First impressions always matter. In fact, prospective buyers will form an opinion on your house within the first 7-10 seconds of stepping inside, make sure your interior design welcomes them in and makes them want to see more to increase your chances of making the best sale.
When selling your home, it should be in some sort of order for a quick and profitable sale. In most cases, people don’t want to splash the cash on redecorating the entire house to make this possible and that’s perfectly fine. There are, however, a few interior design principles that don’t cost a penny that should be applied to the whole house. Three rooms, in particular, could make or break your sale- the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom.
Needless to say, stylistic preferences depend on each prospective buyer. A general rule of thumb here is to stay true to your style but also think about appealing to the widest possible market. It is imperative to present your home as a blank canvas to potential buyers can see the space and effectively envision themselves living there.
The best way to achieve this is to adhere to the minimalist style throughout your home. The principles of minimalism require minimal furnishings, ornaments, color and anything of an acquired taste. The key to best presenting a house for sale is to tidy, declutter, clean and neutralize every room. But do remember that there is a balance to be struck. Sometimes less is just less- which isn’t necessarily how anyone wants to envision their homes.
Whilst the living room, kitchen, and bedroom should be coherently clear, neutralized and inviting; these rooms should also be given special care and attention to when preparing for the sale. Research shows that the outside space or garden area ranks higher in importance than the bathroom- despite the size of the property.
1. Livingroom Interior Design
This room makes first place in the order of priority as it is typically the room the most time is spent in. Not only will it be the room in most use after the sale, but according to new research, potential buyers actually spend 1.5 times longer looking at the living room in a three-bedroom house in comparison to other rooms when viewing a property.
Bare this in mind when preparing to showcase your living room. Rule number one of home staging is to remove all clutter. Make sure that it’s out of sight. This could mean storing it elsewhere or even recycling it. Each surface and all floors should be clutter-free.
Once your living room is stripped down to the bare essentials- you can begin to strategically stage what’s left. Make optimum use of the space available to you and make it easy for your home visitors to be able to see themselves living there.
Cool neutral colors are the safest bet and if you’re serious about making a quick and profitable sale, you will be sure to paint any walls that could be subject to personal preferences. Once your walls are fresh, try out a rug to add color and comfort to the room. This should be done to tie the room together, make it more inviting and transform it from a room on display to a livable area of relaxation.
2. Kitchen Interior Design
The second room of which to focus your decorative efforts is naturally the second room in which people spend more time. The kitchen is important for other reasons too that of the living room. It is a room of function and should be shown in a way that highlights its key features.
Your kitchen doesn’t have to be the biggest, most high-tech one on the market. It should, however, be the cleanest and most functional. Behind the scenes in the kitchen should all be in sound working order. It’s not uncommon for a prospect to test the taps and any additional lights. They even often open dishwashers- make sure it isn’t full of dirty dishes. Make sure they’re working well and then proceed onto the design of your kitchen.
If you have an open adjacent room to the kitchen, like a dining area- try to connect them with similar colors and seamless decor to give the illusion of greater space. One way to tie the two rooms together is by using a long rug if possible. If space doesn’t allow this, consider using matching rugs in each room.
Like the living room; all clutter, food, and appliances should be put away. However, buyers will want to see a usable kitchen space. By bringing in a small table and chairs, the use of this space is automatically evident.
Use a few alternative decorative objects in your kitchen design. A few cookbooks and small ceramic ornaments draw attention to shelf-space without overcrowding the shelving. If you have any original features in your kitchen, use earth-tone colors to compliment them. For example, granite counters and travertine tile will illuminate your updates but work alongside any original components.
3. Master Bedroom Interior Design
Alas! The room we all rush home to get to at the end of each day. It’s a special space and is held in special consideration when viewing new homes. Of equal importance as the living room and kitchen, staging your master bedroom is essential to making a good impression on your prospective buyers.
Key here is to make sure you haven’t over-filled the room. Consider taking some furniture out to make it appear roomy. Show your viewers that the master bedroom has the space and capacity to be styled and utilized in a way that suits them. Fundamental to good interior design is the use of space. A good way to make a bedroom appear larger is to replace a king-size bed with that of queen size.
When thinking about colors- remember that bedrooms are cozy safe havens that we retreat to at the end of the day. Soothing and serene colors will encourage potential buyers to feel like they’re entering into your safe and cozy retreat. Bedroom wall colors are less about the latest trends and all about the psychology of colors.
Once you’ve mastered the master bedroom, and your living room and kitchen are staged, the rest of the home should be clean, tidy and in order. For good measure, check up on your garden and bathrooms. The importance of interior design is extended across the entire house. Whilst the garden and bathroom may not hold the same weight in influencing buying decisions as the other rooms do, they could be what makes or breaks your sale.
