Add Home Value with These Indoor Décor Ideas

Posted on Jun 29 2015 - 2:18pm by Housecall
#11

Contributed by Kristin Belt

decorIf you’re like a lot of homeowners today, you might be tempted to chalk decorating choices up to personal preference and think they have little to do with home value — but this is a mistake. Whether or not you’re planning to sell your home soon, here’s what you need to know: the right decorating choices not only make your home a more enjoyable place for you to live, but also they increase and improve your property value when it comes time to put it on the market. This is because, believe it or not, there are a lot of ways that updates and decorating can increase how much your home is worth. How exactly does this work? What indoor décor boosts property value? Consider the following:

  1. Fresh Paint. “Whether it’s interior or exterior painting, a fresh coat of paint instantly makes any space appear updated and clean, increasing its surface value,” says TLC Decorating Services. Stick to light neutrals that enlarge your living spaces and appeal to a wide range of tastes, and, if you have it in the budget, hire professionals who will make sure the paint job is done right.
  2. Upgraded Lighting. There’s a reason real estate agents turn on all of a home’s lights for a showing — generally speaking, the brighter, the better. Well-lit rooms look bigger and more inviting, especially when attractive fixtures light them. Plus, because light fixtures are one of those home features that often will stay with a home when it sells, potential buyers are getting extra value from the recessed lighting, pendant lights and other fixtures you add to your layout and design.
  3. Plantation Shutters. Attractive window treatments are always a selling point, especially if they’re custom-made like plantation shutters. Specifically created for your home’s living rooms, bedrooms or basement, plantation shutters add as much functionality as they do value, showing buyers yet another asset of your home.
  4. Granite Countertops. It doesn’t matter if you live in a two-bedroom condo or a six-bedroom Georgian-style home, adding granite countertops is a design choice with value impact. “No matter what price the home is, most buyers want granite these days,” says Lee Anne Culpepper at Networx. Plus, because granite or other stone countertops are such an in-demand feature these days, most buyers will be willing to pay more for a home to get them.
  5. New Appliances. Right along with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances are a top upgrade in terms of value boost. “The cold feel of steel is a hot ticket item for buyers,” says HGTV. “Transition your appliances as they wear out and go with a similar metallic look in your light switches.” Swap the old, outdated fridge, stove and dishwasher in your kitchen with sleek stainless steel and you bring it into the new century.
  6. New Bathroom Tile. Nothing dates a bathroom faster than vintage tile, so if you want to breathe fresh life into a bathroom space, go with new, bright, modern tile instead. Light colors make small bathrooms look bigger — a major value boost come selling time — and modern choices make your bathrooms fit with your home’s more updated overall look.
  7. Staged Rooms. Only a small percentage of the population can truly envision living in a home with outdated décor or empty rooms — that’s why a service like staging can be so powerful. According to Bank Rate, one survey showed that home staging resulted in an average $1,780 price increase or 586 percent return on investment. If you want to make your home look more valuable and thus to command a higher sale price, consider hiring a stager to make your rooms look their best. When potential buyers see how attractive and spacious rooms can look, they’re one step closer to making an offer.
  8. Attractive Framing. Empty walls force a buyer to try and imagine where art could go and how to fill space. When you have attractive, perhaps even custom framing throughout your living spaces, however, you have a perfect finishing touch — both for your own enjoyment in your home and for a desirable look when it’s time to sell.

If you’ve wanted to upgrade your home but are unsure how to justify it, this list is good news. Not only will the right indoor décor make your home more livable for the short term, but also it will add value for long-term resale. To figure out where to start with your remodeling projects, use the above eight ideas and make the most of your updates.

Kristin Belt is the owner of Austin FASTFRAME. Founded in 2007, Kristin wanted to open a custom frame shop where she can bring storied life and beautiful color into homes and offices. Now, with their expert framing services in custom fine art preservation framing, mirror framing, certificates and much more, FASTFRAME of Austin has been thriving for nearly a decade.

11 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Lyn Sims July 3, 2015 at 8:25 pm - Reply

    Plantation shutters? Who uses those any more?

    • Suzanne Kiser August 19, 2015 at 9:17 am - Reply

      I think they are seen more in the south and while they are attractive, they are expensive. I think you can add value with simple sheers as well.

  2. Katie - creativeblinds.com August 15, 2015 at 10:59 pm - Reply

    Adding values for your home needs extra work. Especially if you are on a tight budget and you have bought an old home, you can do it slowly but surely. In addition, do not in a hurry to choose a model before you’re really know what is it for.

  3. David @Milk Frother Judge September 28, 2015 at 1:07 pm - Reply

    Great tips, I love the inexpensive ones especially. Hardware tends to get overlooked but provides that little bit of extra for hardly any cost! The pool suggestion is a stretch to me, but I don’t deal with many million dollar homes – a price range where pools could be almost standard.

  4. Aaron October 18, 2015 at 8:04 pm - Reply

    I found this article useful. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

    Aaron Robertson
    http://www.authoritypm.com

  5. Anthony May 2, 2016 at 10:22 pm - Reply

    Your awesome post gives me some ideas for decorating my kitchen. Thank you so much for sharing this!

  6. Felton Morgan May 6, 2016 at 12:05 pm - Reply

    Informative article on improving value on a property.Thank you!

  7. Mary December 22, 2016 at 5:31 pm - Reply

    I love plantation shutters! We had some recently installed and I love the look of them. The also add value to your home if you ever decide to sell it.

  8. Alex @ Smart Kitchen Guide December 24, 2016 at 4:08 am - Reply

    Innovative ideas, next time I am going to remodel my kitchen I will surely be keeping these pointers in mind.

  9. Rezoan Rockey January 23, 2017 at 12:32 pm - Reply

    Extra work will be added value to your home. If you have budget problem then should be wait and need to do progress slowly. However, great tips.

  10. Washington DC Plantation Shutters April 26, 2017 at 12:44 pm - Reply

    I love the custom plantation shutters we had installed in our home a few years ago. We recently put our house on the market and we were able to include the cost of the shutters in our asking price. We will definitely have them made and installed in our next home.

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