How to: Top 10 tips of styling for sale

So, your property is meticulously renovated and it’s finally time to put it on the market.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to a professional stylist then you need to pull out all the stops to have it looking amazing for the marketing photos and inspections.

The aim is to let potential buyers see themselves in your home through clever styling and planning. It’s about creating a space that is strong in style yet neutral enough to allow people to visualise how they would personalise and use the space. So here are 10 top tips pulled from our Interior Design For Profit course for you.

1. Don’t overuse colour

Colour is a personal preference that differs greatly from person to person. Keeping a neutral palette with small pops of colour (say a wallpapered feature wall or colourful accessories) will appeal to the broader market. And here’s a good tip: when painting the interior, paint the north side in your selected colour, then paint the south side in the same colour but half or quarter strength. This way it will visually appear the same colour throughout, allowing the darker rooms to stay light and bright. The same paint can look very different in rooms with lots of light and none at all.

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2. Try to be gender neutral

This is more important in children’s bedrooms, however it applies to the whole house. By making the space too feminine and girly OR too stark and masculine, you are potentially alienating half of the purchasers. If you are styling a kid’s bedroom, for example, stay neutral enough so that potential buyers can visualise it according to their family makeup. A good example is a neutral w all colour with feature colours, such as teal and yellow, rather than blue or pink in cushions or a chair etc.

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3. Style your house for your target market

You’ve done your research and completed your renovation, so by now you’ve hopefully figured out who your target buyers are. So now you’re aiming to create the best impression for this target market, whether it’s families, couples or say empty nesters. It is important to constantly refer back to this to ensure you hit that market, and sell for the most you can. 

4. Let the accessories be the accents

Artwork, cushions, mirrors or throws are a great way to add interest, texture and colour in a room without going overboard. They allow the room to remain neutral, with the accessories becoming the accents. Resist falling for the bold-coloured lounge!

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5. Something fresh for the kitchen

One of the most cost-effective ways to make a house feel welcome and inviting is to have fresh fruit. No one may actually be living in the property, however a bowl of fresh fruit, such as green apples or limes, adds a great punch of colour in a kitchen, while making the space feels lived in. It’s a simple but effective styling tool; just remember to keep them fresh and replaced.

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6. No wrinkles please!

Don’t think that your curtains and bedding will become flat and wrinkle-free by themselves. It’s important to have the iron or steamer ready as you are styling and get rid of those creases! It sounds funny, but this small detail is actually very important, otherwise attention will be falling on unsightly wrinkles.

7. Be careful of furniture placement

Position your furniture slightly off the walls; don’t think by jamming lounges or dining tables hard against a wall that it will make the room look bigger. In fact the opposite is the case, as people will notice they are ‘squashed in’. Instead, buy the right-sized pieces to work in the space, and allow air around all the furniture. You’ll create a much better flow through your home.

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8. Create layers in your styling

To create a more inviting space, layer with art, cushions, throws and rugs to provide different textures, which add warmth and interest to any room. For artwork, one oversized print leaning against a wall with another smaller placed in front can look creative and provide a modern take to an older space.

9. Simple styling in the bathroom

A new quality bar of soap or liquid soap container, fresh towels, a simple succulent in a small bowl by the side of the vanity of bath, a perfumed candle in a subtle frangrance… Think of setting it up as a welcoming space you might like to spend time in yourself. Elegant yet simple styling can transform any bathroom into a relaxed space.

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10. Fresh flowers as a finishing touch

A beautiful spray of fresh flowers doesn’t just look magnificent; it will have your place smelling like spring. Think a lush bunch of white lilies, maybe even wild roses, or if you’re lucky enough to find them in season, peonies. They’re that final touch come inspection day that really creates an inviting place.

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Want to learn ‘How to apply interior design to increase property profit’? Register for a FREE 1 Hour Webinar Masterclass with Celebrity Interior Designer James Treble now.

 

Want to learn more? Register for a  FREE 2.5 Hour Property Masterclass  near you or check out more tips and tricks on how I completed the two most key rooms in any property:

 

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3 Comments

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