10 Tips For Staging Your Home
First impressions are vital, particularly in a competitive London market. If you're considering listing your home, the initial impression it makes on a potential buyer or tenant can make all the difference between a speedy transaction, or a property that lingers on the market for months.
Luckily, there are some simple, yet effective ways to stage your home and show off your property in its best light. Tyrena Dangerfield, Head of Refurbishment & Interior Services, shares her top tips for staging your home.
- Front door, garden & hallway
Your front door is the first thing that potential buyers will see. Be sure that your front door is freshly painted, with welcoming flowers alongside the door. Polish the door furniture, door pull, letter box – these are easy cost-effective items to change and polished nickel, chrome or bronze look fabulous. Window boxes are easy enough to re-plant if they're looking slightly tired. Most importantly, make sure that everything surrounding the front of your property is clean, clear from leaves and tidy.
Some great options for plants include olive trees, hydrangeas or well-cut topiary trees.
If potential buyers or tenants are viewing your property at night, make sure all your outdoor lights are working, and they should be the same tone. Try to make it light and welcoming, and don’t use cold white bulbs - warm white is so much more welcoming.
- Kitchen
The kitchen is the hardest working room in the house and needs to be organised, tidy and clean! De-clutter your cupboards (they may decide to open them...) and get everything categorised and stored accordingly before a viewing. This goes without saying, but dirty dishes don't leave a good impression!
- General cleaning
Clean the windows, wash the floors, open the windows and get some fresh air moving through the house. Light a scented candle and create a homely, warm environment.
- Decorate
Who doesn't love some DIY? Gloss paint has made a comeback as it bounces light around and really uplifts small spaces. Take stock of your furniture and decorations and give them a fresh lease on life if you need to.
- Change wardrobe and doorknobs – low-cost, high impact changes!
Do not have clothes spilling out of wardrobes, it's really not a good look. Clear out, donate clothes you do not wear anymore and keep your wardrobe neat and tidy as buyers will have a look inside!
- Carpets
This is one of the most important tips. If your carpets are marked, then have them cleaned or change them. There are some exceptionally good 80% wool/20% nylon carpets around at good prices.
- Tidy, tidy, tidy!
Make your bed, pull back the curtains, put your clothes away! Tidy up the hallway and put everything back where it belongs. If you have lots of shoes, then baskets with everyone’s initials on the front works well for clutter. Don’t leave too much lying around the house as it highlights a lack of storage.
- Green fingers & gardens
Pot plants really zing up a room as they add life, colour, CO2, and they are very reasonably priced. Adding a few to your home can create a truly lovely atmosphere.
Tidy up your garden, weed, get rid of old broken chairs, BBQ's and plant up some pots with plants or edible veggies as these look fantastic when they start flowering in May.
- Mantlescaping
Simple, yet so effective! Make the mantlepiece really appealing and decorate it beautifully.
- Minimise personal possessions
Too many photos or belongings can be overwhelming and distracting.
Need some help with your property? Call in the experts!
Douglas&Gordon's Refurbishment & Interior Services is one of London’s leading refurbishment companies. Our service covers every aspect of a London property refurbishment project: from designing and updating your kitchen or bathroom, to replacing tired carpets and curtains, to handling minor home repairs.
Call us today on 020 7225 4496 or email refurb@dng.co.uk. Our talented team are ready to help.