Warning:
the photos in this
blog may cause you to feel a sense of hunger, thirst or the desire to
stage your kitchen!
We've all heard it said that "the kitchen is the heart of the home". If
you've ever had guests over for dinner or thrown a cocktail party, you
know that people tend to congregate in the kitchen. In my experience as
a home stager, the
kitchen is often the room most overlooked by home sellers.
According to a poll conducted
in 2006 by Maritz Research, 52% of buyers said the kitchen
had the most significant impact on their purchasing decision. While a beautiful kitchen
significantly increases the value of a home, a poorly presented kitchen
can be a deal breaker. Ironically, with the kitchen
having perhaps the highest impact on potential buyers, it
is often the most simple and least expensive area to stage.
In
this blog I will focus on staging kitchen counter
tops.
Buyers love clean
and ample counter space so begin by clearing everything (yes
everything) from your counter tops.
- Excess items on counters stop the eye
from moving freely around the room.
- Microwaves and large appliances "eat
up" (pun intended) valuable space.
- Blocks of knives pose a potential
risk to anyone showing the home.
With the counters vacant
you can thoroughly clean the surfaces.
- Don't forget the back splash, sink
and faucet.
Once
clean, strategically place colorful items and/or small appliances to create focal
points.
- Take
into consideration the amount of counter space available and select
appropriately sized items.
- Unless
you have truly expansive counter space, limit items (or groups
of items) to 2 or 3 areas.
- Place
the selected items where you want the eye to stop.
- Greenery
and bottles of water help convey a feeling of freshness.
- Fruit
and vegetables stimulate appetite. Due to their bright colors, these
will also be great items for directing the eye.
- A cook book propped open on a
stand or laying flat is also great for setting the scene.
Now
the full potential of your kitchen will be visible and buyers will be
able to imagine themselves preparing meals or entertaining guests.
Still unsure, perhaps these photos of our
work will be of inspiration...
Jackson
West is the owner and lead designer for Reveal Estate, a full service home
staging company located in Vancouver, BC.
;)
;)
Hey Jackson - I love kitchens also. I do occupied homes and it is shocking the amount of appliances that most homeowners keep on their counters. They have things the even they don't know how to use but they are out there anyway.