Décor choices can have a big impact on how large or small a home appears. Professional home stagers chime in with some tips on how to show off square footage, even when space is tight.
- Remove heavy drapes. Leave windows bare or hang sheer linen curtains. The space will feel brighter, and “you’ll extend the view to the outdoors, which will automatically make your space feel larger,” home staging expert Lori Matzke told realtor.com®.
- Go monochrome. Painting ever single room in the same color can help lengthen a smaller space. It “prevents your space from feeling choppy and gives it more of a continuous feel,” Matzke says. Furnishings and accessories should also be monochrome. Reduce contrasting colors whenever possible, says Justin M. Riordan, founder of Portland, Ore., and Seattle-based Spade and Archer Design Agency. “If you have a room with taupe walls, walnut floors, a brown sofa, and milk-chocolate pillows—all various names for medium brown—the edges of each item will be less defined and, in turn, be perceived as taking up less space,” Riordan says.
- Remove rugs. “The more you break up the flow of your flooring, the smaller your space will feel,” Matzke says. Limit rugs to only one or two main areas, such as under the dining table. Also, small rugs can dwarf a space, so when you do use them, make sure they aren’t too tiny.
- Add mirrors to rooms. Mirrors can help make a small room appear larger by reflecting more natural light, Bee Heinemann, marketing director and interior decorating expert at Vänt Wall Panels told realtor.com®. Consider placing a mirror next to or directly across from a window to add more depth to the room.
- Raise the bar (in the bathroom). Place shower curtains and window treatments higher up on the wall. “Hang it as high as you can,” Heinemann says. “Doing so gives the illusion of higher ceilings and greater space.”
Source: “14 Sneaky Staging Tips for Selling a Small Home,” realtor.com® (Sept. 6, 2017)
