Posted on: April 17, 2008
The beauty of balance
By Kit Davey
CTW Features
Most people selling their homes know that it is important to de-clutter and simplify their house before opening it to potential buyers. A messy, over-crowded home is unappealing, makes the house look small and gives the impression that it doesn’t have enough storage space. But the owners of some homes go a little too far, leaving family rooms looking lonely and sterile.
When showing your home for sale, it’s important find the balance between “not enough” and “too much.”
One homeowner’s agent explained that vacant homes usually sell for less and linger on the market longer than staged homes. The couple had already purchased and moved into a new home across town and had left a few pieces of furniture for staging. Realizing that the house needed some additional fluffing, they called me in to help. Our goal was to make this room look more “finished” and inviting.
We needed to get a quick sale and maximize their selling price so that they wouldn’t have to pay two mortgages for long.
Before
• This family room had some basic furniture but looked incomplete. We needed to set up a comfortable gathering space where one might read, converse or have a cup of coffee.
• What a drab and soulless space! Why would anyone spend time in a room that is so featureless and uninviting? We needed to add some life and color.
After
• My homeowners hadn’t left enough décors to flesh out the space, so we decided to use rental furnishings. I suggested we rent enough to make the room look complete, rather than filling the room with what a family might need to live with. Most furniture rental companies have a great selection of end tables, lamps and artwork (amongst other things.) We flipped through the catalog and made a phone call to set up delivery. In my area, you can get delivery three days from the time you place the order, and in many cases it is even sooner if the company has your items in their warehouse. With the rented coffee tables and end tables, a lamp and three pieces of art, the room looked more polished, and we accomplished it at a very reasonable price.
Tips
When you’re selling your home, it’s important for every room to evoke positive feelings. Before, this room said, “Come in and stare at the blank walls all by yourself!” By selecting end tables and art that worked with the couches, we added more personality and much-needed color punch. The room now says, “Come in for a glass of wine and a little chat.”
Our work paid off -- the house sold right away for thousands over the asking price.
Kit Davey, an interior designer based in Redwood City, Calif., helps clients redecorate their homes through the creative use of their existing furnishings. E-mail Kit your questions: kit@ctwfeatures.com
