LAS VEGAS – The difference between an empty house and a sold home often comes down to imagination, or the lack of it. Fiorenza Bilak, founder of Stage The Space, LLC, has built her Las Vegas staging business around addressing what she calls the “visualization gap” that affects most homebuyers.
Seven years ago, Bilak’s husband struggled to sell a property he was flipping. The house sat on the market until Bilak suggested using furniture she’d collected to make the space more inviting. The results were immediate: three over-asking offers arrived the same day the staging was complete.
That experiment launched Stage The Space, which now provides staging services to real estate agents, investors, and builders across the Las Vegas valley.
The 83% Problem
Bilak references a statistic from the Real Estate Staging Association that shapes her entire approach: 83% of people cannot visualize how to use empty spaces. For sellers, this presents a significant challenge.
“When 83% of your potential buyers are walking into a property, that’s an enormous number to gamble with,” Bilak explains. “Our job is to provide answers to potential buyers rather than raise questions.”
The inability to picture furniture placement, room function, or how a space might accommodate daily life makes unstaged homes harder to sell. Professional staging removes this barrier by showing buyers exactly how they could live in the property.
Industry data supports the approach. Staged homes typically sell faster and at higher prices than unstaged properties, with appraisers often assigning higher values to staged homes.
Overcoming Cost Concerns
Despite documented benefits, Bilak encounters regular skepticism from sellers who view staging as an unnecessary expense rather than an investment.
“Many don’t realize that skipping staging can end up costing more in the long run,” she notes. “Properties that linger on the market continue to accrue mortgage, tax, and maintenance expenses, often far exceeding the cost of staging.”
To address financial barriers, Stage The Space recently partnered with Notable to offer a pay-at-closing option. This allows clients to defer payment until the property sells, eliminating upfront costs.
Strategic Design Approach
Bilak’s staging emphasizes neutrality and broad appeal. Spaces are designed to resonate with the widest range of buyers while maintaining a polished, editorial aesthetic.
Furniture and décor are selected to match each property’s scale and style. Large spaces receive oversized art, while smaller rooms get appropriately sized pieces to avoid overwhelming the area.
A distinctive element of her work is the incorporation of biophilic design, bringing natural elements into staged spaces. “Neurologically speaking, it helps human beings live better, behave better, feel better, heal better,” Bilak says, pointing to research on nature’s positive effects on wellbeing.
Digital Storefront Integration
Seeking to add value for buyers, Bilak partnered with furniture platform From Where to create a digital storefront. Properties staged by Stage The Space now feature QR codes that direct visitors to her curated collection, allowing buyers to purchase the furniture and décor they see in staged homes.
“I’ve always dreamed of having a digital storefront, but I never really knew where to start,” Bilak says. The partnership turns staged homes into live shopping experiences, extending her design expertise beyond the property viewing.
Industry Education
Beyond staging projects, Bilak teaches a three-hour continuing education course on home staging for real estate agents through the Real Estate Staging Association. The course provides agents with three credits toward license renewal and the RESA CSA (Certified Staging Advocate) designation.
Her goal is to equip agents with tools to advocate for staging and incorporate it as standard practice rather than an optional add-on.
Market Coverage
Stage The Space operates throughout the Las Vegas Valley, from Lake Las Vegas to Pahrump, staging homes across all price points. The company adjusts inventory and design to match each property’s market segment.
“While we specialize in high-end properties, we stage homes at every price point,” Bilak explains. “Our inventory reflects that. And for luxury properties, we bring in the high-end pieces that elevate the space.”
As buyer expectations evolve and competition increases in the Las Vegas market, Bilak sees education as critical to wider staging adoption. She notes that her most successful agent clients are those who understand staging and use it consistently.
“Staging shouldn’t be thought of as an optional resource,” she says. “It’s a proven strategy that helps homes sell faster and achieve higher returns.”
Through strategic staging, technology partnerships, and industry education, Stage The Space works to bridge the gap between vacant properties and successful sales in the competitive Las Vegas real estate market.