Make a Better Impression With These Decorative Accents

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Most sellers know that removing personal items and clutter, as well as making sure their home looks and smells as clean as possible, are effective ways to make a good impression on would-be buyers. However, small touches throughout the home help sell a lifestyle, something you want buyers to feel when they see your home so that they can imagine themselves in it. To evoke those feelings, you will need to stage your rooms with decorative accents that set the right tone. Read on to learn how to maximize your efforts with a few of the right accents in your home.

In the era of online real estate listings and virtual tours, accessories play a role in making a home photogenic and appealing in photographs. Professional staging includes careful consideration of how accessories will appear in pictures. The goal is to ensure that they contribute to a visually compelling online presence that attracts potential buyers. You don’t need a professional, though, to add some extra touches to your home on your own. Before we dive into which accents are best to focus on, let’s talk about the items that should be removed from sight while you’re trying to sell.

WHAT TO AVOID

Political or Religious items may turn away a potential buyer, so it’s best to store them until the house is sold.

Personal items should be kept out of sight. Shoes, clothes, and jackets should be neatly stored in a closet. Personal hygiene items and toothbrushes should be put away as well. If it’s anything that you wouldn’t want someone else to use, that makes it personal, and it belongs out of sight.

Eccentric furnishings are just that – eccentric. Most buyers will not appreciate these kinds of choices in unique furniture or accents, and it creates yet another distraction from the features of your home.

Refrigerator magnets and the paper items the magnets are holding up create an unnecessary visual distraction. You want buyers to focus on the kitchen as a whole, not personal photos or to-do lists.

Memorabilia or collections may make the house look cluttered or like it has too little storage space. It’s best to keep collections of items put away to keep things simple.

Limit the Wall Art to one or two items. Remove personal photos altogether. Unless you have special track lighting that you want to call attention to, it’s best that you have buyers looking at the walls, fireplace, ceiling heights, or other architectural features as opposed to paintings or art.

Artificial food & flowers put a subconscious thought of distrust in a buyer’s mind because they are – fake. It begs the question of what else in the home is fake or hidden as well. You should try to avoid silk flowers or plastic fruit in your décor and opt for fresh flowers and plants instead.

WHAT WORKS

Now let’s discuss what does work. Remember, the goal is to highlight the home while inspiring a particular feeling or a possible lifestyle. The larger items in the home, like the flooring, walls, and furniture, should display neutral colors, while any accessories can add the necessary pops of color. In this way, buyers can more easily envision their personal items in the room with a neutral backdrop.

Plush Bedding & Linens
Since the primary bedroom and bathroom rank in the top 5 of most important rooms to buyers, it’s worth the effort to make sure that the bed is adorned with layers and textures of comfortable- looking bedding. But don’t overdo it – too many pillows and blankets will make the largest piece in the room feel staged rather than naturally luxurious. Similarly, the bathroom should have fresh bath towels and hand towels arranged in a way that feels upscale without being out of place. 

Well-placed Mirrors
Everybody knows a mirror can make a room feel larger. A nicely framed mirror can also bring in extra natural light and make a narrower space feel wider. For more information on how to work with mirrors in your home, read “13 Ways Decorating with Mirrors Can Transform Your Space” from Bob Vila.

Throw Pillows & Blankets
Nothing says relaxation like a cozy seating area with a couple of pillows and a folded throw blanket. Whether it’s a reading nook, a chair in the living room, or a front porch swing, these two accessories alone can easily convey warmth and charm. Add a tray with a coffee cup and a book, and you will have created a private mini-retreat and subconsciously give someone the vibe that this feels like home.

Table & Accent Lamps
Don’t overdo it but also don’t underestimate the importance of proper lighting in a room. Lamps, especially those with warm-toned light bulbs, can create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. In addition, well-lit spaces tend to feel larger and more open. Lamps can help illuminate dark corners and expand the visual perception of the room, making it more appealing to potential buyers. This helps others envision the space as a place they can relax and call home. Click here for some ideas of unique accent lighting to bring a focal point or set a tone in your home. The varieties are endless, so make sure that your choices match your home interior.

Fresh Flowers & Live Plants
Did you know that certain houseplants can actually increase the value of your home? Besides these science-backed facts about the value of having plants in the home, this article gives reasons why they may help you sell your home sooner. If you’re not sure which plants you might want to bring into your home, this article from UnifiedGarden.com provides plenty of options. A vase of fresh flowers in a bedroom or the kitchen adds a nice touch as well, particularly those with a pleasant scent. Fresh lilacs, daisies, and tulips are just a few possibilities. Again, make sure that your choices match the various rooms in your home.

Area Rugs
A proper area rug is a versatile design element that can improve a room’s ambiance through its color, pattern, texture, comfort, and ability to define spaces. The right rug can elevate the overall look and feel of a room, making it more inviting and aesthetically pleasing. An area rug is “right” for the room when it’s the appropriate size, adds to, rather than distracts from, the room’s décor, and adds warmth and texture to an otherwise hard floor.

Coffee Table Accessories
Whether it’s a stack of books topped with a small item or a tray with fresh flowers, an accessory on the coffee table makes the house feel more comfy and lived in by adding visual appeal. It could spark a conversation with a potential buyer about an interesting item as well as create balance and harmony with colors and other items in the room. Consider some larger picture books or a unique statuette. Just remember not to take up too much of the space on the table as that can appear too cluttered.

Outdoor Areas
Last but not least, don’t forget about adding extra touches to the outside of your home. Because this area can be seen as an extension of your home, the little details on the patio, in the backyard, or even near the front door make a difference. Adding a comfortable sitting area or putting up some patio lights will increase the appeal of your home. For more ideas on what can be done outside your home, here are some suggestions:

The importance of accessories in staging a home to sell cannot be overstated. From creating visual appeal and highlighting functionality to fostering emotional connections and enhancing online presentations, accessories are essential tools to showcase a property at its best and capture the attention of potential buyers who feel welcome when they walk through the door. If you would like more information or advice on how to create the same effect in your home, I am happy to help!