Selling your home: 5 spare room styling mistakes

When it comes to selling, your spare room doesn’t have to be an afterthought. In fact, stage it well and it might just get a potential buyer over the line.

Here are five common styling mistakes made in the spare room and how to avoid then when you open your home for inspection.

1. You’ve not decided what it actually is

So often in homes you’ll have three decent-sized bedrooms and then a smaller one. And in the smaller one, you’re left wondering what to do with it. Do you stage it as a guest bedroom, a home office, a kids’ room, or a Fifty Shades-style dungeon? (OK, that last one was a joke).

The best way to reach your answer is to think about the market you’re selling to. Is it a younger demographic likely to have a baby needing a nursery? Is it an older demographic where a home office would work? Or perhaps it’s a mixed bag, leaving you better off going for the mass-appeal guest bedroom vibe.

Whichever decision you reach, make sure it’s staged to perfection.

2. If it’s a guest bedroom, ramp up the comfy

You want a potential buyer to feel wowed by this space. You want them to imagine having family and friends stay over. You want to make it aspirational. That means loads of layers on the bed; create a scene someone would want to dive into (pillows galore, please). Ensure you have two bedsides, table lamps, books and candles, and tonnes of light flooding the room.

3. If it’s an office, create a sense of grandeur

Don’t just pop a desk in the corner. Go beyond one piece of furniture and introduce a comfy armchair with a side table and floor lamp (reading nook heaven!). Also, bring in a small shelf if you have the space and stage it with books and decorative objects. You could be selling to a family with two corporate parents, so have them fall in love with the idea of working in it after hours.

4. A kids’ room? Go designer, baby

Nurseries are so much fun to style, but make sure you keep it gender-neutral when selling. Avoid bright baby cliches and opt for a soft and soothing colour palette. Add cosiness through round rugs on the floor, a rocking chair in the corner, and some really adorable art that feels charming but not kitsch. You want a new or expecting parent to walk in and instantly fall in love.

5. Don’t mesh multiple ideas together

The key to getting the spare room right when selling is to stick to one idea and run with it. Don’t be tempted to push a bed against the wall and pop in a desk. Multi-purpose zones are too confusing for a buyer, and they’re harder to market for the real estate agent. Once you commit to the concept, you’ll find staging the room a whole lot easier. Your agent should also be able to guide you here; giving you insight into what potential buyers might appreciate.

SOURCE: www.realestate.com.au