Posted by
Lewith & Freeman Real Estate Inc.

6 years ago

Real estate experts claim the most important (and most popular) room to stage in the home is the kitchen. This room is central to the home as it's a gathering place for family and friends, where memories are made and quality time is spent.

The staging goal here is simple: make your kitchen the place where an interested buyer sees themselves in.

This space should be a clean slate allowing them to imagine themselves enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning and making dinner by evening.

It's not uncommon for homeowners to invest a large amount of money into remodeling an entire kitchen and making it a canvas for culinary arts. However, you don't have to spend that much to spruce the kitchen up, increase the value of your home, and make the sale.

Check out seven home staging tips on how to stage the kitchen below!

Utilize the Space

Photo Credit: Steven Wallace Media

Before: The island stools and placement of the kitchen table make the space feel cramped. It draws attention away from how large the kitchen is.

Photo Credit: Steven Wallace Media

After: Lower island stools don't overwhelm the eating space, and floating the furniture away from the wall shows there is more floor space available.

Interested buyers hold how large a kitchen is to be one of the top priorities. They ask themselves, "Will I be able to comfortably cook and spend time with my family in here?"

So, this is important.

Do everything you can to make your kitchen appear as large as possible. Pairing the neutral walls with soft-toned curtains highlights how much natural light is in the room and makes it appear larger. The changes also showcase the best features of the kitchen and provide an inviting, comfortable space for a group of people to spend time in. Having a flow between furniture (in this case the island stools and table) will complete the room by making it feel natural and open.

Decorate Sparingly

Photo Credit: Steven Wallace Media

Before: The red walls, combined with decoration on top of the cabinets and on the counters, makes the space feel personalized to the current homeowner.

Photo Credit: Steven Wallace Media

After: The kitchen is decorated sparingly, and there is a touch of greenery. The walls are neutral and opportune for a new homeowner's decorating style.

When decorating the kitchen, keep in mind that your mission is to make the kitchen look more streamlined.

Neutral walls make this possible and provide the perfect place for any decorating style to make itself at home. If your walls aren't a neutral color, try to paint and update the space as much as possible--it will take you a long way on your selling journey!

Staging your kitchen means refraining from leaving anything on your counter except for just a few items. This could be a decoration or a plant to liven up the space. You can even add a pop of color to your kitchen by adding a bowl with fresh limes or lemons or even a cookbook, specialty olive oil, and a bottle of red wine.

Try not to decorate the counters too much, or the top of the cabinets, because it'll take away from your kitchen's true potential.

Clean Everything

The rule of thumb when staging any part of a home is to thoroughly clean and de-clutter--the kitchen is no exception.

When we say clean the kitchen, we mean clean everything.

Homeowners should clean, vacuum, and dust every possible surface, including the inside of drawers. Be sure to wipe down the inside and outside of cabinets, too. You may want to alphabetize spices to make the space appear even more well-kept. This level of organization will also give interested buyers the impression that the entire house is meticulous.

In addition to cleaning areas almost all viewers will check out in your kitchen, be sure to get those not-so-obvious ones, too. You have to assume an interested buyer will look at every single part of home; so, clean the inside of the oven, the stove, and polish any stainless steel appliances you have. Make sure there are no dirty dishes in the dishwasher, take the trash out, and wipe-down the refrigerator inside and out. Don't forget to thoroughly scrub the grout if you have tile.

This is also an ideal opportunity to replace burnt out light bulbs (even above the stove) and replace outdated knobs on drawers or cabinets.

Lighting is Key

Lighting does a lot.

It can significantly change a living space and should be utilized to its fullest extent when staging!

Natural light brings warmth into a kitchen and makes it more inviting. To increase natural light in the kitchen, refrain from installing heavy window treatments. Use sheer drapes or blinds if the sun shines directly into an area you spend a lot of time in.

If you have outdated lights in your kitchen, replacing them will increase your home's value and help make the sale quicker. If you have an older light fixture in your kitchen, invest in a modern or classic styled one instead. Make sure any lighting in the kitchen has daylight style bulbs as they'll make the area feel more open. You may want to purchase under-cabinet lighting if you don't have it installed. You can easily buy stick on lights that will cast a hue along your counter and highlight the amount of space you have.

A Touch of Color

When decorating, use color sparingly in a dramatic kitchen.

Color will give your kitchen character and depth. It will also highlight the space while allowing a potential buyer to envision their own touch of style. Items with texture, as well as a fruit bowl and plants, will refresh an area.

Another way to add color is through a throw rug or carpet. You can match any colored decor on the counters to the rug and it'll show a new homeowner how easy the kitchen's color scheme is to work with.

Put Away Appliances

In the kitchen, the large appliances are center-stage.

Your refrigerator, oven, and stove should be clean and easily noticed as soon as someone enters the room. You should put away your other appliances to show off that counter space--even the coffee-maker.

If your major appliances are outdated or don't match, it's a good idea to invest in new ones. This could be the push an interested buyer needs. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money; having new, clean, and matching appliances is more important than having expensive ones.

Set the Table

Whether an island, kitchen table, or dining room table, putting out a place setting will make a difference during the staging process.

Meaningful conversation and a place to touch base with each other during the day occurs over meals. Plus, you and your family will take a well-deserved break from technology, work, and school.

Setting the table will help a potential buyer view the space as a place to eat with their family.

If you have a small table, don't worry! This will also increase the value of your property because it will make the entire space look larger and provide more room for furniture, or anything else the room can be decorated with.