Critique my house photos part 1

[Movinghomes]

House going up on sale in end Feb/early March.

Before EA comes to do photos I took Mumsnet advice and photographers some rooms ie the 3 bedrooms myself to ask you for suggestions.

In each pic in red/pink/blue/green spots I've marked out "areas for attention". Usually these mean "move these things out of eyesight". Beds will be covered down with neutral colour bedspreads and matching pillow cases so ignore yesterdays bedding!

What would you suggest is done to these two rooms (master bedroom has en-suite loo freshly redecorated yesterday - other two are DS and DD rooms.

As said above in highlights are the things I could spot.. pictures blacked out for privacy

(Being brave so be kind)

If you're kind I'll do another thread with downstairs rooms another day!

Reckoned best to get feedback now before EA has been than after! I'll never be brave enough to put a Rightmove link :D

The beds need attention, they're either unmade have no sheets or are messy, also the rooms lack character but some people like a blank canvas,

I know some people can be put off by seeing other peoples stuff, but for me I'm just looking at layout and room sizes, so for me personally .. a little bit of tidying that you've already mentioned - and then I think they are fine.

The second picture with the green view out of the window is great - so definitely have all the blinds fully up to let in the light and show that off.

Hiya as I said about the beds they are indeed unmade! There are bedspreads and pillow cases specially for pictures and viewings :)

Yeah you need to fix the bedding. I know no one's buying your bedding but it's an off-putting look that does nothing to help people picture wanting to live there. It's also odd that it's not a trad master bedroom set-up. Fair enough to have separate beds, but again it adds to the slight HMO feel, on top of the the scruffy bedding and cheap (no diss - we had one of those too) wardrobe that seems to be partly across the window. in short, the main bedroom feels basic and not very nice. If there's anything you can do to make it feel more homely and appealing, that would be great. Otherwise just go for super-neat and tidy blank canvas, with a duvet that fits the bed and is smoothed out. And if there's anywhere to put the wardrobe so it fits, go for it. It's not a big wardrobe so the fact you've not found space for it is another issue. The kids bedrooms are fine. I think people cut some slack with kids bedrooms and don't expect them to be selling the house. But I wouldn't want to book an airbnb night in the main bedroom let alone buy it and it feels like an easy fix to change that reaction. Good luck with it! Sorry if any of that sounded harsh, I admire you for doing this and sure you'll sort it.

(Edit - just seen you have better bedding for the real shots so sorry to bang on. But just goes to show how big an impact such things have. It made it hard to have any other feelings beyond that.)

Hiya I don't understand about separate beds in master bedroom? It's a super long sized bed that DH and I sleep on? Can you tell me which bit looks like separate beds please and why the master bedroom isn't traditional?

Super king sized bed I mean! Not super long sized!

They’re all very grey and bland. They don’t look cosy at all.

Outside of the dots,

Master - relocate the wardrobe next to the window - its blocking the wall and making the place look more cluttered. Keep that wall empty. Also make sure en suite door is closed. Possibly add a rug?

Kids room - add a rug

Attic room - relocate the bed (could.it go sideways along the spot you were stood at to take the pic)?

It looks like 2 beds due to the two duvets?

Also the windows with one curtain down the side look odd. Either add a second one or take the curtain down for the pictures.

I don't like the ceiling light, and think maybe some framed artwork on the walls?
I'm not mad about grey but it's not the worst. The second 'single' br looks very small. I wouldn't really class it as a br.
The wardrobe isn't that attractive so maybe better just to remove it?
Maybe put some healthy looking plants somewhere in there?
There's nothing awful about it, it's nicely neutral, but I guess maybe lacking character a bit. The only thing that can't be improved is the size of the smaller br.

You need to put a king / super king sized duvet and bedding on it. The two single duvets make it look odd and a bit sad and not like a master bedroom at all. I get that's your setup but you need to appeal to the majority, not the minority. Also I would move the desk out of the corner (again, even if that is the reality of the situation, it just isn't aesthetically pleasing). And move the wardrobe from covering some of the window to maximise light!

It all just needs a bit more love tbh OP.

The kids bedroom with the paw patrol bedding desperately needs tidying. Stickers off the drawers, that net toy basket thing removed from the corner as it looks a bit scruffy. Can you get another curtain for the other side of the window for symmetry?

All rooms could do with some generic, inoffensive prints on the walls as it doesn't look very homely or welcoming. Could you afford this?

Yep, plants, rugs, artwork, no mess whatsoever, tidy / made beds with nice cushions or a throw over the bottom of the bed. Make it look homely and welcoming!

Me too.
There was a thread a while back about what would put you off buying a house and someone said "unmade beds". But they're not buying the unmade beds! Obviously I wouldn't consider a house that looked like a drug den or a hoarders paradise as they'd likely be smelly and filthy but as long as it's reasonably tidy, an unmade bed or a few toys around wouldn't bother me.

We got these for our spare bedroom when we were "staging" our house. Inoffensive and generic but just add a bit of life to the walls (we have really high ceilings so our walls look extremely bare with nothing on them).

https://www.dunelm.com/product/set-of-2-minimal-luxe-abstract-framed-canvases-1000251357?defaultSkuId=30922401

There's loads on here OP

https://www.dunelm.com/category/home-decor/wall-art-and-decor/all-wall-art

Hi OP

The shot of the master - I agree about the wardrobe. Is it like this because you have other furniture on the wall behind/as you open the door? Or could you put a run of (2) wardrobes on that wall and move the bed to LH side rather than R/H? Or put them catty corner with the bed on L/H side? Can’t see what the black thins are but maybe they could come down and have artwork? I bought cheap frame and put in wallpaper in colours to match mine and it looked good.

Bedroom with the eaves. Unless wardrobe in that place, bed at the end opposite window. Get a cheap second hand pine/mahogany/other wood narrow chest of drawers, paint in light colour FrenchChic paint (1 coat will cover, matt finish, small roller for bigger flat areas) to go on L/H wall. Fairy lights around the window if it’s pretty?

As said, blinds slightly higher for best light.

Do you have the other curtain of the pair in the other room? Is it missing because they are a bit too long? Use (small) stapler/staples to shorten in a pinch or use iron-on sticky “tape” to hem.

I suppose unmade beds for a single event (the photos) would indicate a general lacklustre approach to the sale. If you can't even be arsed to make the bed once, for one single day, a day on which you are encouraging a stranger to give you 300grand, then what else haven't you been arsed about doing round the house?

Neither of those bedrooms are too small to be a bedroom! They both have single beds, some storage and PLENTY of space for kids to play. Granted they're not massive, but they are WAY off box room size!

Unlike you , who ‘can’t be arsed ‘ to read the OP who has said she has bedding specifically for photos and viewings.
Blimey, talk about misplaced criticism, I hope you are never on a jury.

I'd discount the vast majority of what has been said on this thread, OP, unless you're trying to sell a tricky non-standard house in a bad area or difficult market, or need to make a specific sum your EA tells you is ambitious. You don't need to 'sell a lifestyle' or decorate the house to look 'nice' in the opinion of potential viewers, who are far more hard-headed than given credit for. Have a tidy house in good decorative order with furniture to fit, clear photos that give an accurate sense of the dimensions of the rooms, an accurate floor plan, and, if possible, a good 'lead' photo of the exterior, or, if the exterior has zero kerb appeal, then whatever room you think is the most obviously appealing. Or a nice garden, if you have one.

Those photos look a bit grey and unappealing, but if the price and location are right, and the house is a standard house not hiding horrors or a weird layout, then I think you're good.

OP - kindly - it looks unloved. Blank walls, furniture shoved anywhere (covering the window) and no warmth.

Id start by moving the furniture around. Have an experiment and see what works. Do it in all the rooms. It can really transform a space.

The carpet is in good nick but very dark. Can you afford rugs for some colour/ texture? Id also consider some colour on the walls. Paint is cheap. Because the walls are bare and pure white, it looks cold and clinical.

Some plants? You need to think about softening the impression.

@BuzzieLittleBee yeah, if you see it closely it's not too bad. That's the immediate impression I got. I think maybe it's the angle of the photos is skewing the room shape and size? Maybe it's because the ceilings look quite low. But definitely lose those ceiling lights, they're kind of ugly and attractive to dust.

the bedrooms are nice and big and good natural light. It could do with a bit of staging as a little bit grey but I don’t know think you need much. Some warm furnishing would be good. A nice rug, couple throws and cushions on the bed (all with a nice colour pop against the grey). Maybe an armchair in the master.