Having your listed home shown to potential buyers can feel a lot like a job interview: regardless of what you are offering, there is no coming back from a bad first impression.
While there is only so much you can do to the home’s exterior to get it ready for an upcoming viewing, the interior can be creatively designed rather expeditiously, allowing you to put your home’s “best foot forward” and create that memorable first impression to put it at the forefront of prospective buyers’ consideration sets.
The following list offers some interior design ideas to help you stage your home.
#1 – Give Your Kitchen Surfaces a Facelift
Many realtors believe that kitchens sell homes, especially to families that have numerous hungry mouths to feed and will have people coming and going at all hours of the day.
As such, you can have a wonderful, spacious kitchen that has energy-efficient appliances and conveniently designed cabinets, but if all that buyers remember are the cracked, stained, and frumpy-looking countertops, the whole house suddenly loses its gleam.
Therefore, in order for your kitchen to stand out to buyers, you must have beautiful surfaces smiling back at them. Look into quartz countertops cost to help give your kitchen, regardless of its overall condition or functionality, a stately appearance.
The nice aspect of countertop replacements is that they can create a wowing transformation in your kitchen while not requiring much time to install, with some replacements getting completed the same day they are started.
#2 – Add Functional Barriers to Unflattering Spaces
Even the most wonderful homes will have certain aspects that require a little “makeup.” If this is the case for you, consider adding a decorative screen panel to help veil the blemish without completely sequestering an area of your home.
Not only do decorative panels come in classy designs that can really mesh with the overall ambience of your house, but they allow for normal ventilation and the flow of natural light, making for negligible changes to your utility costs. They are also much more inviting than drapes, which can send a “Do Not Enter” vibe to those on tour.
Some ways to creatively use panels to enhance a staging include:
- To veil awkwardly positioned windows in older and/or historic homes
- To make a facade for any unfinished areas
- To make multiple “rooms” out of spaces that may be considered too large
#3 – Match the Handrails to Other Interior Colors
The quality of a home’s design can be top-notch, but if nothing matches, it will come across as tacky.
To this effect, look into getting some custom home handrails installed to help your stairs match with your countertops, cabinets, and/or living room furniture. While this renovation is quick and cost effective, it can make a world of difference in the minds of those touring your home.
#4 – Feature Your Natural Light to the Fullest
Making use of natural light has become a major trend in home design, with roof and oversize windows all the rage among contemporary designers and architects. Not only does free-flowing natural light help reduce electric costs, but it gives an overall more pleasant feel to living spaces.
Therefore, when staging your house, you will want to maximize what natural light you have available. Use the following tips to make natural light stand out during a showing:
- Make sure all blinds and curtains are open
- Add plants to window panes or other locations where they can catch direct sunlight, as this will increase the natural vibe
- Remove unnecessary furniture and other clutter to open up spaces to feature light flow
Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.