| When looking for a home to buy I always look for the | | | | But the biggest issues many sellers have is they have |
| home that is poorly decorated. Why? | | | | a lot of stuff like dated wallpaper, peeling paint, musty |
| They are less expensive to purchase initially. I can | | | | bathrooms and tattered furniture that turn off home |
| decorate with the best of interior decorators. And I | | | | buyers and make them run away! |
| haggle hard, too. Remodeling can take a lot of money, | | | | Instead of an peach wallpaper border you want some |
| usually more than we predict. | | | | nice wide crown molding. Then look for some built in |
| But what if you are selling? You want to get the best | | | | storage cabinets and/or shelves. Trim them out so that |
| price you can for your property. You want to have a | | | | matches to outside architecture of your property. If |
| product the looks perfect. You want a product that | | | | your house is traditional in style you might build an |
| attracts lots of potential prospective buyers and wows | | | | over-mantel over an existing fireplace. But a mid |
| them! | | | | century modern house might look great with cork |
| One of the ways you can do this is to present more | | | | floors that are true to the architectural style of the |
| architecture and a lot less décor. Décor | | | | home. |
| that is trendy will be out of date in just a few years. | | | | Choose simple paint in neutral colors instead of heavy |
| Save money and get more bang for your dough. Can | | | | labor paint treatments. |
| you identify '80s style sofas? Probably you can and so | | | | Use stone and marble in neutral colors, too. Think |
| can your prospects. Good upholstered sofas or love | | | | classic instead fancy and overdone. When selecting |
| seats can be ageless. And then there are those | | | | things like newer floors go for wood, ceramic tile, or |
| kitchens with melamine cabinets with those oak | | | | stone, not vinyl. |
| handles. Those are a death nail to resale right now. But | | | | Have carpet cleaned or replaced if it is very grubby. |
| Shaker style kitchen cabinets have been around for | | | | Always keep in mind that you may well need to move. |
| 250 years and look great in a lot of houses. | | | | Plan for it by purchasing upholstered furniture in solid |
| Architecture that is everlasting works and saves you | | | | colors. Avoid wild prints or strong patterns and furniture |
| money. It's the best! Study up and win with | | | | pieces that are very large. |
| architecture. | | | | Collected furniture looks more chic than sets or suites |
| What does this connote? | | | | that match and take up too much space. |
| Most homes are a series of squares and rectangles | | | | Have plenty of nice lighting. Lamps will do if your home |
| that you can make more striking by doing the right | | | | is lacking in built in lighting. And furnish the rooms so |
| trims and balanced furniture placement. Make less | | | | that the first glimpse into every room is very |
| work for yourself by replacing and repairing things as | | | | nice-looking and inviting. |
| needed with good neutrals that will work over the | | | | Make every door and drawer look great when open. |
| years. Classics are our friends. Theme decorating will | | | | Serious home buyers look everywhere, in particular if |
| impair you. | | | | they are really interested. Some will just look because |
| In one example, think of bathrooms with white | | | | they are allowed to. So be ready for this scrutiny. Lock |
| porcelain fixtures, bead board paneling and beautiful | | | | up your jewelry and all your financial information. |
| marble on the floors. They never go out of fashion in | | | | Do not remodel greatly unless things are in poor |
| traditional or cottage style homes, while other things like | | | | condition. Just polish, clean and stage spaces beautifully |
| colored fixtures could. | | | | for their most logical purposes. Choose classic |
| People want to see balance and conviviality in spaces. | | | | architecture and furnishings that isn't too trendy. Make |
| They want alluring conversation areas, comfortable | | | | whatever you buy work as long as possible by |
| dining rooms, and tranquil, romantic master bedrooms. | | | | choosing classic design styles that work with the basic |
| They also have a fantasy that if they find the right | | | | architecture of your property and the next home, too. |
| home they will have a perfectly organized, socially | | | | We staged eight properties with the same stuff over |
| active life with all the possessions they have ever | | | | a period of 20 yrs. Anyone can do this. Just look for |
| wished to have. | | | | classic, eclectic furniture and save lots of money. All |
| You want to play to this yearning. What do people | | | | our dining rooms were preped with a cherry drop leaf |
| want? They want to impress others, have good | | | | dining table, 6 black lacquer Queen Anne chairs and a |
| relationships and a attractive space. | | | | black lacquer contemporary buffet. This mix worked |
| So how far from this fantasy is your home? | | | | well for us. I reupholstered the chairs countless times |
| The hard work necessary to make a space look | | | | and had a lot of fun doing it, too. Friends would visit us |
| great may come down to a lot of cleaning and | | | | just to see what we had done different with the same |
| organizing. Immaculate closets, beautiful furniture, | | | | old stuff. That drop leaf table was actually one of the |
| striking art and good taste all come into what works | | | | first pieces of furniture we ever bought. It even |
| when you need to sell. | | | | worked in some small apartments, too. That's the kind |
| And people want to move in and be comfortable | | | | of things you want. Much of our furniture was used |
| without having to do a bunch of work. Most people | | | | and refurbished. Very little of it cost a lot of money. |
| don't have time, skills or ready money to fix everything | | | | You can toss contemporary in with antiques and have |
| that's a problem with your house. | | | | everything work just great. |