Dining rooms- people either love them or leave them. Once a formal separate space in a home, the dining room became an area when open concept home designs became popular. Today, the desire to have a space to eat dinner other than a kitchen table is rising, but these spaces are meant to be multi-functional and not just for formal meals with guests. When it comes time to put your home on the market, don’t neglect this space. Here are some tips for staging a dining room appealing to buyers.
Define the Dining Room
Whether you have a separate room or part of the open floor plan, define the dining area. Use a rug larger than the table to designate the space in an open floor plan when staging a dining room. If you have a separate dining room, make sure to simplify the furniture in the space so that it is not crowded. Let the dining room be just that-the dining room. If buyers have intentions of turning the dining room into a play space or office, then the less furniture you have in the room the easier it will be for them to visualize the room as something else.
Have the correct table
The table is often the focal point in a dining room. When staging a dining room, make sure that the size of the table matches the room. A long table can make a room feel smaller than it really is. You want buyers to be able to walk around in the space without bumping into furniture. Remove the leaves in a table can make it fit better in the room. In smaller spaces, round tables often work well in the space. You can also consider removing chairs (four chairs is usually a good number) from the table or switching to bench seating to accommodate everyone in the family.
Keep it simple
One great tip for staging a dining room is to simplify the space. Go through any furniture pieces you have in the room and declutter. If you have a special set of dishes, think about selecting a few to display and packing the rest away for your move while staging the dining room. Since the table is a natural focal point in the room, you can set the table, but keep it simple by using just a centerpiece on the table and a runner or try putting out placemats and a few dishes.
Bring in the light
Open up the curtains or blinds (or both!) and let the light shine into the space. Natural lighting always makes a room more inviting when staging a dining room. You can also give your light fixtures in the room a good cleaning and change the bulbs to a brighter white if the room lacks natural light. Check to see that the bottom of the light hanging over the table is the standard thirty to thirty six inches away from the table. (Hint: Learn from my mistakes. If you plan to move out of your home before closing raise the light fixture up out of head bumping territory.) When staging a dining room that is smaller, a large mirror secured on a wall can help make the room appear larger and also reflect light.
Sparkle and shine
As always, the most important tip in staging a dining room, or any for that matter, is to give the room a thorough cleaning. This means dusting light fixtures and furniture, washing down baseboards and floors, and cleaning windows. Having a clean space lets buyers focus on the positive features of the room.
Looking for more tips about home staging? Check out the link below.
