Interior design trends to avoid if you plan on selling your home

June 5, 2017

If you are selling your home, you need to strike the right balance between making it look homely, while avoiding turning prospective buyers off with bright décor that may not be to everyone’s taste.

Avoid too many dark or bright colours

When decorating your property to sell, it is best to avoid large areas of dark or bright colours, and instead opt for muted tones. Try taking some inspiration from nature – gentle hues of green, blue, cream or grey can make a home feel relaxing, adding a hint of colour without being too garish.

Use patterns sparingly

While bold patterns can make a home look modern, adding a splash of colour or a feature wall, it’s best to use these sparingly to avoid the room feeling cluttered or small. Minimise the use of patterned wallpapers or fabrics and mix them with plain carpets and furniture to avoid the room clashing or looking too busy.

Don’t be too bland

Beware of going too far the other way though – lots of plain white can make a home feel cold and clinical, while too much beige or cream can seem bland and boring.

Don’t forget the outside

First impressions count when showing people round a home, so if you are going to decorate don’t forget the outside. Make sure the front door, window sills and garage door (if you have one) are up to scratch, and if they need a lick of paint make sure they get it. You could also plant some flowers in attractive tubs or hanging baskets at the front to add an extra splash of colour and make the home inviting. Ensure any weeds are removed and cut the grass too to ensure the home looks neat and well maintained right from the start.

Keep kitchens and bathrooms simple

There’s no doubt that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. If done well they can add value to the property before selling, but if you get it wrong you could put prospective buyers off. If you are refitting a home to sell it, it is best to stick to muted colours such as white or cream, and streamlined, simple modern fittings. That’s not to say it has to be boring though. Colourful towels in a bathroom or coloured accessories such as blinds and light fittings can bring some interesting features into the room, but can be easily changed to give the room a different look, enabling a buyer to put their own stamp on the place. Remember with big jobs it is important to keep the budget under control as well, otherwise you may not recoup the money back when you sell.

Change it back

Another common mistake sellers can make is not showing a room for its intended purpose – for example using a spare bedroom as a home office. Buyers looking round a three-bed home expect to see three bedrooms, not two bedrooms and a study, so if this sounds like your house, change the room back to its intended use. In the case of a bedroom this can be done quite easily with a borrowed or second hand bed, a small bedside table, and perhaps a nice new duvet cover. It doesn’t have to cost much and could make all the difference to securing a sale.

Keep the options open

Whichever room you are decorating, the key thing to remember is to keep the options open and adaptable, so that a prospective buyer can imagine putting their own style stamp on it. We hope you have found this helpful. If you need any more tips and advice on selling your home, why not drop into your local branch for a chat?.