Las Vegas interior designer Fiorenza Bilak has built Stage The Space, LLC into a successful home staging business by addressing a fundamental challenge in real estate: most buyers cannot visualize how to use empty rooms. Bilak's entry into the industry began seven years ago when she staged her husband's struggling property, resulting in three over-asking offers the same day.
The core of Bilak's approach centers on statistics from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) indicating that 83% of people lack the imagination to visualize spaces effectively. "When 83% of your potential buyers are walking into a property, that's an enormous number to gamble with," Bilak explains. Professional staging provides immediate answers about how buyers could live in a space rather than leaving them with questions.
Bilak emphasizes that staging doesn't just help sell properties but improves financial outcomes for sellers by shortening time on market and maximizing profit. "In most cases, staging encourages buyers to overlook flaws, and even appraisers tend to value staged homes higher than unstaged properties," she notes. Despite documented benefits, Bilak frequently encounters skepticism from those who view staging as a cost rather than an investment.
To address financial barriers, Stage The Space recently partnered with Notable to offer a pay-at-closing option, allowing clients to defer payment until the property sells. This eliminates upfront costs and makes staging accessible to more sellers. Bilak emphasizes that skipping staging often costs more in the long run as properties accumulate mortgage, tax, and maintenance expenses while lingering on the market.
Bilak's staging strategy emphasizes neutrality to appeal to broad tastes while creating polished, magazine-worthy spaces. She carefully selects furniture and décor appropriate to each property's scale and incorporates "biophilic touches" with greenery and organic elements. "Neurologically speaking, it helps human beings live better, behave better, feel better, heal better," Bilak notes, referencing Singapore's hospital system where biophilic design supports patient recovery.
The company has expanded through technology partnerships, including with the furniture platform From Where to establish a digital storefront. Staged properties now feature QR codes directing visitors to Bilak's personalized storefront where buyers can purchase furniture and décor they see in homes, creating a live shopping experience.
Beyond staging services, Bilak teaches a three-hour continuing education course through RESA that provides real estate 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 as a standard practice rather than optional resource.
Stage The Space serves the entire Las Vegas Valley while limiting its service radius to maintain quality. The company stages homes across all price points, adjusting inventory and design for each property's market segment. "While we specialize in high-end properties, we stage homes at every price point," Bilak explains, noting that her team treats each listing as a unique project tailored to the home's size, style, and target buyer.
As the Las Vegas real estate market evolves with shifting buyer expectations and rising competition, Bilak sees education as key to wider staging adoption. "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 integration, and industry education, companies like Stage The Space are helping bridge the gap between vacant properties and successful sales in today's competitive market.
