March 25, 2013 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)
Envision this. An excited potential buyer walks through your house – and she sees wallpaper. Her heart sinks. Ugh. All she can think of is the amount of work, mess, and potential problems created when she has to remove it. This single issue could ruin the sale.
So what do you do when you have wallpaper? Ideally, you will remove it before listing your house for sale. A good second option is to paint over it in a neutral tone (make sure you get advice about how to do this properly).
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 After: This stylish bedroom is the perfect retreat for any homeowner. |
But there may be times when those aren’t realistic options for you – and you decide to keep the wallpaper instead. This is where a professional stager can really help.
Wallpaper can be perceived as being dated, creating the feeling that the entire house is old and in need of an overhaul. So the goal in staging is to create a more modern feel and keep the potential buyer’s eye from focusing too much on the wallpaper itself.
Take the bedroom in the photo as an example. On its own, the wallpaper is somewhat tired and traditional feeling. By adding a modern headboard, lamps, art, and bedding, all of a sudden, the wallpaper seems to add a sophisticated backdrop to the room. The potential buyer notices how the room feels overall, not the detail of the wallpaper.
Bottom line, get rid of your wallpaper if you’re planning to sell your house. But if you choose to keep it, add décor elements that will appeal to the potential buyer, keeping them focused on the great space rather than the potential problem.
Not sure you want to tackle this on your own? For professional and creative home staging services in the Calgary area, contact me. |
