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From Home Furnishing Business

Meridian Furniture Expands to Staging Business to Help Drive Home Sales

August 7, 2025  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

“In today’s real estate market, when houses sit longer and are harder to sell, stagers who are able to give properties a competitive edge are more necessary than ever before,” said Michael Rosilio, president, Meridian Furniture. “Whether residential or commercial, it’s not just about achieving the highest sale price but also being able to achieve the highest market value price, and there’s always a return on investment for the seller when a property is expertly staged.”

One such success story is Birgit Anich, chief executive officer and creative director of BA Staging & Interiors, a Norwalk, Connecticut-based firm well-known for staging luxury properties in Connecticut, and New York’s Westchester and Putnam counties.

“We see a strong correlation today between interior design, marketing and generating profits and revenues for our clients,” said Anich.

She  began a relationship with Meridian two years ago at the High Point Furniture Market after seeing photos of their products in  industry trade publications. An artist and lifelong photographer in addition to being an award-winning home stager, Anich said she looks at Market showrooms through a different lens.

“I see everything in pictures and am already thinking ahead to how a room will photograph when I’m staging, and how the end result will appear in the real estate section or advertisement. When I first walked into Meridian’s showroom, the product line immediately struck me as more modern and artistic, with many pieces ideal for incorporating interest, and the extra ‘Wow!’ moments” she said.

Since then, Anich has been impressed not only with the trend-setting vibe of the furniture, but with Meridian’s “top-notch” customer service. Although BA Staging & Interiors maintains a 7,000-square-foot warehouse for its inventory, when the design team needs to order products, time is of the essence on staging projects that often require a one to two-week maximum turnaround time from start to finish, and sometimes even less.

With its large Trenton, New Jersey warehouse stocked with more than 12,000 skus available for immediate delivery, “Meridian was a great fit for us,” Anich said. “I’m not interested in vendors where I can find just one or two pieces, which often happens, but where I can satisfy multiple needs and create a long-lasting relationship. From the time I placed my first order, I have been very pleased with how quickly Meridian can deliver to us here in Connecticut. They are always accommodating and quick to respond.”

Additionally, Anich said the ratio of quality to price point is exceptional. “That’s very important to me because I can’t put something that looks cheap in a multimillion-dollar property. We design every single home specifically for the property and incorporate a lot of neuroscience principles into our projects using proprietary systems to work with the feelings and emotions that homebuyers have when they walk into a space. But in the end, it’s all about  playing the high-low game. Staging is not like interior design where you have higher budgets and longer timelines to accomplish a goal. You’re always working fast and on tight budgets, and Meridian has the sophisticated, modern looks that help us—and our clients—make money.”

Unlike other leading brands, Rosilio said his team is eager to work with stagers and interior designers and has set up tech platforms that enable them to see what is in stock, order directly, and pick shipping preferences to make their job easier. 

“The staging and interior design segments are filling the void left from small independent dealers who have consolidated operations or closed completely,” he added.