PRESENTING YOUR HOME

Presentation is crucial when it comes to attracting buyers and securing a sale. The right look can also help you get the best price, so it pays to spend some time getting your home styling right.

Think about your home’s character and style

Styling a home requires careful thought and planning to produce the appropriate 'look'. New Zealand has such a wide variety of housing styles, from 19th century villas, to ultra modern homes, each one with its own special character and needs.

When presenting a home for sale, stylists take into consideration the era, personality, layout, key features, and colour scheme, as well as who owns the home and what the surrounding area is like.

It's really important to think about the future owners too. Styling a home with the intention of selling requires a different mindset. It's not about personal taste - it's about creating a space that is neutral and adaptable enough for buyers to add their own personal touch.

Learn more about New Zealand housing styles

We asked two professional home staging experts to share their style tips and wisdom with us.

Lucy Miles is from Living Edge Interiors and Kate Caughey is with The Look

Design that stands the test of time

Use neutrals as your base. Black and white basics will always work - think simplicity with accessories.

If you're planning an eclectic look, it pays to keep the hard furniture in the same range and bring your 'mix' through in the soft furnishings and accessories.

Whether you’re going to mix or match, the design needs a consistent theme that will tie the whole look together.

The secret to combining non-matching furniture is to retain a sense of visual balance. They may be completely different in style, but to work in an eclectic sense they must complement each other in size.

Kate Caughey, Interior Designer at The Look

Key décor trends

Scandinavian-influenced design has been a popular trend for some time now and it doesn't look like that’s changing any time soon.

Home-owners are always on the lookout for something a bit special, so you’ll see less of the generic art and dressing.

Keep an eye out for furniture designed in the styles of Wegner, Larsen, Herman and Bertolli.