Is this Space big enough for my needs? When a buyer looks for a new house, they are not thinking “I need it to have cream carpets and beige walls” Or “It better smell like like fresh bread and candles” More likely they will be thinking, “Is this space big enough for my needs?” “Is this space good value for my money?” Whether you identify your space as “It has 4 bedrooms”, or “It has 800 sq. feet.” No matter how you look at it…. Space SELLS. If they see a property with rooms full of storage boxes, too many things in the closets, things poking out from under the bed, and doors and passageways blocked by furniture, the potential buyer is going to think that there isn’t enough space. Therefore you must maximize the space you already have.

How many bedrooms? It is a fact that the more bedrooms you have to offer, the better your chances of selling your property. If you use an extra room as an office, think of moving that desk out and create a new bedroom, or guest room. Whether you need it or not, you are trying to appeal to as many people as you can. You can then place your desk in a corner of a larger room, as in the basement

Get stuff off the floor If you can’t see the floor because there are too many things on it, then the room will look and feel smaller than it needs to. The more floor you see, the larger the room will feel.

Edit each room Recently a homeowner had all the furniture lined up against the walls, and windows.  We took a walk around. “Do you really need 3 sofas in this room? And all these end tables?” By editing the furniture we freed up both floor and wall space. Suddenly viewers could walk around the room and get to the windows. While you don’t want rooms to look sparse, having furniture lined up around the walls will make the space look small.

Be honest – If you don’t use it, lose It Enough said

Use color to conjure up more space This is a huge subject all of its own, but colour is key to creating the right environment and it has a huge impact on the feeling of space in a property. Very simply darker shades of colours make a space feel smaller and sometimes more cozy, while lighter shades of colours can have the opposite effect. No surprise why people often say 'paint everything cream when you’re selling'. But you don’t have to go to this extreme, and you can end up spoiling a lovely interior by making it look bland and uninteresting by ‘beiging’ out the place. More on this in the coming issues.

Mirror mirror on the wall Most hallways and other small or narrow rooms benefit from positioning a mirror on the wall in the narrow part of the room. Not only will the mirror help double the space, it will also increase the light reflected and create a nice focal point too.

Let there be light If your property looks dark, it will also look small. Creating a bright, not glaring, environment will help increase the feeling of space. Get those curtains pulled back, and let the light flood in. More advice on what type of lighting in the coming issues.

What is Home Staging? Decorating and renovating your house to sell and presenting your home in the best possible light to increase the selling price of your home. Mary Seferian is a Professional Home Stager based in Hudson, called DIVA DÉCOR DESIGN., www.divadecordesign.com. She can be reached at 514-862-7890, or at mary@divadecordesign.com.