?
Studio 2 styled a two-storey penthouse property in REALM Apartments with five bedrooms, three kitchens, three living areas and a bar …. This property had a rooftop entertaining area with 360-degree views of Adelaide. Needless to say, it was towards the ‘higher end’ of budgets but slid in under the $10k mark.
What are you working on currently?
The current market is fast and hot, we have many projects on the go from beachside through to the Adelaide Hills.
Your personal interior style?
I don’t have a specific style preference, but at the moment I sway between the monochrome New York loft style to the soft palette of a relaxed costal feel, I often find I draw my inspiration from unique pieces and build around that.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
Keep furnishings neutral and introduce colour and texture through art and layering. This gives you the option to create a different style on a whim and within a budget.
JESSICA JEFFS
Novari Collective
Instagram handle: @novaricollective
What makes a good stylist?
A good stylist is an essential part of the marketing team when selling a home – our experience and knowledge allows us to support our clients through the sale process and maximise the return on their investment.
With a background in interior design and/or marketing, a good stylist can identify and highlight the property’s features and have a knack for making the best use of space and maximising the potential in each property.
They know the local real estate market exceptionally well and style according to the target audience, portraying the perfect lifestyle within the home to the prospective buyer.
They employ clever styling to create a striking interior while still appealing to a wide audience
They understand how a property will present photographically and online and create stunning images that convert to more interested buyers.
Your favourite project to date?
As a passionate stylist, it’s difficult to single out a favourite project as each one holds a special appeal. We are a partner with our clients through the sales process and the people, as much as the property, is what we love about our job. A memorable and enjoyable project from earlier this year was a quality built, family home in the heart of Norwood. Styled for Bronte Manuel, Toop + Toop, 81a Osmond Tce presented beautifully online and in person and resulted in very successful sales campaign for the owners.
The most lavish project you have worked on to date?
We styled 20 Duncan Rd, Beaumont recently. This exceptional property was a stylists dream. An impeccable, four-bedroom home set over three floors, nestled in the foothills of Adelaide. In a home of this quality, our premium furniture, art and décor coupled with meticulous attention to detail and sound knowledge of the market ensured it was presented impeccably. Outstanding styling allowed this home’s beautiful design, architecture and high end features to shine. With a vision for the home from consultation through to delivery, I was able to present the luxury lifestyle the property offered.
What are you working on currently?
With spring just around the corner and a very buoyant Adelaide market, we are busy preparing homes for market. Our outstanding property styling coupled with our pre-sale preparation trade team, enables us to deliver a complete solution to real estate agents and property owners seeking to enhance the lifestyle and market value of their homes. Now is the perfect time to complete any pre-sale maintenance or renovations to be ready in time for the spring market. We are also very excited to announce our new launched brand, Novari Collective, Australia’s largest end-to-end property styling, renovations and interior design company.
Novari Collective was born from the merger of three Property Styling companies, bringing together over 30 years of collective experience, knowledge and success. The word NOVARI in Latin means: “I make new, renew, refresh. I alter. I change.” Novari personifies what we stand for and aspire to across all our client projects.
We are a collective of interior designers, stylists and project managers who are leaders in our respective fields.
Your personal interior style?
Modern French provincial is my personal style, this décor presents a classic, sophistication engaging with timeless elegance.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
My top five tips when selling your home would be;
1. Declutter your home and remove any personal items so that buyers only focus on the lifestyle features of your property.
2. First impressions are so important – make it count, from street appeal through to the heart of the home.
3. Let the light in – pay special attention to lighting and natural light as this can have a huge impact on the overall feel of your home
4. Cleaning – Sparking windows, freshly cleaned carpets and pressure cleaning paths and driveways will show your home is well cared for and be welcoming to buyers
5. Transform your home with a fresh coat of paint and repair any scratches or dents to allow buyers to focus on the positive aspects of your property.
TAHLI BUDAS
The Styling Creative
Instagram handle: @thestylingcreative
What makes a good stylist?
A good stylist already has a natural flair for spatial awareness, composition and interior styles. Understanding your client is crucial as well as briefing and keeping up to date with all the new style trends.
Your favourite project to date?
Styling a newly built home by Adelaide Hills based and boutique builder, Chiselled Construct. It was very rewarding to be working with another passionate, South Australian small business, in such a beautiful space and seeing it brought to life with our styling.
Most lavish project you have worked on to date?
The most lavish project to date, would have to be styling and staging ‘The Millicent’ Display Home for Bradford Homes, situated in the Newenham Estate. The luxury and Hamptons style was an exciting brief to work with, as it allowed us to expand outside of our contemporary style we use for the real estate market.
What are you working on currently?
We are currently working on expanding on our stock and look, to reflect all the new styles and trends in preparation for a big spring and summer in the real estate industry.
Your personal interior style?
My personal style continually evolves with the new trends, but I will always be a minimalistic interior stylist at heart, with the addition of earthy and warm tones and accents.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
Your own home should always be styled to reflect your personality and to become your own little sanctuary. If you stay true to the style that resonates with you the most, coupled with on trend accessories, you will create a calming and inspiring space, that you will be proud of.
MONIKA TIRRELL
Presenting Beautiful Homes
pbhomes.com.au
Instagram handle: @pbhomes
What makes a good stylist?
A good stylist’s must be able to visualise what an empty space can become. They need good spatial awareness and an ability to put together items that enhance a space and make it appealing and inviting. It is also the skill to be able to mix and match products, it is possible to create beautiful spaces without breaking the budget.
Your favourite project to date?
My favourite project to date would have to be ‘Avalon’ (180 Mt Barker Rd, Aldgate – currently on the market). This amazing stone home is one of a kind and needed very specific styling and artwork (from a local SA artist) to bring the home to life. The more time I spent in the property the more I wanted to stay. It was a challenging project but so rewarding, I just loved it.
Most lavish project you have worked on to date?
The most lavish property I have styled would be ‘Elysian’ (9 Robe Terrace, Medindie). The scale and extravagance of this property is unparalleled in Adelaide and it required very individual styling. Again it was a challenge but the results spoke for themselves, the sale brought Adelaide’s highest ever price for a residential property.
What are you working on currently?
I have a number of properties I am working on, ranging from a cosy three-bedroom townhouse in the city to a sprawling four-bedroom home in Stonyfell and a five-bedroom new build in Frewville. I can’t give more detail as they are not yet on the market and I need to maintain confidentiality.
What’s your personal interior style?
I like many interior styles. Currently I live in an 1890 Bluestone Victorian home styled with a mix of traditional and contemporary, but if I was to build a new home from scratch I would love to build Mid Century home.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
I think that in your own home it is important to style to your tastes. If it makes you happy and comfortable then do it. Don’t feel like you need to follow the latest trends, it is more important to make your home a reflection of who you are. Include items you have collected in your travels, and the handmade items the children have made at school. These I feel all contribute to making a home.
KELLY TATE
Oscar & Willow
oscarandwillow.net.au
Instagram handle: @oscarandwillow_
What makes a good stylist?
Really listening to your client to get a good understanding of how they will use the space – it needs to be realistic and suit their lifestyle. It’s important to be sympathetic to the style of the home and work with existing architectural features to achieve the best result.
Your favourite project to date?
Styling a beachside holiday home at Carrickalinga with amazing views across the hills and ocean. We were able to achieve a light and bright, relaxed environment for a big extended family to enjoy their time away from the city.
What are you working on currently?
I am working on an exciting rural property in the Adelaide Hills. This original sandstone workers’ cottage has been newly renovated and given a contemporary update with all new furniture, lighting and decorative items.
What’s your personal interior style?
Japandi – a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian style. I like to keep things simple and neutral with combination of texture and layers. I love to mix vintage pieces with light, contemporary decor.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
Find a style that suits your personality and your lifestyle. Don’t always get caught up with ‘trends’ – keep it timeless and invest in good quality products/brands – they are worth it.
MARIE KARGIOTIS
The Stylist Loves
Instagram handle: @thestylistloves
What makes a good stylist?
Understanding what your client wants and delivering a space that is their personal style elevated.
Your favourite project to date?
A Mediterranean-style bathroom in a coastal home. Venetian plastered walls, brushed brass accessories and views of the city skyline.
Most lavish project you have worked on to date?
I’ve been lucky enough to work on a few:
1. An ensuite with rain shower and body jets. The shower tap ware alone cost over $7000.
2. A luxury yacht straight from the Paris boat show.
3. A full house renovation for a global supermodel.
What are you working on currently?
Two luxury kitchen renovations, a home office fit-out and multiple interior styling clients.
Also, my own property. It’s a Mid Century home getting a total renovation in a modern Palm Springs style.
What’s your personal interior style?
Classic black and white with a touch of glamour and coastal, and every room has something vintage. One of my favourite pieces at home is my disco ball because it represents that life is a party.
What’s your best tip for styling your home?
Always add your personality to your home. Bring out those photos you’ve been wanting to frame, memorabilia, items collected on travels, heirlooms or just those items that represent a personal memory or speak of what you love. These pieces are a reflection of you and are key to making your house a home. A beautifully styled home is nothing but a display home without your personality added.
BEL ATKINS
Fresh House Co.
Instagram handle: @freshhouseco
What makes a good stylist?
People might be surprised by my answer – I think it is so important that a property stylist is service-minded. And by that I mean you need to have a strong focus on providing great customer service. Getting a home ready for sale can at times be super stressful, so we always go above and beyond to make the experience as easy as possible for our vendors who are selling. Other than that, I’ll tell you what makes a fabulous stylist – an eye for stunning homewares and furniture, a can-do-attitude, the ability to pivot and an absolute truckload of coffee. Ha!
What’s your favourite project to date?
Earlier this year we did a part-style at the most majestic and bold home! It was called “Belvedere House,” a four-Bedroom bluestone beauty located in Goodwood. I have never seen a home so lovingly renovated, with such stunning and bold design choices. The kitchen cabinetry was enveloped in the most beautiful custom rattan cabinetry and there were beautiful black-steel-framed arched doorways throughout. Words cannot even describe the beauty and the charm. Every element in the home had been so carefully chosen. We spent every moment there in absolute awe. It was a design-lover’s dream.
What’s the most lavish project you have worked on?
Definitely “Belvedere House.”
What are you working on currently?
I’m just weeks away from launching ‘Seafarers Lodge’, a coastal air B&B in Middleton, which has been a blast to design and see come to life. It’s a stone’s throw from the surf, has roaring fires and nooks for sipping red wine and telling stories and is all about defrazzeling the frazzled. Something we all need in our lives right now. We’re also just wrapped up work on a waterfront mansion in Somerton Park. And when I say waterfront, I mean waterfront. We just shared the images to our Instagram and people thought they were looking at pictures taken inside a houseboat because the sea views were so glorious! It felt like you could practically touch the waves from the living room. An incredible project and it sold lightning fast. The vendors were so happy.
What’s your personal interior style?
I would describe it as contemporary, warm, fresh and sometimes a bit eclectic. I am obsessed with furniture from Sarah Ellison Studio, a designer based in Byron Bay. Everything she creates immediately goes to the top of my wishlist. I also adore vintage wares and am regularly collecting my Instagram purchases from Rach at Vintage Carousel in Bowden. Be sure to check them out.
What are your best tips for styling a home?
Take your time! What’s the rush? You are creating a sanctuary, a place you can truly adore and call your own. Yes, if you have the budget, you can rush out and fill it with all the latest on-trend homewares and furniture, but where is the soul in that? Take your time, choose meaningful pieces, artworks that tell a story and really speak to you and textures that you’ll want to run your hands over again and again. These are the things you will treasure, and keep for a lifetime, even if you choose to move or renovate. Mix these forever pieces with fun, on-trend homewares to keep the look fresh. And have fun! Styling isn’t a hard science, it’s a labour of love and something to relish!
JOANNE BENNETT
Homestyle Co
Instagram handle: @homestyleco
What makes a good stylist?
You need to be able to identify the property’s target market – it’s about styling and presenting to appeal to our buyer. It’s more than just putting pretty cushions on sofas, we need to make each space within the property feel as big as possible and functional. After more than 7000 stylings, I’ve learnt that the most important factor in the industry is empathy for my vendors as they are going through one of life’s most stressful events – preparing and selling a home.
What’s your favourite project to date?
I have been in the industry for 15-plus years and have had the privilege of working on some of Adelaide’s most stunning properties, too many to think of a single project.
What’s the most lavish project you have worked on?
Again I’ve been privileged to work on Adelaide’s finest homes, from penthouse, to beachfront mansions and stunning hills properties.
What are you working on currently?
In this current property boom our aim is to keep our styling projects and our trade makeovers working together to get the best possible results for our agents and their vendors.
What’s your personal interior style?
Contemporary and warm, very “homey”.
What are your best tips for styling a home?
Less is more, let the property shine, not the furniture and accessories. It’s important to declutter, use the correct sized furniture and position it correctly in the room to enhance it. I like the use of mirrors to show the buyer potential views – of a beach, hills or a pretty garden. They also make the rooms look big, bright and elegant.
KRUTI SHAH
Stellar Home Styling
Instagram handle: @stellarhomestyling
What makes a good stylist?
A good stylist is a true multitasker. They need to be able to listen to the client and understand their perspective and styling needs. They’re experienced in identifying a property’s demographic and can construct an interior style to suit, using the power of storytelling to showcase the lifestyle options for buyers. They’re someone who is detail orientated, can think on their feet and adapt to different situations.
What’s your favourite project to date?
We recently styled a sea-facing apartment on Glenelg Esplanade. It was one of our favourite projects where we were able to incorporate the vendor’s own surfboard to capture people’s imagination and showcase that enviable beachside life. Every time we style a new house it becomes our new favourite.
What’s the most lavish project you have worked on?
Recently we styled a huge villa at Brighton. A massive two-storey, four-bedroom home with gorgeous parquetry floors, custom design features and views to the beach. It was a dream to style and a real team effort. To date this was the most lavish project we have done.
What are you working on currently?
At Stellar HQ we’re working on building a great team. We are improving our processes and the effectiveness of our team members so we can deliver the best service to our clients. We’re really focused on creating a strong team environment where we support each other and work seamlessly as one.
What’s your personal interior style?
Our philosophy is to create an interior style which matches the needs of the house. We do not use a “one size fits all” approach. We have a “Home Centred Approach” where we look at the foundations of the home and craft a style that works to highlight its features. We’re always changing things up and evolving our style to keep our properties looking fresh. Our interior style is to bring the dream lifestyle to life. We love to work with different textures and patterns and aren’t afraid to mix in a bit of colour.
What are your best tips for styling a home?
Showcasing the lifestyle rather just the furniture, art and soft furnishings; always tell a story, a house isn’t a home until it’s got memories and a story behind it; and consistency is the key, when rooms feel like they belong to each other it creates a sense of harmony.
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