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Thinking of selling your home? No doubt you’ll know that the outlook for the UK housing market is very uncertain at the moment, with new house buyer inquiries hitting an eight-month low in June. So whether you’re putting your home on the market or holding off for the time being, it’s crucial you do all you can to maximise its value.
One place worth paying attention to is your kitchen. Research shows that renovating the kitchen could add anything from 4-15% to a home’s value, and even if you can’t afford a full-blown transformation, small tweaks and clever staging is sure to have a positive impact on price.
Here are three tips to help you impress potential buyers for a remodel or renovation.
1. Build timeless elements
Chasing trends is not wise for two simple reasons. Firstly, your kitchen will age as soon as a new trend takes over, and secondly, you can’t guarantee that a particular makeover will be popular with all your potential buyers. Play it safe and choose classic, timeless designs like the shaker style, that look polished and sophisticated.
If yours is a family home, aim to appeal to the buyer by showcasing how the space can be used. And be wary of being too eclectic and a defined personal taste to ensure mass appeal.
Research some kitchen design ideas, like a spacious open concept and kitchen island for easy flow between the airy kitchen and other living areas. Or embrace simplicity and clean lines by opting for a minimalist design with handle-less cabinets and a neutral colour palette. Or incorporate a Farmhouse kitchen with rustic elements such as distressed wood and open shelving. Or expose brick walls, with stainless steel appliances, vintage lighting fixtures and polish concrete countertops for an industrial look.
Shaker cabinetry, for example, will give your kitchen a timeless look but still offers versatility. As explained by designers Harvey Jones, modern Shaker kitchens retain the core traditions of simplicity, utility and honesty, but with understated tweaks for a more contemporary aesthetic. Other classic elements you could incorporate include marble or quartz worktops, chalk paint cabinets, metal handles, and wooden features.
2. Clear the clutter
Keep your kitchen looking sleek and streamlined by ensuring it’s as clutter-free as possible. Buyers will want to see lots of clear countertops so they can envision how they’d organise the space if it was theirs. Put all your appliances away and make sure cutlery, crockery, pots and pans are neatly arranged in your drawers and cupboards as buyers are sure to open these.
The same goes for things like bottles, jars and cans, but see whether there’s anything you can throw away to create a bit of extra space. Don’t forget about your fridge either – make sure the top is clear, you’ve removed all photographs and magnets, and that the inside is clean and tidy.
3. Enhance the visual appeal with lighting and colour
Although you want your kitchen to be clear and spacious, you should introduce a few elements to make the space look homely and lived in. Ideally this will bring a bit of colour as well. For example, you could add a fruit bowl, a few plants or flowers, stylish bottles, a wooden chopping board, or some rugs or tea towels that are in good condition. However, don’t go overboard. Less is definitely more in this case.
And don’t neglect your kitchen lighting as this is very important for creating atmosphere and warmth that will help you sell your home. You might want to swap out some of your current fixtures for some more stylish, modern alternatives, such as eye-catching pendant lights. Under cabinet lighting can also help brighten up the space and you can buy stick-on strips for a quick transformation that doesn’t require an electrician.
