High-end hotels deliberately employ the use of sumptuous bedding, chic décor, and breathtaking views so their guests will never want to leave. Here, Realtor.com offers tips on how to artfully stage that same type of welcoming, luxurious environment to sell your home to potential buyers.
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Beautify your entry
Hotels definitely influence residential design—beginning with the lobby. When walking into most fine hotels, you’ll discover an area with a beautiful, round elegant table boasting a huge spray of flowers. This automatically provides a very welcoming, comforting feeling. Add a table with an overflowing vase of flowers, lamps and some seating to re-create that chic hotel atmosphere and to ensure buyers get that same emotion upon stepping into your house.
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Tell a story with your belongings
You always should depersonalize and declutter your space to appeal to as many buyers as possible, but you don’t have to completely wipe the slate clean. Think about your home as an experience and use your treasured objects to lure house hunters. Put some historic books on a table to create interesting focal points, and if you have a beach home, create a coastal vibe. Be careful to distinguish between artful vignettes and annoying surface clutter. A good rule of thumb with design? Only have two to three objects on every surface—five, maximum, if it’s a very large surface—as to not distract from the eye; it’s also reminiscent of a fine hotel room.
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Choose hues carefully
Although bold jewel tones are hot right now, keep in mind that most upscale hotels prefer timeless neutral yet luxurious shades, such as warm gray, taupe, rich brown and even black. Potential buyers want the same—rather than a house with walls they know they’ll have to immediately paint. Also use a lot of glass and black metals to create a European chic feeling, sticking to two or three colors maximum throughout your home.
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Dazzle with plush bedding
For an elegant look, replace your duvet covers and pillow shams with striped hotel bedding—all-white linens embroidered with one stripe of color—and a couple of matching throw pillows. Or you might want to try doubling the duvet at the end of the bed by placing two or three inexpensive duvets into one duvet cover to appear thick and fluffy.
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Transform the bath into an oasis
Plan to redo one of your tired bathrooms before listing your property? Be sure to stick to classic materials, such as Carrara marble for your walls and shower, with a smaller version of it for the floors. People are used to seeing this everywhere, from grand old grand to chic Manhattan hotels. If you’re on a budget, choose similar-looking porcelain or ceramic tiles in a soothing, simple white palette. Add in all-white towels, hand cloths, and washcloths to create a spa-like environment.
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Create the illusion of space
If you’re challenged with a dark space or low ceiling, mirrors are the easiest and least expensive way to create an illusion of depth and light. Using large, floor-to-ceiling glass mirrors can be dramatic, especially when incorporated with glass side tables and coffee tables to open up the space. Solid wood pieces with huge, dark legs cut up the feeling of the entire space, while glass helps buyers see the vision of the room. And when it comes to art, bigger is better; under-sized works actually can make a room feel smaller. Also, consider recessed lights in the ceiling or wall sconces to evenly light and to increase the scale of a room.
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Continue the vacation vibe outside
Transform your deck with comfortable seating and a separate space for dining to remind buyers of al fresco dinners on hotel patios. Set up white candles in large hurricane lamps and casual vases of fresh flowers for an added touch of luxury, and add flowing, sheer white drapes to the doorways. And the lighter you can keep the colors for outdoor furniture, the better. If you have a dark weave, then top that with white cushions.
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Use biophilic design
Finally, try incorporating the latest hotel trend—biophilic design—which takes its inspiration from the outdoors. If you’re on the coast, pull in the sea, grasses, and palms as references for patterns on pillows. Or use other textural materials, such as a rich grass-cloth wall covering or large-scale piece of art that captures a coastal scene. Even if you’re not on the beach, look to the outside to see what you can bring inside.