Styling Tips from the Upstate Property Concierge Team

The Future of Real Estate

Tips for home styling.

Concierge tips to present your home for sale.

With property styling and presentation, it’s important to create an emotional connection that makes the buyer fall in love with your home at first sight.

Our Property Concierge team have created this document to provide a few simple steps you can do yourself, to help present your home in its best light.

Street appeal.

First impressions really do matter when it comes to adding value to your home. It’s important to start with a neat entrance and this could be as simple as putting out a new front door mat.

Ensure you remove any clutter from the entrance of your home. If you have a garden, give it a trim and mulch the garden beds. We always recommend a good window wash too.

Entryway.

Following are some examples of styling for console tables. Hang artwork or a mirror above, use stacked books, small displays of vases, candles, décor and lamps to elevate the styling. Remove shoes, personal photos, bags and any clutter from a front entranceway.

Kitchen.

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, which makes it the perfect place to really connect with buyers. We recommend adding warmth and details to the space, this can be done with displays of wooden chopping boards, salt & pepper shakers, oils, mortar & pestle or cookbooks. Declutter the benches by putting away excess appliances, knife blocks and any unnecessary clutter. Clear the fridge of all photos, calendars, notes etc.

Dining.

Incorporate a few styling touches here with either a display of décor pieces on the table, set the table as though you are expecting guests, or it can be a simple as a nice vase of fresh flowers or greenery.

Make sure potential buyers can walk freely around the space, this might be as simple as removing extra chairs.

Living.

The living space is important because its where most of our ‘living’ happens in the home. Remove any excessive furniture or seating so that people can move around the room. Refresh your sofa with new cushions and throws to add colour and texture to the room.

Style your coffee table and entertainment unit with stacked coffee table books, small displays of vases, candles and decor. Pinterest is another great resource to find examples of coffee table styling ideas.

Bedrooms.

You can’t beat a beautifully styled bed, it’s luxurious and inviting, and we believe there’s no such thing as too many cushions! You cant go wrong with white and neutral bedding. Steer clear of patterns and dark colours.

We recommend matching bedside and lamps, particularly for the main bedroom. Framing the bed with these will ensure the room photographs well and gives it balance. Declutter bedsides tables of personal effects, lamps, a book, or a candle are all you need.

Bathrooms.

The focus of a bathroom is cleanliness, make sure every surface is clean and sparkling. Remove all personal items from shower recess and vanity tops. Bathroom scales, bath mats, laundry baskets, bins and toilet brushes all need to be stashed away out of sight.

A deep clean of tiles, grout and a sparkling shower screen is essential. Add a fluffy towel, scented candle, or small plant in a pot for styling.

Laundry.

This room is often forgotten and used as the last-minute dumping ground, however in our opinion it is just as important as the other rooms.

Remove dirty washing from floors and machines, pack away cleaning products, mops / buckets, detergents and any animal bowls. A few small touches such as a pot plant, hand soap and a fresh towel will do the trick.

Outdoor spaces.

These areas are just as important as the interior, think of them as additional entertaining areas. Remove old or broken outdoor furniture, refresh pots with new plants, clean the BBQ.

If you have a yard, give the lawn a fresh mow and mulch the garden beds. Give hard surfaces a wash down and clean the pool. Style your area with a tray of water glasses and some fresh lemons.

Other considerations...

Fresh smell – Open windows and doors to get fresh air through the property. Remove any source of odour. Also remove any over-powering, chemical air-freshener’s and replace with natural scented candles or essential oils.

Home office – clear desks of paperwork, try to pack printers and appliances neatly out of sight

Declutter – clear the floors and rooms of unnecessary furniture, boxes etc. Remove any personal effects and photos so that buyers imagine themselves living in your home

Kids spaces – Pack away as much as possible and arrange toys neatly

And remember, Concierge are here to help with services to give you that final touch

• Professional deep clean of the home

• Window cleaning

• House wash and pressure clean of hard surfaces

• Gardening

• Decorating advice