How to Create the Illusion of Extra Space and Light When Selling a Home
Help your house look its best to buyers with these clever tricks used by property stylists to make homes look bigger and brighter
Luisa Volpato
19 August 2014
Houzz Contributor and interior designer/stylist based in Sydney
Space and light are two of the most important things buyers look for in a home. Due to high property prices, some people may have no choice but to buy a smaller property than they would like in order to stay within their budget. In other cases, people who are downsizing are actually looking for a smaller home, but because they are used to living in larger homes, it can be hard for them to feel comfortable in smaller spaces.
Here, I share some of the tricks of the trade that property stylists use to make spaces appear larger and brighter and therefore more welcoming to potential buyers. Whether you do it yourself or consult a stylist for some help and hired furniture or accessories, the principles are the same. It all comes down to furniture and layout, using light colours, decluttered spaces, and considering how mirrors, glass and artificial light can work to your advantage.
Here, I share some of the tricks of the trade that property stylists use to make spaces appear larger and brighter and therefore more welcoming to potential buyers. Whether you do it yourself or consult a stylist for some help and hired furniture or accessories, the principles are the same. It all comes down to furniture and layout, using light colours, decluttered spaces, and considering how mirrors, glass and artificial light can work to your advantage.
Limit the amount of furniture
Display only the minimum amount of furniture that is needed in each room to avoid overcrowding a space and making it look smaller. If you have two sofas that take up a lot of space, replace one with two armchairs as shown here. The less solid the furniture, the less space it will take up in a room.
Display only the minimum amount of furniture that is needed in each room to avoid overcrowding a space and making it look smaller. If you have two sofas that take up a lot of space, replace one with two armchairs as shown here. The less solid the furniture, the less space it will take up in a room.
If you have a small combined kitchen and dining area, a good way to give the impression of more space is to push the table up against a wall and remove some chairs. This will make it easier for people to move around the space, but you still demonstrate that you can fit a dining table in the room.
Keep bedrooms simple – all you really need is a bed and bedside tables and lamps. Don’t clutter a small room with a tallboy or other pieces of furniture. Keep it simple. Think about what you can remove to free up some space. Bedside lamps not only look great but provide another source of light, especially if the natural light in a room is limited.
Contrary to popular belief, empty rooms look smaller than rooms with furniture in them. So even in really small rooms, it is better to have at least a single bed to give buyers a better sense of space than a completely empty room.
Create a study area
A study is a key selling point for many buyers. If you don’t have a dedicated room for a study then think about how you might be able to convert other empty spaces like a hallway into a small study nook.
A study is a key selling point for many buyers. If you don’t have a dedicated room for a study then think about how you might be able to convert other empty spaces like a hallway into a small study nook.
If you have room in one of the bedrooms, then it’s a good idea to set up a desk to show buyers that the room can be used for more than sleeping.
Keep colours light
Bold colours and patterns can make a space look smaller and might not appeal to all buyers. If that is the case in your home, you will benefit from having a property stylist replace your furniture with a simple, neutral scheme.
Bold colours and patterns can make a space look smaller and might not appeal to all buyers. If that is the case in your home, you will benefit from having a property stylist replace your furniture with a simple, neutral scheme.
An all-white scheme will make a room appear larger. However, include some pops of colour so it doesn’t look bland.
The same principle applies in the bedroom. A neutral scheme will make the room look lighter and brighter, especially when the walls and floors are also light.
Declutter
Kids rooms are often the worst offenders when it comes to cluttered spaces. Aim to clear away as much ‘stuff’ as you can from every room. Only keep the bare minimum and display it nicely.
Kids rooms are often the worst offenders when it comes to cluttered spaces. Aim to clear away as much ‘stuff’ as you can from every room. Only keep the bare minimum and display it nicely.
Declutter crowded bookshelves and instead display fewer items in a neat, tidy and more decorative way. It will be a lot easier on the eye than an overcrowded wall of books.
Use mirrors
Mirrors help reflect both space and light, and are one of the simplest ways to instantly make a space look bigger and brighter. Above the sofa is typically a good place to hang a large horizontal mirror, as the living room is often the focus of a home.
Mirrors help reflect both space and light, and are one of the simplest ways to instantly make a space look bigger and brighter. Above the sofa is typically a good place to hang a large horizontal mirror, as the living room is often the focus of a home.
Just make sure the mirror isn’t longer than the sofa, otherwise it will look odd and make the sofa look small. Use a mirror that is the same size of the sofa or slightly smaller. Ideally, it needs to be at least two thirds of the length of the sofa, otherwise it will look too small.
As the smallest room in the home, bathrooms can do with all the help they can get to look larger. A large mirror is a must-have in here. If you don’t already have one, then install one. If storage space is limited, then a mirrored shaving cabinet rather than a plain mirror is the ideal solution.
Empty spaces like hallways can be styled simply with a mirror and console table. Not only does it create interest in the space and look nicer than a blank wall, the mirror helps reflect space and light in what is typically a dark area of the home.
Use glass tables
Being transparent, glass tables don’t appear to take up as much space as timber or other solid materials.
Being transparent, glass tables don’t appear to take up as much space as timber or other solid materials.
If space is really tight, then ideally use a small round glass dining table with only four chairs as it takes up less space than a typical-sized rectangular table.
The same glass rule applies for coffee tables and side tables. Try to choose a style that is very open, like these, rather than solid or chunky pieces of furniture.
Make the most of natural light
It’s no secret that the first thing that real estate agents do at an open-for-inspection is open up all the blinds and window coverings. If there are areas of your home where privacy isn’t an issue, then it might pay to remove any window coverings that obstruct the amount of light that comes in.
It’s no secret that the first thing that real estate agents do at an open-for-inspection is open up all the blinds and window coverings. If there are areas of your home where privacy isn’t an issue, then it might pay to remove any window coverings that obstruct the amount of light that comes in.
Use artificial light
Especially in dark rooms, use table or floor lamps to provide more light in the room. Lamp light also helps add to the ambience of any room.
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Are you selling your home? What changes are you planning to make before the open-for-inspection? Have you been inspired by any of the ideas above? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
Especially in dark rooms, use table or floor lamps to provide more light in the room. Lamp light also helps add to the ambience of any room.
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Are you selling your home? What changes are you planning to make before the open-for-inspection? Have you been inspired by any of the ideas above? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
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Great tips, Luisa! Clutter, inappropriate sized furniture and harsh paint colours can break a property styling project entirely, not to mention make the space seem smaller and darker! I really love the idea of putting a glass and/or round table in very small spaces.