It is a fact that styled properties sell for more and that is simply because the positive effects of a styled property make this one a desirable one. Simple, no? We used to brew coffee, bake a cake or toast some bread, thinking that was very clever marketing. The aim was to make the property welcoming, homely, and it worked. Nowadays however, the market is more demanding, shrewd and very attentive to what really matters, but if a renovation is not on your cards, then the next must-do is good styling.
The aim is to make a very good first impression as people walk through your property and a welcoming one for the largest number of people possible. Competition tends to raise the interest often resulting in better offers. So, taken directly from the Practical Design Online Course, here are a few practical tips to guide your styling, and it starts with making the property seem bigger.
FURNITURE
Squeezed in furniture gives the effect of a small room where there is not enough space to fit it all, so get rid of some. Bulky pieces of furniture take lots of visual as well as physical space and should be substituted with pieces of lighter design. Tall legged furniture will allow to see more floor area, increasing the impression of space.
DÉCOR
De-clutter all surfaces! Editing what is on show will allow for more visible surfaces. Uncluttered surfaces will create the impression of space being available, not the lack of it. The same applies to walls, where one large artwork or mirror will be more effective than a clutter of pictures.
STYLING
To help you choose the right pieces of décor give yourself a theme that suits the furnishing, and only display what fits; or stick to one colour to stand out and some complementary ones. Small pieces of décor will seem like cheap bric-a-brac unless they can be displayed as a group, so aim for the art gallery style to bring in a sense of elegance: sparse but significant.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has three decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to properties through effective design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information. More of James' knowledge is now accessible via Practical Design Online Course.