Best Ways to Design a Neutral Room Before You Sell Your Home
There are plenty of tricks to staging your home to sell quickly, but going neutral is one of the most important (like this bedroom in our Artisan Home #16 by Wooddale Builders). Here are ways to go neutral with style from our guest blogger Savannah Hemmings.
Getting ready to sell your house? Make your home showroom worthy by catering to what potential buyers want: a blank canvas. Most home buyers are looking for neutral spaces that they can customize. Give them what they need by making a few modifications to your existing spaces and décor.
By working to make spaces neutral, you can help set the stage for closing the deal on your house. Here are a few things to consider when putting together neutral rooms.
Embrace Texture
Reclaimed wood, tufted dining chairs, crystal drop chandelier, textured mirror: all add interest in the dining room from Great Neighborhood Homes’ 2015 Artisan Home.
No one said that neutral had to be boring. Give the room life by introducing textures. Think of mixing woodgrains with linen and lace, or warm furs with cool steel. It’s the juxtaposition of contrasting surfaces that makes a space interesting, even when in a similar color palette.
Use Varied Shades of the Same Hue
Not everything has to be exactly the same color. Try bringing in an array of color options by expanding on the same base hue. One of the easiest ways to do this is to find a neutral color you like with a sample paint chip.
The hues surrounding that color on your paint sample will help you choose varying shades of color. You may decide to paint one wall in the darkest hue for a sharp contrast, or maybe use the lightest hue to tackle your trim.
Consider Shape
Light aqua becomes a neutral in the Hendel Homes bedroom from the 2014 Artisan Home Tour, and the chaise lounge creates an interesting shape.
One of the nice parts of using neutral pieces is that the focus becomes less on the color of the piece and more on the design of it. Whether your style is classic or eclectic, make the pieces you select reflect your taste. This could mean that you forgo a bulky sofa in favor of one that is sleek and speaks to your modern style.
Don’t Clutter
Good design leaves a place for everything. Avoid the chaos of too much stuff everywhere. Organize well and put things in their place at the end of the day. Much of this easy clean up can be done with large bins or baskets. Build organizational systems into your design and you’ll show potential buyers just how useful the spaces are.
Play With Patterns
Consider stripes with solids, stripes with florals, or stripes with plaid. Yes, any of these combinations offer a unique and interesting perspective on pattern. As long as the patterns are in the same color family, mixing them together should be no problem and helps create visual interest. Think of doing this with throw pillows, blankets or other items that can be easily switched around.
Bring in a Pop of Color
Adding a touch of bright red to a neutral taupe/beige sitting room adds pizzazz without losing the grace of pure neutrals in the 2014 Artisan Home by Hanson Builders.
If you’re dying for color, an easy way to bring it in is through an accent wall or accent piece. This may come in the form of a really great clock you came across at a yard sale or a desk painted a bright yellow. However you choose to bring it in, don’t let the pop of color overwhelm. Let it gently suggest that underneath all of the calm neutrals, there is a bright personality ready for acknowledgment.
Selling your house quickly is a big deal. Making your home into an attractive, blank canvas is incredibly important for attracting several home buyers. If you pay attention to detail and turn your home into a neutral zone, the amount of inquiries will increase – and hopefully turn that “for sale” sign into one that says “sold.”