timeless versus trendy style

We sat down to have a conversation with two Landmark brokers about how you can design your home in a way that maintains classic style, while incorporating touches of your unique personality.

Some people are born with an eye for timeless design, and some people aren’t, and there’s no shame in recognizing that if it’s not one of your strengths. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, we have some home decor tips to help you design your home, not only for you to love, but for potential, future buyers to fall in love with as well.

1. First thing is first: De-clutter your Home

first-things-first-declutter-your-home

“I find that potential buyers are very confused by clutter,” said Keven Hawkins, Broker-in-Charge at our new Cashiers office on Highway 107. “When buyers are overwhelmed by a large amount of scattered antiques or wall decor, they tend to fail to notice the great qualities of a home. De-cluttering and simplifying your home before putting it on the market really makes a difference.”

If you aren’t planning on selling and you just want to beautify your home, de-cluttering is still essential. By being honest with yourself and taking away the things you don’t need or love anymore, you are opening yourself up to new possibilities for your space. Simplify first and decorate later. It’s not quite a home decor tip, but it’s the first step you should take to get ready to decorate.

A broker at our Highlands office, Cole Fuhrman, says decluttering also applies to furniture:

“When I’m taking people to view a house they could potentially buy, oftentimes the furniture is a huge distraction,” he said. “If the furniture is too small for the space, it can look odd. If the furniture is too large, it can make it look much smaller than it is. And having too much furniture takes a buyer’s focus off picturing themselves living there and puts it on the cramped space.”

2. Neutrals are always classic

neutrals are always in style

If you want to update the color scheme of any space in your home, calming neutrals will never go out of style. Various shades of gray and white can be mixed and matched with fun colors and prints through fabrics like throw pillows and blankets. On the selling side of this, potential buyers of your home can more easily see themselves living in the home when the prints they may not like are on the pillows rather than the wall. If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, it might be time to consider re-painting that lime green kitchen to a softer color.

“A crisp, pure white will never go out of style,” Fuhrman said. “When in doubt, paint it white. You can always go from there.”

3. Reevaluate the features that could date your house

The top-4 items that tend to “date” a house are:

• Wallpaper - “Wallpaper will always be a trendy product," said Hawkins. "I think many people are afraid to use wallpaper because they think it’s too much of a commitment, but the truth is, it’s fairly easy to take down and replace. So while it’s a trendy product, I think it’s still not a bad thing to decorate with.”

• Window Treatments - “I recently listed a home that was decorated circa 1993,” said Hawkins, from the new Cashiers office. “The biggest thing that dated the house was the curtains. Once we took them down, it was a whole new house.” Fabrics are trendy products and most will eventually, at some point, go out of style.

• Bedding - If this confuses you, then it’s best to stick with simple, solid colors. A white comforter goes with everything. If white intimidates you, a gray comforter works, too.

• Countertops - “Countertops often date a house. Not as quickly as fabrics and wallpaper, but they do,” Hawkins said. “We are moving away from granite, and towards quartz and marble.” Keep other prints in mind that can date your home. “Chevron and plaid tend to make a home feel dated,” said Fuhrman, from the Highlands office. “Stay away from those prints as a general rule.”

The Bottom Line with Interior Design

the bottom line with interior design

It’s important to stay on top of making your home look fresh, clean and bright, whether you are thinking about selling your mom sooner or later down the line. If you consistently make improvements over time, your home will always be stylish and beautiful.

Here is the big takeaway: When you are looking to change up your whole house or just one room, the more expensive projects or pieces of decor (like couches) should be timeless and neutral. You can indulge in your favorite trends for the smaller projects or pieces of decor such as rugs, throw pillows or hardware. That way if they go out of style or become stale to you, you can change them out with little effort and money.

Is Hiring an Interior Decorator Right for You?

Hiring a decorator is a much different experience than it was more than 20 years ago. There were many products the general public wouldn’t have had access to unless they had an account with a decorator. Now, we live in a DIY culture and the need for product through interior designers is no longer the same.

So that leaves us with: What now? Is there still a need for interior designers, and should you hire one?

The answer to this question is ultimately up to you. But Keven Hawkins left us with this point:

“The value of interior decorating now revolves around the planning of the house. Organizing the space and making sure the rooms work for how you will be living in the home. That need will never go away. Modern interior decorating lies in functionality.”

Staging Your Home for Sale with Landmark Realty Group

In a luxury real estate market, knowing the perfect way to decorate and stage your home to sell can be tricky. At Landmark Realty Group, our brokers have extensive experience with selling homes, and they know exactly how to stage your space to appeal to buyers. Get in touch with us today and we will pair you with the perfect broker to suits your needs and give you home decor tips meant to frame your home in the perfect way.

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