This time of year I tend to be hooked on home staging as more homes are put on the market. So, just in case you’re thinking about selling, here are some handy tips to help your home show big!
In general, buyers prefer open floor plans. But what if your home doesn’t offer an open floor plan? Fear not! There are ways to help your home show bigger without the expense (and mess) of knocking down walls.
It’s all about flow, traffic and purpose.
Flow: First, to make a home flow better visually, select a set of light, coordinating colors that play well together. For example, paint your living room ivory, your kitchen a pale earthy green and your dining room buttery gold. Need inspiration? Check out coordinated paint charts at your local hardware store. Or browse a fabric store and find a pattern with a mix of light, airy colors that look good together.
Then pick a dark neutral to tie the rooms together, such as espresso brown or traditional black. Use this anchoring accent color throughout the rooms in picture frames, candlestick holders, area rugs, etc.
Rooms that flow comfortably back and forth have an open, more spacious feeling than individualized rooms with uncoordinated (or too strong) colors. You want the buyers who tour your home to feel a natural and logical entrance into each space.
Traffic: That brings me to the next strategy for stretching your square footage. Make sure there is ample space for a logical traffic pattern in and through your rooms. Don’t make buyers walk around furniture to get through a room!
First, carefully edit the amount of furniture in your room. Chances are, you could pull out one-third to one-half of what is there (that includes any knick knacks). Then arrange what is remaining to allow for generous walk-through space. Hint: with less furniture in the room, you have more options to angle furniture, which as a great tool for guiding traffic!
Purpose: Finally, each room should have a clear purpose that is immediately evident to a buyer. Don’t expect a buyer to be able to visualize a use for an ambiguous space. This is especially true of bonus rooms or finished basements. Why not define a space as an office, library, media room, or guest quarters? Providing a clear use for every bit of space leaves buyers with the feeling that the home is more than large enough to fit their needs.
Bonus: One last bonus tip – minimize your window coverings as much as possible! Natural light brightens and enlarges a space beautifully!
Need a little help getting started? Hire a professional home stager to provide you with a consultation report before you list your home. After all, you only get once chance at a first impression!
5 comments
i agree with you, hiring a professional home stager can really make things easier for you.
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So true Terry! Touring a home for sale is creating a performance. Hey, maybe that’s why it’s called staging!
Traffic patterns is so right. I’m not sure if I can do it myself but the pro’s I’ve used always worked the traffic. An it was more than just room to walk, it was the changing view as you walk, and the sense of destination – of something that attracts you to move through the house.
.-= Terry Kearns´s last blog ..Atlanta’s New Urban neighborhoods -been there? =-.