Sellers /On August 21, 2014

Don't Fall Victim to These Decorating Mistakes When Selling You Home

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You don't have to be a professional interior designer to get your home staged and ready to sell. You should, though, rethink that orange shag carpet in your living room! HGTV has come up with a list of the biggest decorating mistakes found in American homes. If you MP900407401 resized 600 are selling your home and find yourself guilty of these faux pas, fear not! A little decorating change can go a long way in helping your home become more appealing to buyers.

1. Too Many Photos - You're either a photo person or you're not. Photo people feel very sentimental and have a hard time giving up the pictures on their walls and tables. The solution? Photo albums.

2. Ignoring the Foyer - The foyer is a terrific opportunity to make a statement. A foyer doesn't have to be something grand — any statement is better than none at all. Use paint to add color and hang a beautiful mirror or painting. A mirror is great because it's reflective, creating the illusion of more space.

3. Outdated Accessories - Don't let your rooms feel dated by hanging on to older cabinets and especially hardware. Make small changes like switching the hardware on your kitchen or bath cabinets for a big impact.

4. Lopsided Furniture - If you have a sofa with a heavy bottom, don't add a big coffee table. Instead, use something light made of glass or with legs, and add a tall, thin floor lamp to help bring your eye up and make it more dynamic. Be sure to keep your furniture arrangements balanced to the eye.

5. Following Fads - From beanbag chairs to lava lamps, be careful of trends as it's difficult to get rid of those items once the fad is gone, especially furniture. Have fun with it, but be ready to recycle it when it goes out of style.

6. Too Many Color Patterns - If you have too many colors or patterns in a house, it tends to look very busy, crowded and distracting to the eye.

7. Improper Lighting - In any room in the house, you want different types of lighting for various times of the day. Dimmer switches are a great secret weapon — they're cheap, easy to install and give an entire range of control of the mood and feeling of a space.

8. Ignoring Windows - Besides paint, window treatments are the easiest and least expensive way to change the look of a room. A good rule of thumb is to hang curtains two inches above the frame of the window. If you have high ceilings, hang them all the way up to the ceiling to make the room seem bigger. For a quick and simple look, add a small, linen Roman shade to block light and add an extra element to the space.

9. Fake Flowers - This is a controversial topic, but fake flowers (and plants) are a mistake. They gather dust and don't bring life into your home like real flowers, which look and smell better. Fresh flowers are expensive, but there are other things you can do instead of buying them all the time. Put lemons or other fruit in a bowl for a punch of color. Or, use some dried natural material like curly willow or bamboo stalks for a fresh look.

10. Visable Clutter - Unsightly clutter and disorganization not only contributes to a stressful life but also ruins the entire look of a space. Invest in stylish storage baskets on a bookcase or shelf to keep small objects in their proper spot, or add an armoire for extra hidden storage.

Curious to see the checklist that home stagers use when they visit a property? Download one below, or email us at concierge@lizmoore.com to learn more.

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Lynnette Tully

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Liz Moore & Associates is a boutique real estate agency renowned for having the region's top agents, with extensive market knowledge and local expertise that is only achieved through relentless training coupled with Liz's extremely high standards for professionalism. When you're buying or selling a home, experience matters.