Buyers are more interested in homes that are spacious with open floor plans, but even if your home is smaller or you have a floor plan that is not so open you can visually create a larger room. There are plenty of easy ways to add space without remodeling your entire home. Make your rooms look larger by trying some of these tips to visually create more space.

• Use a light and neutral color scheme to make your room look bigger. Cream colors and warm yellows are just a few of the best color combinations that can open up a tiny room into a bigger living area. Light colors make your room look bigger and brighter because they are reflective making a space feel open and airy.

• Mirrors can make your room look larger. Use a focal point and angle your mirrors towards it, which will give the illusion of depth. Mirrors also reflect both natural and artificial light to make a room brighter during both day and night. They bounce light deep into the room, making it appear larger. This is especially effective with near a window so the outdoors can be reflected, giving the room a more open flow.

• Reduce clutter and keep rooms tidy and organized. There’s nothing that makes a small space feel cramped more than having too much stuff. Keep decorative objects to a minimum, figurines are distracting. Pick up newspapers and magazines and put away unnecessary items from countertops in the kitchen and baths.

• Don’t cover your walls with a lot of pictures. Too many pictures on the wall can make a room feel crowded. One large painting works better than a group of small paintings.

• Minimize the amount of furniture you have in each room. If possible store any large and bulky furniture pieces. You want the potential buyer to see the house, not your furniture.

• Keep the floor as clear as possible. Take out any large rugs you may have, this will help to create an illusion of more floor space.

Consider these tips to help you create a sense of spaciousness. When in doubt on what to remove and what to keep, try to follow the ‘less is more’ theory. Excessive furniture and decorations contribute to the rooms looking smaller and more cluttered—and ultimately distracting potential buyers from seeing themselves living there. A clean, well-maintained, and spacious home is not only more marketable, but can often command a higher price.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 at 7:02 am and is filed under Open Houses, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.