Is your house is up for sale now or are you just starting to think about selling? Either way you’ll know that the market is much more ‘challenging’ than it was a year or so ago. Some houses come onto the market and sit there for a long time before being sold or withdrawn, others are on with one agent after another or several estate agents at once (oooh are they desperate or a motivated seller?), while others steadily drop their prices every few weeks. It’s not encouraging is it?
We won’t go over all the reasons why the market is as it is because there’s not much we can do about them; but we will give you some simple ideas to help make sure that your home stands out from the crowd and has the best chance of attracting a buyer.
For our ‘Belvoir The Collection’ homes, we provide a free of charge styling service where we’ll use all our know-how and accessories, to make sure that your home is presented in a way that will appeal to your target buyer (and we’ll help you identify that target buyer because you can’t appeal to everyone).
Re-arranging furniture and introducing some carefully selected accessories can transform even old and dull rooms, making them look fresh and on trend again, or at least acceptably retro.
Now, let’s explore our eight affordable styling tips:
1. FLOORING
Working from the bottom up, the floor is very important. Often, it’s only noticed if it’s in poor condition but why not draw attention to it?!
A big rug can completely change how a room looks by making it feel cosier and injecting a sizeable chunk of style and maybe colour.
While fluffy rugs by the side of the bed are always popular (somewhere to scrunch your toes when you’re struggling to motivate yourself to get out of bed in the morning!), and in 2023 vintage-style rugs have been in demand.
You can go for a simple flat rug with neutral colours that complement the room, or try layering rugs with different textures and bold contrasting colours.
Just avoid busy Persian-style rugs unless you live in a grand place like Downton Abbey.
The good news is, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a rug. Decide on a budget and stick to it. If you shop around, you can find a large rug, like an 8′ x 4′ for under £150.
2. CUSHIONS
Adding cushions to a piece of furniture is a simple and quick way to give it a fresh look and to add a dash of colour to a plain room.
Cushions add texture and let’s face it, in a cosy room, they can also subliminally say ‘let’s cuddle up and watch some telly’, immediately making your tired sofa look more inviting.
Yes, we all know that in reality, cushions on the bed will just get thrown onto the floor until the next morning, but if you walked into a swanky hotel and found the bed had just two pillows half covered by the duvet, you’d be disappointed, right? Right, so copy the hoteliers, they know what they’re doing!!
The current trend is for big soft cushions in simple colours that complement the overall room design but don’t be afraid to add a little colour and personality.
3. FLOWERS
Who doesn’t like a big vase of flowers? They always look pretty and they add a pleasant smell which is important when a viewer is walking round your home.
You don’t need to buy roses for every viewing, cheap and cheerful is just as good, and the important thing is to get the colour right for the room.
You can get some very nice faux flowers; these do cost more but could well be cheaper and are more convenient in the long run. Just remember to give them a little dust and a spray each time.
4. TOILETRIES
When taking photos or showing your home to potential buyers, the contents of your shower tray matter, and we do mean shower tray! We’re almost all guilty of having an array of products on the shower floor, balancing on the tap controls and dangling from the shower hose, but that’s not the dream.
The dream is just a few select and beautiful luxury items. The colour and packaging of toiletries are more important than the brand but if you can highlight a local independent then that’s a nice touch.
Again, you want colours that complement the room and the other accessories in it like the towels and blinds, and you want packaging that is modern and elegant. Molton Brown and Bayliss & Harding are popular safe bets.
Just remember – these toiletries are meant for viewings only; you can take your usual soap and shampoo out again afterwards.
5. BEDDING
You can’t go wrong with fresh white bed linen. There’s no need for frills or patterns, all you need is clean and ironed.
As we mentioned earlier, cushions will make a bed look more inviting. For an extra touch of elegance, without getting too fancy, try adding a velvety throw to the base of the bed.
6. TOWELS
Get some new towels and keep them off-limits for everyday use – they’re just for display!
If in doubt, white is a safe bet, but if you have a highlight colour that you can pull out or if your bathroom is very white already, then why not go bold?
7. MIRRORS
From a practical point of view, mirrors are often just expected (who doesn’t need a full-length one when they’re getting dressed in the morning?) but a well-placed mirror can also add to the presentation of your home.
They’re great at reflecting light so they can make darker sections of rooms seem much lighter. They can also make rooms feel much bigger, both in photographs and when you’re actually in the room.
8. THE BASICS
If you’re not up on design trends and don’t want to splash out on new accessories, there are still certain things that you can do to help attract viewers (and a decent offer).
You don’t need any interior design qualifications, just to look at your home through the eyes of a viewer.
Clean and simple is the way to go, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. Make sure that limescale is banished (my tip is Viakal – spray, leave, return, rinse, job done), and chrome and glass sparkle.
In every room be on the lookout for personal and sentimental items (e.g. family photos and the first school craft project that your youngest (now 25) brought home), chances are that your viewer will just see them as……. clutter!
Unfortunately, personal and sentimental items can reduce your chances of getting an offer:
- They can be distracting and take focus away from the room, in terms of size and layout etc, and
- They make the room look smaller.
Creating an aspirational atmosphere is also important. We’re all very busy and most of us imagine that in our new home we’ll have more time and energy to live the life of our dreams, so why not showcase the incredible lifestyle your home offers by adding a few special touches? For example, a large bowl of vibrant fruits on the dinner table, a tempting cake on a glass stand by the kitchen window, or scented candles around the bath.
Then try adding some relaxing background music, some softer lighting with the help of a lamp or two, and bringing a feature to life like a roaring open fire, to add a touch of wonder to the viewer experience.
First impressions matter a lot when it comes to selling your home, so paying attention to these aspects can make a significant difference in attracting potential buyers.
AND FINALLY
If you need some inspiration and don’t know where to start then try searching for home ideas on Instagram or Pinterest, then take a trip to the shops. You can do it all online but we like to see and feel items, plus they’re easier to return!.
These national chains (which are all located in the A10 Enfield Retail Park!) offer stylish items at affordable prices:
- Next: They have a great selection of trendy soft furnishings and home accessories at reasonable prices.
- Dunelm: No matter what your budget, you can find something here and they have a very wide range.
- Tu by Sainsbury’s: If you’re on a tight budget, this is a fantastic option. They offer affordable items for every room in the house.
If you need expert advice and would like to find out more about the Belvoir Styling Service, feel free to contact us at 020 8364 5418 or email enfield@belvoir.co.uk, we’ll be happy to help!
