Home staging the kitchen of your dreams

Kitchens are a living space where home staging is most important. As the new focal point of any home, this is where buyers will spend the most time. During a showing, they will look at your appliances, fixtures and storage. Toronto home staging companies like Baraka GTA Home Staging know how important it is to stage a dream-worthy kitchen that will appeal to buyers. Read on for home staging tips you can use to ensure your creates a wow factor on the market.

Deep cleaning your kitchen is the first step in home staging

Most home owners do a deep clean of their kitchen once in a while. But when you’re preparing for a sale, your kitchen needs to be spotless. This is because buyers will typically gauge a home by its cleanliness. We’ve said before that a clean home is a show-ready home. This is most true in the kitchen where families gather, food is prepared and memories are made.

Begin your cleaning by scrubbing every inch of counter space. This will set the stage for some decorative home staging elements that you can add later. Next, tackle the inside of your appliances. Yes, buyers will look! Deep clean your fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave until they sparkle. Also be sure to tidy up the contents of your fridge, pantry and cupboards. The goal is to create an organized space that buyers can envision themselves living in.

Declutter and depersonalize your kitchen

In order for buyers to picture the space as their own, you need to clear away a lot of the clutter. Remove almost everything from your countertops. Less is more in this case. Clear counters will make even the smallest kitchen appear larger. Just because you use certain appliances and gadgets every day doesn’t mean your buyers will.

Toronto home staging companies also see value in removing personal items from your kitchen. If you have photographs, religious items or other mementoes in the space, it’s time to tuck them away. A neutral space will appear to buyers. The same applies to your fridge. Most of us with hang photos, children’s drawings and other notes here. But a clean, blank fridge is what will appeal most in home staging.

Lighten and brighten your kitchen

Most kitchens are well-lit with sunlight during the day. Evening light is important, too, especially when showings take place at night. During the day, ensure all of your drapes and blinds are pulled back. For evening showings, home staging companies will suggest that you leave all of your lights on to welcome buyers. Also be sure that your windows are clean, inside and out, to let the most light in.

For smaller kitchens, condo kitchens or those with minimal light, install lights underneath the cabinets. This doesn’t have to be an expensive addition. Consider buying small, battery-powered tap lights that will brighten work spaces. If you have an eat-in kitchen and need more light, consider hanging a mirror in the eating area. This will mimic the idea of a window and reflect existing light to brighten the space.

Home staging with fresh flowers

Once your kitchen is clean, decluttered and depersonalized, it’s time to add some colour. While we always recommend home staging in neutral colours, a pop of colour can add a great focal point to a clean space. Toronto home staging companies will often place a large bouquet of bright, fresh flowers on kitchen counter tops. For eat-in kitchens, a bouquet on the table works well, too.

When home staging with flowers, it’s always important to ensure they’re real and fresh. This will add richness to your space. Silk flowers just can’t compete, and also won’t add the fresh, flowery scent of the real thing. Make sure your bouquet stands out but doesn’t overwhelm the space. The goal is to draw in a buyer’s eye and add texture and colour to your space.

Put the finishing touches on your kitchen

You kitchen is clean, bright and ready for a showing. But, before you leave the house, there are a few last-minute home staging tips you need.

Organize any open shelves. We talked about tidying inside your cupboards and pantry, but open shelves need love too. If you have floating shelves in the kitchen, ensure they’re neat and styled. If you’re not sure what to displace, a set of white dishes and clear glasses will create a clean look.
Polish your fixtures. Gleaming faucets and door knobs will make a great impression. The same goes for hardware on your cabinets. If your fixtures are in good repair, there’s no need to replace them for a showing. Instead, ensure fingerprints are wiped away.
Freshen your towels. Before your first showing, buy new tea towels for your kitchen. Set these aside, and only hang them for showings and open houses. Similar to flowers, these are a great way to add colour to a neutral space. They are also an inexpensive accessory.