Interior design tips to maximize your property\u0027s value

Interior design tips to maximize your property's value 

Are you looking to add value to your home? You may well have heard that major renovations and building work, such as converting the loft or having a conservatory, can increase the worth of property, but if those aren't viable options for you, don't panic. There are still plenty of practical things you can do to boost the resale value of your home by focusing on the interior design. Here are some top interior design tips to put into action to maximize your property's value. 

Decorate 

Redecorating your home is one of the easiest ways of adding value, as well as bringing it up-to-date. 

If you're thinking of selling your property in the near future, it's best to aim for neutral colours and paint, rather than bold, bright shades or patterned wallpaper. It's also advisable to avoid incorporating any new trends that could lose appeal quickly, and instead opt for a more timeless effect. You don't have to stick to one shade of neutral though – you can use several tones of the same shade to create depth and interest in your décor. 

One of the benefits of decorating in neutral tones is that you can then pick one or two additional colours to use as accents, which can be the focus for soft furnishings, furniture, art or other accessories and will help draw your interior design scheme together. 

Refresh the kitchen 

The kitchen is a key selling point in a home, but you don't necessarily have to renovate the entire room in order to increase value. 

Kitchen units inevitably suffer from wear and tear through general use and can look tired and worn, but can be refreshed by painting. As well as improving the overall look and helping older units look new, it’s also an effective way to tone down dark units into a lighter shade. 

If you don’t think a re-paint will work (it's not suitable for some kitchen units, such as gloss-effects, for example), then you could change the cupboard doors instead. It's amazing what effect new doors will have and it can quickly and effectively rejuvenate the room. 

...and the bathroom 

Do the same in the bathroom too, focusing on re-painting the walls for a fresh, clean look. Other useful tips include removing mould, touching up grouting between tiles and, if necessary, replacing old fixtures and fittings with new ones. 

Where possible, keep the décor neutral and instead add colour through fluffy towels or accessories. Light is important in bathrooms, so ensure there's a good source of light and update light fittings if necessary. Look out for mirrors that have lights built in. 

Accessorize with care 

How you accessorize a room can make a big difference to its perceived value. Hanging a mirror on a wall can help create the illusion of more space and good lighting can add to the overall ambience of a room, as well as provide much needed extra lighting in dark corners. 

It's good to add personal touches, such as pictures, artwork or decorative accessories, to help rooms feel homely and lived in. There's a fine line though between homely and cluttered, so do your best to declutter what you can and use storage wisely. 

Rugs can be useful too, to help break up large areas of wooden or laminate flooring and create designated zones in open plan homes. Choose rugs that fit with your chosen accent colours. 

Restore original features 

In the case of period properties, buyers love original interior features and will pay a premium for them. If your property has previously undergone alterations that cover up original features, consider whether you can restore them before you put your property on the market. 

For example, uncover fireplaces that have been blocked off, ensure decorative mouldings are clearly visible and remove paint from any timber beams. If you have mis-matched interior doors, update them to the appropriate style or remove carpet to reveal original tiles. 

First impressions count 

First impressions really count, so do your best to ensure your home has the right instant appeal. 

There's nothing worse than walking into a dark, cramped hallway, so make your hall as light and inviting as possible. Clear clutter, like shoes or coats, paint the walls and maximise the space you have available. 

One useful decorating trick to apply to a narrow hallway is to paint the skirting boards in a darker shade to the wall and ceiling. This will help create a clever visual effect, naturally drawing the eye to the darker band of colour and leading focus onwards into the rest of your home. 

With these tips put into practice, you should be well on your way to boosting your home’s value!