12:31pm Wednesday 4th July 2007
EVERYONE has their favourite colours and more often than not these are the colours we use to decorate our homes.
Our private space then reflects our characters and we feel good living there.
A bright red may remind you of a sunset on a holiday, but to others it may suggest fire and therefore invoke a negative reaction. You need to keep in mind that what you love may be what your potential buyer hates.
A buyer may be subliminally put off by a particular room just by how it feels and looks. They will also be thinking of the work they will have to do and the costs involved in redecorating.
Today's buyers tend to prefer a home they can simply move into and live with as it is. Moving house is stressful enough without having the thought in the back of your head that you need to start work on your new property as soon as you move in.
This will create a negative red flag' to the buyer, and may put them off the house completely. The good news is that it's such a simple and cost effective update to do when staging your property, and can make a real difference to the way a home is viewed.
There's a reason why property developers and builders have a reputation for painting everything magnolia - it works! It sells houses because people can move straight in and add their own personalities to the décor when they choose to. It doesn't alienate or offend any type of buyer, and therefore more people will be able to visualise themselves living there.
I don't necessarily advocate painting your whole house magnolia for selling, but rather using soft, warm and neutral colours on your walls and floors. This will not only create more harmony in the rooms but also a real sense of space. Adding in brighter coloured accessories is a great idea as this can satisfy your need for colour and add style and character to the space - something which all buyers will be aspiring to in their new home. This does not mean you are going to be left with boring, soulless rooms - on the contrary. In fact, all colours can have a more neutral shade, so you don't have to feel limited in choice at all. Neutral purely means toned down (think of a colour with some grey added).
A good way to see neutrals is to look at heritage paint ranges, as these are more neutral in colour.
Have a play and see what great schemes you can achieve.
More often than not these are a great tool for decorating, whether you are selling or looking to stay put - they will stand the test of time better than bold colours, as they will not be too overpowering.
One thing to not forget when looking at colour is pattern. Neutral colours can still look wrong in a room if they are used on heavily patterned wallpapers or fabrics.
Try to keep patterns for smaller areas, and this will help to create less visual clutter in a room and therefore more space.
When staging a home for sale, or for redecorating a home, try using colour to enhance or detract from those things you can't change.
For example, an avocado bathroom suite can be off putting to a majority of buyers, but using soft cream or beige accessories, adding a plant to the window sill, putting a laminate floor down, and painting the walls in a fresh colour will help to create a light and more modern scheme that buyers will feel able to live with at least for a while. It is not about spending for the sake of it, it is about working with what you have, and colour is a great place to start!
If you are unsure of what colours work together, a great place to start looking for inspiration is nature. Look at how different greens complement each other in a forest, or how the colour of autumn leaves work fantastically against a neutral brown backdrop.
Above all, ensure your home is neutral' but definitely not boring' - you want it to stand out - but for all the right reasons!
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.creweguardian.co.uk/trade_directory/