with Styling for Sale

I was asked, “Why bother doing the house up when you’re selling it?” To which my daughter chirped up, “because it will make you more money and sell quicker.” She is her mother’s daughter and has obviously picked up on the benefits of styling from listening to me recounting client transformations over the years.

As an example, when I was speaking to an estate agent about this property that I’ve been styling, he said there were two similar homes nearby that had just sold. The one that had been decorated and looked nice had an asking price of £30,000 more than the one that looked tired and drab.

With the popularity of Instagram and Pinterest, we’ve become more visual and have increased expectations to step inside a ‘done for you’ nice looking property.

A concern, when selling your home, is often, why can’t buyers see past your stuff and love your house just as it is? It’s because they have no emotional attachment to your home with all of your wonderful memories.

Most buyers are just looking at the amount of maintenance that needs doing and how much space there is, plus how easily they can they move in without having to spend their precious weekends doing it up. They just want to get the keys, unpack their boxes and enjoy their new life in your home.

So, before you put your property up for sale, one of the first things I recommend it to have a clear out and get rid of anything that you don’t want to take to your next home. It’s really cathartic to declutter because it puts you in the frame of mind that you’re ready to move. If you’re struggling with clearing out your things then have a read of Chapter 3 of my book – A Home To Cherish – because it will help you understand your clutter personality, how to let go of things that are holding you back and how to organise the things you want to keep.

The next step is to take a look around your home and make a list of RED FLAGS. These are items that will devalue your property and put a buyer off, or even make the buyer slash your asking price with a low offer.

BEFORE
STYLING FOR SALE

For the property I’ve been restyling for sale, here’s one of the bedrooms:

Is this going to entice your buyer to love your home, buy it straight away and offer you loads of money? Possibly not because there are too many red flags. Can you spot what needs to be improved in this room?

• Missing flooring and skirting boards
• Unattractive décor
• No furniture

To potential buyers, the room looks unappealing, small and unloved. They aren’t going to walk in the room and imagine themselves living there. The bedroom needed decorating with a neutral colour palette, replacing the missing skirting board, a new carpet (cheaper than wooden flooring) and furniture to create a double bedroom.

AFTER STYLING FOR SALE
– THE SLEEPING ZONE –

Looking at this transformation, that’s far more appealing to buyers, can you imagine yourself sleeping in this bedroom?

I replaced the blue walls with a neutral ‘Nutmeg White’ taupe colour from Dulux. It adds a lovely softness to the bedroom that’s appealing whilst making the room feel light and bright. To create a luxury feel for buyers, I added a soft neutral coloured carpet. This makes the room feel cosy and sumptuous when you walk on it.

For the furniture, that I bought from a second hand furniture store (Emmaus), I refreshed the drawers using a cream coloured furniture paint. This makes them feel a little more modern by reducing the amount of pine in the bedroom. To finish off, I styled the bed using crisp cotton bedding, a luxury Dorma throw with matching pillowcases and a selection of green cushions in various sizes.

The bedroom feels spacious, cosy and relaxing… a buyer’s dream.

AFTER STYLING FOR SALE
– THE WARDROBE + WORK AREA –

In the bedroom, I’ve also incorporated a wardrobe and a desk, that shows buyers the best use of space. They have somewhere for clothes and a place to work or use as a dressing table.

With the desk, I’ve painted the drawers but just varnished the natural wood work surface. This is a practical decision, for when it’s finally sold, because the desk top will get more usage and is liable to scuffs. The chair was from the dining room, but I recovered the seat with some leftover material from shortening the curtains. Using the same fabric in a few places helps to create a cohesive look for your room.

As the desk is the first thing you see when you enter the room, I created an interesting vignette on the dressing table with natural accessories. These natural grasses are very popular within interiors at the moment, so this adds a modern touch whilst creating an attractive first impression.

The property is now going up for sale and all of the estate agents have been very positive about the changes. They’ve all said that it looks fresh, spacious and attractive, recommending a high asking price. Let’s hope the buyers are as eager as the estate agents.

If you’re planning on selling your home or you’re struggling to get your asking price, let’s have a chat about how I can help to attract your perfect buyer who loves your home and make a great offer.

LET’S TALK ABOUT ADDING VALUE TO YOUR HOME WITH INTERIOR STYLING

Gwendoline

BIID Interior Designer & House Dr Consultant

M: 07841 519802