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Lighting Up the New Year!

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Lighting within your home is very important, especially in a vacant home with no overhead ceiling lights.  The most important element to lighting is that it is balanced and casts no shadows.  Using a 60 watt bulb is usually best, but a 75 watt may be better in a really dark or extra large room.  After Furniture placement, make sure the lights are kitty-corner from each other and not all on one side.  If they must be on one side, then consider placing a floor lamp across from them to create the desired balance.

It is much darker during the winter months so light your home as much as possible.  It will create welcomeness and warmth, instead of feeling scary and unfamiliar.  Some rooms may have just one dim ceiling light, this could be a good opportunity to add table or floor lamps.

Lighting is also important for photos.  Walk through each room to see if the light looks balanced.  Does it feel warm and inviting?  Take a picture with your phone to see if there are shadows.  If the light is unbalanced, it will show a flash to one side of the room.  Have you noticed in homes online that are not lit properly look dark and dingy.  You may not be able to see in a corner, or distinguish room from room.  You want to highlight each room so the potential buyer can see everything that your home has to offer.

Final Thought…  “A good intention, with a bad approach, often leads to a poor result.”  Thomas A. Edison

“Can we decorate for Christmas?” By Susan Adair

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Tis the season when, if your house is on the market, you might ask, “Can we decorate for Christmas?” The holidays are fast approaching and all the stores, not to mention your attic are full of beautiful, candles, stockings, lights, ribbons, garland and your favorite family ornaments.

So, good question! After all you are still living in your house. You and your whole family want life to go on as normally as possible all the while you are keeping organized, clean and de-cluttered. It may seem like a tall order, but you are motivated.

Let’s say the photos of your house are scheduled to be taken just before or just after Christmas so they will be ready for the first of the year. Now, here are two questions that will give you your decorating answer. Do you want your photos to be dated? Do you want potential buyers to remember your house as the “Christmas house” or the house with the great floors?

For the exterior, you can stick with a beautiful planter(s) of winter greens. Have as much fun with it as you like. Greens, birch sticks, branches with berries, eucalyptus leaves, pine cones, and some great ribbon can all work together to create a welcoming introduction for buyers. While the real estate agent is opening the lock box, buyers are standing there on the stoop or porch looking around. If you have made it look beautiful, it will help buyers to fall in love! Don’t forget the exterior light fixture. It should be sparkling clean with a nice clear glass bulb shining “Welcome, I’m beautiful!”

Inside, remember what you hear me say all year around, “Always remember what you are selling.” Photos can be taken before the tree and all the decorations come out. Then go ahead and let your house celebrate, but keep it low key this year. For example, use small white lights as opposed to those with lots of color. You still want to show off the banister, the fireplace, the floors, windows and the space without things feeling full, cluttered or overwhelmed by the season. Think about what you want buyers to remember about the house, the holiday decorations or the great space?

Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year in your new house!

Susan