Creating an Irresistible Kitchen – Continued
Recently we went to our professional home stagers to develop a list of ways in which a kitchen can be transformed, even by an amateur. Our research led us to conclude that a list of imperative tasks and touches might help homeowners when they undertake house styling for sale, but the experience and training a professional home stylist brings to the party cannot easily be done without. We likened our list of tips and tricks to a ship’s life preserver. It will help to keep you afloat until help comes.
We encourage those who want to stage their own homes to consult at least once with a pro in order to envision the finished product – to get a clear picture of where you want your space to end up. Knowing the ultimate goal is essential to achieving it.
Here, then, are more of the suggestions we gathered from our home staging professionals with kitchen presentation in mind.
Organisation: In staging your kitchen, decluttering comes first. Most kitchen cabinetry across the planet is full of extra plates, bowls, and boxes of plastic wrap. This is a good thing when a kitchen is one that works every day. Your staged kitchen, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be utilitarian. Instead, it needs to look clean, organised, and spacious.
In a perfect world, you and your family will have moved out prior to listing your home. All of your stuff is either in storage or already moved into your new home. This, however, is not a perfect world, so you may be in residence during the time your house is for sale. If this is your situation, you must eliminate all the extra things in your kitchen. Keep the plates, bowls, flatware and the bare minimum in terms of cooking utensils you will require for your family’s daily needs. Put everything else in storage.
Arrange your necessities neatly in the cabinets, remembering that your goal is to make your cabinets appear to have more than ample space for your buyer’s kitchen collection. This applies also to the pantry.
Your pantry wants to look r-o-o-m-y. To this end, consolidate all duplicates. Consider a trip to your local bargain store to invest in matching plastic storage bins to hold lasagna sheets, crackers, oatmeal etc. They will help you put the groceries back on the shelves in an orderly way leaving – you guessed it – lots of space.
Accessorise: While you’re at the bargain store, pick up a new set of tea towels and perhaps a matching teapot to brighten up the space. You might also invest in realistic looking artificial fruit to display on the countertop. Of course, you can use the real thing if you’re actually living in the home, but if you’re not going to be in the kitchen daily, you want something that won’t wilt or look not-so-fresh after a few days.
Greenery: An element of nature is always helpful in house styling for sale. A few live plants scattered throughout the house can work wonders, but they are especially helpful in the kitchen. Consider adding a small collection — three to five — of potted herbs. They are beautiful and they are fragrant in a very natural way – unlike overbearing candles or incense that could make the prospective buyers think you’re trying to cover up an unpleasant odour.
Books: If you happen to have an appropriate shelf, a few brand new cookbooks will make a nice addition to your accessorised room.
The hardest part of house styling for sale is to remember that this kitchen (bathroom, bedroom, den) doesn’t have to work for a living. It must simply look beautiful, warm, and welcoming. Its job is to inspire prospective buyers to think, “I could simply move into this home today!” The concept of being move-in-ready is one that can seal the deal. Buyers don’t want to have to imagine a long list of projects that have to be completed before they can claim a space. They are already exhausted from house hunting.
Finally, understanding that experience wins the day in terms of house styling for sale, will set you free from many of the hardest tasks associated with this important business transaction. By hiring the best, most successful real estate selling agent and home styling professional, you bring a wealth of familiarity to your sales team. These people deal daily with homes and the people who buy them. Allow their understanding to help you achieve your goals in preparing your home for sale.