Add space to your living area

One of the main reasons people want to move is to get more space. If this is your situation, you will want to make your home appear larger, both for your own use and to make it easier to get it sold. There are several easy things you can do to make your home appear larger. This can be an advantage when you are trying to sell a smaller house.

1. Lighting -- A light and open appearance makes any home seem more inviting and larger. In order to make a room appear larger there should be plenty of light to increase a feeling of openness. Aim lights on the walls so they will look brighter. You might want to have controls installed to adjust the intensity in each room to meet your mood.

2. Wall Color -- Use colors that have a warm feeling such as brown and orange tones. These colors can make a room seem bigger, and more inviting. To give a room added depth, you might want to try the technique of using light shades on three walls of the room and a coordinated darker tone of the same color on the other one.

3. Minimize the Furniture -- Rooms that have too much furniture in them look smaller than they are. The more overfilled a space is, the smaller it will appear. Be sure not to crowd your furniture together when you want to make your room look larger than it really is. Avoid big armchairs and overstuffed sofas in cramped spaces. To maximize the utilization of space, use dual purpose furniture. As an easy example, a hassock that opens up for magazine storage bypasses the need for space that would be needed for a second dedicated item.

4. Accessories -- The accessories you choose have a big impact on the appearance of overall size. Use curtains in a light color, which allow plenty of light during the day. Choose light colored furniture, or as a minimum use light colored covers and accent pieces for the furniture, because choosing light colors will generally give a more relaxed, open appearance to the space.

5. Storage -- Liberal use of storage is important in confined spaces. The more junk you have in your home, the smaller it will look. This is not just something for making your home more attractive to prospective buyers, but a good thing to keep in mind in having a healthy lifestyle for yourself as well. Select storage systems that fit your family's needs and lifestyle. When you cut down on clutter, the property will look better to guests and prospective buyers -- and you will be more comfortable there as a side benefit.

6. Mirrors Can Double a Room -- Use large mirrors to give the illusion of depth to a room. This is one of the simplest and best things you can do. Mirrors can serve as attractive in themselves, and they serve the additional purpose of making small rooms appear large.

These easy tips can save you money in the necessary task of making it more presentable and marketable. In fact, these suggestions are among the most cost-effective methods to improve the value of your home with only a modest outlay.

Information made available by the Boulder real estate professionals of Colorado, Automated Homefinder.