An interior design professional will suggest design fixes by looking at several areas in your interior with a keen and quick eye.
They will look at your interior to identify an easy flow from one space to another, well-designed focal points, clean surfaces, and good light. These are key areas that can help your home look more attractive to buyers.
However, you can identify whether your interior design will help or hinder the sale of your house in the absence of professional advice.
Simply make a few fixes, with minimal, if any, investment by considering these three design mistakes.
Clutter: Look at the space from the point of view of a potential buyer.
Even the cleanest home may look cluttered, but you may not notice it in your own home. A cluttered environment will have scattered, unfiled papers, magazines or books, too many items on display, and even too much furniture. Simply put, the usual business of living in a home may add to clutter.
To help, take a look at the space from the point of view of a potential buyer. Will they see your clutter or will they be able to envision themselves in your home? If there is clutter, you may need to move some furniture and display items into storage, and get your papers filed away in a designated cabinet, before you put your house on the market. Sometimes, a simple rearrange is all that is necessary to help potential buyers envision themselves in your home.
Flow: An interior design professional will instinctively know if your home flows well throughout each room, and from room to room.
A potential buyer will, too. They will sense the lack of flow in your home, like a professional does, while they may not be able to name it. Ask yourself these questions, and so can you. Is there a clear path from one part of the the room to another? Can you walk to the focal point of a room without it feeling like you are doing an obstacle course? Can you mosey into the dining room without running into a blockade? If not, move some furniture around, or even remove to storage anything that seems in the way of getting around. If you feel stuck, ask a friend to help. Ask them, what seems awkward here? Move furniture to create clear and visible pathways throughout your home.
Light: Oftentimes, we light a comfy spot in a room to read or watch television, but what about the rest of the room?
The lighting is set up so we can see just fine and the room fits our needs. But, would it seem well-lit if you were standing on the perimeter or entryway to the room? Will a potential buyer have enough light to view the room to envision their furniture in the space, or is it just too dark? Here are a few ideas to help lighten up the room.
Add another table lamp if other seats need to be lit. A torchiere will light up a dark corner. To light up a focal point, like a fireplace, consider sconces. You can hang them yourself and plug them into a wall outlet, or, if you prefer, hardwire them by having them installed professionally. Adding light to the room is an important part of a well-designed space, however you choose to do it.
The bottom line? It helps to look at the space from the point of view of a potential buyer. Will they see your clutter? Is your favorite seat in the room the only well-lit space? You have the furniture arranged for your everyday living, but will they be able to envision themselves in your home? These are key questions for you to answer when putting your home up for sale. Consider the three fixes to help in the preparation of selling your home. Proper staging helps sell homes faster and closer to the asking price.
