Make a Better Impression With These Decorative Accents
Most sellers know that decluttering, removing overly personal items, and making the home look and smell clean can help create a good first impression. But once those basics are handled, a few well-chosen decorative accents can make rooms feel warmer, more inviting, and easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in. The key is restraint. The décor should support the home—not become the thing buyers notice most.
Because many buyers first encounter a property through listing photos or a virtual tour, presentation matters before they ever walk through the door. Accessories can help add warmth, scale, texture, and visual interest in photographs, but they should never compete with the room itself. Before adding anything, start by removing the things most likely to distract buyers from the home.
WHAT TO AVOID
Highly personal or potentially distracting items can pull attention away from the property. Political, religious, or other strongly personal displays may be meaningful to you, but during showings it can be helpful to store them temporarily so the home feels more neutral to a wide range of buyers.
Personal items such as shoes, clothing, jackets, toiletries, medications, and toothbrushes should generally be stored out of sight. The goal is to make counters, closets, and surfaces feel orderly and spacious.
Unusual or oversized furnishings may be worth removing if they dominate a room or make the space harder to understand. The question isn’t whether the item is attractive—it’s whether it helps buyers see the room clearly.
Refrigerator magnets, notes, calendars, and photos can create visual clutter. Clearing the refrigerator gives the kitchen a cleaner appearance and keeps attention on the cabinetry, counters, appliances, and overall layout.
Memorabilia and collections can also make spaces feel busier or smaller than they are. Consider packing most collections before listing and leaving only a few carefully chosen pieces, if any.
Limit wall art and personal photos so buyers can notice the room’s architectural features and proportions. You don’t necessarily need bare walls; a few appropriately scaled pieces can add warmth without becoming a distraction.
Artificial food and flowers can sometimes look dated or noticeably staged, especially in listing photos. Fresh greenery, simple live plants, or a modest arrangement of fresh flowers often creates a more natural effect—but only if they’re healthy and well maintained.
WHAT WORKS
Once distractions are removed, a few accents can help rooms feel comfortable and complete. Keep the major surfaces and furnishings relatively neutral, then use smaller accessories for texture, warmth, and controlled pops of color. The goal is to suggest how the space might be enjoyed without making it feel overly styled.
Plush Bedding & Linens
Bedrooms and bathrooms often benefit from clean, fresh textiles. Layered bedding can make a bedroom feel comfortable and finished, but avoid so many pillows and throws that the bed looks impractical or overly staged. In the bathroom, fresh towels neatly arranged can give the space a clean, cared-for appearance.