When preparing your home for sale, one of the biggest dilemmas is how to arrange your accessories. Here is a three step plan using Interior Design principles that will help you transform your boring or cluttered spaces into welcoming environments for buyers!

Harmony and Contrast

When arranging a space, one has to keep in mind that thing to avoid here is a plain boring space or an explosion of decorative pieces. This has a lot less to do with the objects you choose than how you choose to display them.

Always aim to keep a balance of harmony. This means put decorative pieces together that feel like they belong together, like matching colours and/or styles. If you are uncertain on what colours go together the Resene colour wheel is a good option. While you can get away with mixing some styles, unless you are experienced in doing this, when selling keep things simple and keep it in the same style, potentially with a feature item or 2 in a complementary style.

Ensure that you keep contrast in your area by breaking textures and shapes, i.e. soften hard wood floors with a rug, break a straight square looking lounge room with a circular shaped piece of artwork or decorative item on the coffee table.

Scale and Shape

Ensure the items that you are using complement the room that you are placing them in. Don’t put a single bed in a large master room and likewise don’t place oversized 3 seater couches and a round 10 seat dining table in a small lounge. The scale and shape of the items that you use is very important in how a buyer will perceive the space you are offering them.

If you have small accessories in a large room you would like to display, try grouping them together for the optical illusion that they are larger.

Layer and Soften

Once you’ve chosen your decor items following the principles above, you can create your room in layers starting with the larger items first, and then working your way towards the smaller pieces.

Once you have completed laying out your room the last step is to soften the room with delicate items that give the room some small points of interest. Think flowers and plants, fruit bowls, candles, cushions and throws, magazines, etc.

Your rooms should now be in a harmonious display that will have buyers flocking! Remember if the room looks cluttered and your eyes are lost in the jungle you are displaying too much – keep it simple! If you are preparing your home for sale, contact me for one of my free personalised property presentation plans. This will show you how to present your home for the maximum sale price. You can reach me on 09 481 0648 (free mobile linked).