Why are homes that are styled by professionals more likely to get top dollar on the property market? Because they are visually appealing, and able to capture the senses of potential buyers as soon as they walk through the door. So here’s your step-by-step guide to styling your home like a pro, all without having to pick up a paint brush.

Start from scratch

Remove everything from a room - not including large furniture items. So knick-knacks, family photos, mats, pictures on the wall, couch cushions and basically anything that is not tied down. This means you can do a thorough clean (a must!) and start from scratch when it comes to styling a space.

Have some plastic storage boxes on hand as this is a good time to get a head start on your packing of all non-essential items. It is better to sell a home without personal effects on show.

Pro tip - Only do one space at a time. Otherwise you may get overwhelmed by the scale of having to finish the whole house in one weekend!

Check the flow of the room

Now you can see the bare basics of the room, here’s where you check that all the furniture is placed correctly to allow easy flow of movement in and around the space. This is especially important in a living room and entrance way, where potential buyers won’t be impressed by large items blocking their path to view the home.

It will also make people think the house is smaller than what it is if it seems like things don’t fit properly.

Pro tip - Is there any furniture items you can get rid of to allow a better flow? Don’t empty out a room, but if you can live with one less oversized armchair, then it might be a good idea to put it into storage.

Read more: Want to make your property standout? Our top 4 tips for marketing success

Create an illusion with the right tricks

There are so many ways to ‘trick the eye’ to create an illusion of how you would like a room to appear to potential buyers. If you are dealing with a smaller space, a large rug - that fits under the furniture - is a great way to make a room look bigger.  

Moving furniture off the wall can also help with expanding a room visually, as there is more space for light and air to move around furniture items. Window treatments are also key - longer curtains that reach the floor can help make a ceiling look higher, and ensure the colour is either neutral or only has block colour in a vertical pattern.

Pro tip - Never underestimate the power of a mirror. It helps to reflect light, and can make a room appear larger and more airy and spacious. Always a winner with potential buyers.

The finishing touches

Here is where you start putting items back into a space, with careful thought and planning. If you are styling your living room, ensure all of your soft furnishings have cohesion (they don’t have to match exactly, but should have similar colours running through them).

Be careful to not fill the room with clutter, only essential items that help to make it look inviting and comfortable - and layer up with a nice throw. For the bathroom, matching fluffy linen is a must, as is a new mat and greenery of some sort - whether fresh flowers, hanging plant or flourishing fern.

Pro tip - Cluster mix-matched items in sets of three or four to create a vignette - think of it as a stylish point of interest for potential buyers. These can sit on coffee tables, dining tables, and on a kitchen bench. Ensure there is plenty of clear space around it to ensure it doesn’t look like clutter.

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Want to get top dollar for your home? Download our guide to ensure you have covered everything you need to do when putting your house on the market.