Looking at this from a potential Viewers point of view, if they are pushing past bikes, piles of coats and the general detritus of your outside wardrobe then you really aren’t inviting them into their potential home.
Halls look best when they are clean, tidy and decorated in a fresh, inviting colour scheme. The idea is to usher them into a haven, which impresses them from the start. Here is my little to do list, to make the right impression:
DECOR
First of all take a look at your décor, if it is really tatty consider refreshing it. Otherwise, make the most of what you have and follow these other tips
CLEAR THE DECKS
Grab all those coats, shoes bags and belts. Pile them up in another room and go back into your hallway. This will give you a fresh look at the space. Now consider what you actually need in this space. Most entrance halls need somewhere to hang coats, place shoes and bags etc. In addition you will probably want somewhere to check yourself as you leave the house.
TIDY
Now you know what you need work out how to store this stuff in your entrance hall in a neat and tidy way. Maybe you need a shoe rack and some coat hooks, maybe you have these already and they have just been overwhelmed. Once you have the right storage it will be easy to put your belongings away. If you have anything that doesn’t fit then pack it away somewhere else.
PICTURES
Hallways are great places to hang family pictures. When you are selling your home it is important to neutralise it so potential buyers can see what they are buying and imagine themselves living there. However, be careful not to make your home impersonal. Family pictures are a great way to show how happy you have been in your home, hallways are a great place to display these.
MIRRORS
Entrance halls are often small, narrow and lacking in natural light. In addition most people like to check themselves before they go out. Mirrors bounce light around a space and make you look fabulous too!
FLOWERS
If you have space for a hall table or even just a windowsill, make the most of this space by adding a bunch of fresh flowers in a vase. Make sure that you change these regularly though, dead flowers are not a good look!
CLOAKROOMS
Having completed a house doctoring project once I asked the client which was their favourite room, I was surprised when they answered honestly that it was the guest loo! This had formally been a cold, forgotten corner. All I had done was add a dash of colour to the walls and make it really inviting with candles, pictures and coloured accessories.
FRAGRANCE
I’m sure that you have heard about baking bread and brewing coffee just in time for viewings… well we can’t always be there when the agent comes round so and it is a little OTT anyway. So, what I recommend is to have vanilla flavoured room fresheners dotted around your property. Why vanilla? I think it works best becuse it is a inviting, comforting smell which evokes memories of childhood.
Enjoy transforming your home and good luck!