If you’ve ever sold your house, you’ve likely had a conversation with your agent about staging. Rooms should be clean and clutter-free, but still look livable. They should be inviting, but not too personalized. For high-end developers such as Ditto Residential, staging is important, but typically an afterthought compared to other concerns like, say, finding the right location, getting city approvals, perfecting the building’s design, and turning a profit. But for Ditto’s latest project—a pair of two-level condos at 1202 T Street, NW, which both hit the market today—staging was a primary focus. Callie Bruemmer, head of marketing at Ditto, along with CEO Martin Ditto, teamed with interior designer Evelyn Smith to build the look themselves. No generic rental furniture from staging companies allowed. They mixed vintage items from 1stdibs, with modern pieces from budget-friendly sources such as West Elm, CB2, and even Ikea and Overstock.com.
“When you see a space, especially in a photograph, a lot of the time all you see is the furniture,” says Bruemmer. “So we wanted to make sure the furniture had as much thought put into it as the actual house.” The timing made sense, too. Ditto has five more, similarly sized projects coming on the market in the next few months, so Bruemmer says they’ll be able to reuse the furniture and accessories they bought for these condos.
Take a look at the before and after photos below and decide for yourself if staging makes a difference. If you’re really smitten, call your lender. Both units have two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The upstairs one is listed for $1.5 million, the lower for $1.2 million.
The kitchen in the lower-level unit, viewed from the living room, before staging. All “Before” photos by Marisa M. Kashino.The living room and kitchen of the lower-level unit. All “After” photos by Kate Warren. Find her at gokateshoot.com.The lower-level dining room pre-staging.And after staging. The teak dining chairs are from Wisteria, the drum pendant from Rejuvenation, and the rug from World Market.Lower-level living room before.The staged version, with leather side chairs from 1stdibs, a custom coffee table, sofa from Room & Board, and media cabinet from Wayfair.Lower-unit master bedroom before staging.And after, with a headboard from West Elm, a rug from Wayfair, and side tables from 1stdibs.Now onto the upper-level condo. This is the living room before staging.Another before view of the living room.After, with club sofa from CB2, walnut side chairs from France & Son, coffee table from Dot & Bo, floor lamp from Y Living, steel media cabinet from Room & Board, and rug from Overstock.com.Upper-level dining area pre-staging.All set up, with a light fixture from France & Son, pedestal table by Viesso, chairs from Industry West, and a rug from Etsy.The upstairs guest bedroom before.Decorated with a bed from AllModern, rug from World Market, and nightstands from Wayfair.Upper-level master bedroom pre-staging.And with an upholstered bed from Wayfair, Saarinen-inspired side tables, lamps from France & Son, and hide rug from Cowhide Imports.The exterior of the building. Ditto constructed it from the ground up, on a rare empty lot in DC. During construction, crews unearthed the slab foundation from the original row house that stood here until it was torn down decades ago.
