About Selena Lake, Owner of Time to Stage
Pre-sale preparation
- A prioritized room-by-room plan, so you know exactly where to focus
- Colour and lighting guidance that makes every room feel fresh and inviting
- Optional coordination of repairs, painting and trades for a seamless, full-service experience
- A property that’s ready to list, photograph and show with confidence
Occupied staging
- You stay in your home while it’s staged for sale
- I edit, rearrange and style what you already own
- Carefully chosen accessories to add warmth, polish and personality
- Rooms that look larger, flow beautifully and photograph at their best
Vacant staging
- Empty condos brought to life with furniture and décor
- Helps buyers understand scale, layout and how each space can be used
- Ideal for estate sales, investor-owned units and owners who have already moved
- Stands out online and feels welcoming from the moment buyers walk in
Beyond staging
- Support for seniors and families in transition
- Move-in help so your new home feels settled and complete
- Business and commercial styling
- Room enhancements to refresh the spaces you live in every day
- Colour consultations covering your full palette: paint, cabinets, flooring and furniture
- Seasonal, holiday and party décor
Consultation
I start with a free call about your goals and timeline, then visit your property to map out my recommendations.
Preparation
I give you a prioritized plan of the updates that matter most, such as repairs, paint and hardware. For a seamless, full-service experience, I can also coordinate the trades, scheduling and quality control.
Showcasing
I place furniture, lighting, art and textiles so your property photographs beautifully and captivates buyers.
Sellers
- First-time sellers who want clear guidance from start to finish
- Downsizers and empty nesters ready for their next chapter
- Listings that need a fresh look to attract new interest
- Anyone who wants to sell with confidence and get the most from their greatest asset
Realtors
- Agents, teams and brokerages who want stronger listings - Learn more
- Homes that photograph beautifully and stand out online
- Reliable, on-schedule preparation that fits your listing timeline
- A fully insured partner, with a certificate of insurance available for your listings and condo boards
- Certified Staging Professional®
- Certified Color Consultant™
Investors
- Landlords and property managers preparing units for sale
- Vacant condos brought to life to attract more buyers
- Short-term rental hosts who want spaces that look their best
- Practical choices that respect your budget and return
Families in Transition
- Seniors and their families moving to a new stage of life
- Estate executors preparing a property with care and respect
- A calm, supportive process during a time of change
New Homeowners
New homeowners who want their space to feel settled and complete
Room refreshes for the spaces you live in every day
Basements, garages and outdoor living spaces made more functional and inviting
Colour consultations for paint, cabinets, flooring and furniture
Businesses & Venues
- Offices and showrooms wanting reception areas that impress
- Builders and developers showcasing model suites that sell the lifestyle
- Event planners looking for on-theme, guest-ready venues
- Hosts planning client receptions, staff celebrations or gatherings at home
- Special occasions, from holiday events to grand openings and milestones
Why Ottawa Sellers Choose Time to Stage
My goal is to help you get the most from your property. Through thoughtful preparation and strategic staging, I highlight its best features and create inviting rooms that photograph beautifully, so buyers connect online and the moment they walk through the door.
Every property has strengths and high-impact opportunities. I assess your home with a trained eye and recommend only the steps that matter most to buyers, listing photos and results, so your time and budget go where they count.
My recommendations are grounded in buyer-behaviour research and the Certified Staging Professional® methodology. As a Certified Color Consultant™, I also create cohesive colour palettes, from paint and cabinets to flooring and furniture, that unify your property and appeal to today’s buyers.
My approach is shaped by more than a decade of hands-on experience with homes and condos of every style and size: refreshing rooms, rethinking layouts, choosing colour palettes and supporting renovation projects, from kitchens and bathrooms to basements, garages and outdoor living spaces. That experience gives me a practical understanding of how spaces are built and how they function, and how small changes can make a meaningful impact.
As a Certified Staging Professional® and a member of the Real Estate Staging Association and its Ottawa Chapter, I follow the industry standards and codes of ethics of both organizations, so the advice you get is current, informed and honest.
Certified. Experienced. Insured.
My promise to you is simple: thoughtful, informed recommendations, grounded in professional training and recognized industry standards, and always focused on your goals.
- Certified Staging Professional®: advanced training in property preparation, buyer psychology and design methodology
- Certified Color Consultant™: professional training in colour theory and creating interior colour palettes, from paint and cabinets to flooring and furniture, that unify a property and appeal to today’s buyers
- Member, Real Estate Staging Association and its Ottawa Chapter: an organization focused on industry standards and professional development across North America
- 10+ years of hands-on redesign and renovation experience: refreshing rooms, rethinking layouts, choosing colour palettes and supporting renovation projects in homes and condos of every style and size, from kitchens and bathrooms to basements, garages and outdoor living spaces
- 15+ years in communications with the Federal Government, including event planning: deep experience in room flow, visual presentation and audience engagement, which now shapes how I present properties to buyers
- Bachelor of Arts in Communications, University of Ottawa: a foundation in how people perceive and respond to visual storytelling
- Fully insured: including $2 million in general liability and $1 million in professional liability (errors and omissions), with a certificate of insurance available on request
