CHARLESGATE Blog

5 Interior Design Trends for 2016 To Excite Your Buyer

Written by Michael DiMella | Jan 2, 2016 5:00:00 AM

When the time comes to sell your home, you may be focused on getting the best price possible for it and selling it as quickly as possible. These are among the most common goals that sellers have, and the good news is that you can improve the likelihood of achieving these goals when you follow a few helpful tips. Staging your home is a great way to generate the results you desire, and these hot staging tips can boost interest from buyers. 


Make Small, Thoughtful Changes 



Many sellers think that they must remodel or redecorate their entire home in order to make it stand out from the others on the market. While you could spend a small fortune remodeling and upgrading different features, a better idea is to make small, thoughtful changes to your home. It is often the smaller accessories in a space that can add significant style. For example, switching to a more fitting custom framing for the pictures on the walls for whatever look you might going for, or changing out a few older light fixtures with newer, more stylish features can breathe new life into your space. 

Position the Furnishings Strategically


Many homeowners have areas of the home that are not used for their intended purpose. For example, a front formal living area may be used as a kids’ play room or a study. A bedroom may be used as an exercise room. While this may be functional for how you and your family live, it can confuse buyers. For example, when a buyer tours a home that is marketed as a four-bedroom house with two living areas, they will expect the home to be displayed as such. It can be confusing to a buyer to tour a home marketed as this but that is staged with three bedrooms, a home office, a playroom and one living area. It is best to remove furnishings that can confuse a buyer about the intended purpose of the rooms in the home and to adjust furniture so that it matches the use. If necessary, leave rooms empty rather than furnish them in a confusing manner.


Remove Heavy Drapes


If you ask Barter Design, they will tell you, heavy drapes can be dramatic and stylish, but they can also block natural light from entering the space and can make the space look smaller than it is. Removing heavy drapes and opening blinds will allow natural sunlight to filter into the room, and this can create a brighter, airier feel to the space. You can also clean your windows and remove screens to enhance the results. In some rooms, leaving sheers on the windows and pushing them to the side can yield wonderful results as well.

Use Pedestal Sinks in Small Bathrooms


Smaller bathrooms can be a challenge when you are selling the home. Consider that two or more people may attempt to stand in a bathroom at the same time when touring your home, and small bathrooms can easily feel claustrophobic. A smart idea is to replace a larger cabinet and sink combination area with a simple pedestal sink. Thinks can be an attractive addition to the space that frees up floor space. This is a rather affordable upgrade to make that can add value and style alike. Keep in mind that buyers will pay attention to storage space in the bathroom as well. If there is not a linen closet available, consider adding a hanging shelf or cabinet. Placing this over the toilet is a smart idea that works well in many bathrooms.

Update the Fireplace


A beautiful fireplace can b
e a true selling point in many homes, but ugly or dirty fireplaces can be an eyesore that detracts from the desirability of the entire home. First, carefully clean the fireplace with soap and water as well as a scrub brush. This will remove the soot and grime that has accumulated on it over the years, according to office cleaners in Toronto. The interior should also be thoroughly cleaned, and you can clean the grate or windows as well. In some cases, simply cleaning it will yield amazing results. However, in other cases, additional work may be required to improve its appearance. If your budget allows, you can replace an older or outdated material with new options, such as tile or even a stone veneer option. Another idea is to paint the existing bricks or stones with an attractive color. This can give a white-washed effect that is lovely and eye-catching.

Improving your home and getting it ready to sell could cost a small fortune and take a lot of time to complete. However, by focusing on a few distinctive areas of the home that are likely to receive a lot of attention from buyers, you can position your home to sell more quickly and for top dollar.

Reference: Elizabeth Gordon Studio.