By Kim Wyse
Red Deer Express
Spring has been good and full of activity!
I have been selling and decorating and I consider it all a blessing and a really fun adventure to be able to see a variety of different homes over the past few months.
I always get the question, ‘What do I need to do to make my home more appealing.’
Whether you are trying to appeal to buyers or to yourself there are a few tips that I’m sure I’ve written about in the past which bear repeating.
Lighting – I cannot stress this enough for homeowners!
Lighting is inexpensive and works on a house like a perfect pair of earrings to make the interior look modern and well cared for. If your lighting is dated you can paint the base of most fixtures and obtain new glass globes or shade covers.
At the very least it is imperative that you keep the fixtures clean and dust free and use white LED instead of yellow-tinged incandescent bulbs to make the interior of your house bright and cheerful.
Get rid of (or re-finish) the brass and heavy wood looks and any amber coloured glass coverings – these are the items which make a home feel dingy and stuck in the 70s.
Paint – paint is a wonder and will cover a multitude of ugly.
There is nothing better than walking into a freshly painted home and seeing the walls clean and smooth with a new paint finish. Don’t be afraid to paint wood in your home. This is especially important in bungalow style houses where the long hallway has several doors and closets; if these doors and frames are all dark wood the hallway can look very cluttered and dim.
White or light grey trim is absolutely on trend and it can do wonders to lift the look of a home. Don’t forget to touch up corners and dings in the walls when they happen to avoid larger repairs down the road. Keep your colours fresh and light and you will find that you are happy with them over a longer period.
Damages – keep it maintained at all times.
This not only keeps the value of your home propped up but it makes for a happier home owner. Keeping on top of minor repairs also saves you from larger expenses in the years to come.
If things are broken, cracked, loose or worn it is in your best interest to glue, staple, paint and repair these items as soon as possible. You will enjoy the well cared for look and feel of your home and will stay ahead of big fixes which nobody likes to tackle. In our throw away society it can be tempting to just throw out things with minor damage but in a house scenario you will save dollars and have more peace of mind if you care for what you have – your home will appreciate the love!
The best advice I can forward as a designer and a realtor is to keep careful account of repairs in your home and take a few minutes when it is required to freshen up your space. The Kaizen method (Japanese for continual improvement) is the most efficient and the easiest way for our minds to accept the tasks at hand.
Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Realtor/Ask a Designer’.
