Critique my photos – selling house

[Delara]

Hi all,

I'm planning on selling soon, and am looking for some feedback on staging.

I live in an area where the houses that sell for most are a bit eclectic and 'have character' and colour. The ones that sell for the least are plain (which goes against everything I'd heard about making your house a blank slate!) so I'm thinking of leaning into this and maybe painting the chimney breast wall green and painting the kitchen, which is probably the most bland bit.

I'm also wondering if the living room is too busy and if I should just have one chair and fewer accessories.

The wardrobe in the second bedroom blocks light from the window so would it be worth swapping it out for a desk?

Please do point out anything else – if something looks cluttered etc.

Also should I remove all cat equipment? Planning to remove the litter boxes but wondering if it would be ok to leave up the cat tree in the living room if it blends into the room enough.

Appreciate any thoughts :)

Looks lovely to me.

It must qualify as a fixture surely?

I love your house. Can you put some more plants in the kitchen, and maybe a runner/rug on the floor?

The cat was the first thing I noticed, whilst it looks a nice photo I’d definitely get rid of that one when trying to sell a house. All the photos look very dark and gloomy so better lighting is needed

Its really nice OP would swap the cat tree for a standard lamp. Definitely add some colour in the bedrooms, rugs cushions and a mirror on the chimney breast. The bathroom looks lovely can I ask what flooring you have ?

If the house is a ftb property then stage the attic room as a home office but keep your sewing machine there too - multi-use. Buyers will use it for whatever they want but with so many working from home these days they'll be pleased to see they can have an office without sacrificing a bedroom.

Gorgeous cat!

I think your home looks nice and cosy.

But agree and also hate cats so any evidence would put me off (smells, accessories, toys, photos etc) and agree with lamp and lights being on to avoid living room looking too dark.

If nit picking I would possibly have one less chair in the living room to make it feel more spacious, possibly a contrasting light coloured rug or a green plant to break up the colour scheme as a lot of similar colours in there, also not keen on the orange hall way, would maybe include more colour maybe a plant for greenery or wooden chopping board or something in the kitchen as it maybe looks too clinical and a mirror or painting in both bedrooms above the beds and replace wardrobe by the window with a chest of draws.

I also think you’ve done a lovely job with it op! Good luck with the sale and your new home!

I would remove the rugs from the landing and bedroom and swap the wardrobe for a chest of drawers. Also some artwork on the bedroom walls and above the sofa for some colour.
The loft room doesn't look like usable space. I would remove the sewing machine and add a chair so it looks like a suitable workspace

lounge
the curtains look a light and flimsy, can you find some that have more impact and make the space seem more luxurious and cosy. A splash of colour will give focus.

colour on the walls - a rich olive green would look lovely, which way does the lounge face?

a coffee table - where do you put your drinks when you are in there. Don’t make a problem for the buyer as they will start to find more reasons which become the reason not to buy.

move the wicker chair to the loft room in lieu of a wardrobe and put the other chair under the window.

loose the cat scratcher whilst you are on the market, not everybody likes cats.

main bedroom
nicer lightshade, it is very ‘studenty’
brighter bed linen, it is lost on a sea of pinky beige and blends into the walls

second bedroom
more pillows on the bed and lovely bed linen, so it looks inviting and bedside table/lamps - they can even be attached to the walls as space is tight

bathroom
ditch the shower curtain in that hideous colour and get something nicer
loose the numerous plants it looks like it is covering something
reverse the paint on the walls and the base - paint the bath panel cream not white it looks cold, I would hate to use it in the winter and have a warm colour above, the green is lovely just in the wrong place
luxurious thick towels and some tasteful bath products but nothing that says soak, bathe etc etc
get a toilet roll holder they are buttons and will finish off the room

landing
nicer light fitting that actually fits

kitchen
colour is your friend, it doesn’t feel inviting all I would want to cook is toast and then beetle away. Paint the cupboard doors and put some wooden chopping boards, fruit bowl and move the plants they block the view of the garden

loft room
why is this not dressed as a bedroom, yes it might need a better and compliant staircase for building regs - something for the new owners to sort, but you are shutting down the possibility of it becoming a 3 bed house in people minds. Get a small double bed up there, lovely bed linen and say it is used occasionally for guests. It is wasted currently as it is.

hope that helps…..

Just wanted to say it looks a lovely home and also your cat is gorgeous!

I wouldn't spend too much on 'stuff' that you may not use in your new house. It all looks fine to me for selling. Most people envisage their own belongings in a house when viewing anyway.

I think it looks lovely. I would buy it!

Agreed, it’s not necessary.

Great house - especially like the bathroom:)

I'd just echo what lots of folk have already said about injecting a wee bit more personality. In the kitchen even just bright tea towels and oven gloves over the handle of a drawer. Plus a couple of the small plants and a bowl of fruit on the worktop. I'd like to see a bit more of the top part of the kitchen when the professional photographer comes round.
In the bedrooms a coordinating throw on the bed and beautifully ironed duvet cover.
As someone else asked, what's the outside like? Is there kerb appeal? Well painted front door? Is it straight out onto a pavement or room for some of the big plants at the door? What's the back like?
Looks good as it is and could look even better still!

Put a little bit more electrics out and plugged in kitchen and lamp on bedside tables…otherwise it kind look like you don’t have them…

I think a lot of people won’t be put off by the cat sitting on the table.

It’s lovely, but I feel you have decluttered it a bit too much. Nice kettle/toaster in the kitchen. Colourful cushions in the master bedroom. Hate shower curtains, so maybe don’t have it pulled across. Just my opinion.

Yes, I use it as a crafting room and have the beanbag to collapse in when I've been hunched over my sewing machine! Definitely relaxing, particularly when there's rain on the skylight

Thank you! Definitely very mid-century inspired and on trend enough for young buyers to like. Great idea moving some plants to the kitchen so they're not all overwhelming one or two spaces.

Wardrobe may be able to be swapped for the smaller one from the bigger bedroom. Or I could give away or sell on and replace with drawers.

My cats are proper escape artists though, I have no idea how you did viewings without your cats escaping into the garden or out the front door! My house doesn't have an air lock system so they would absolutely door dash 🥲 good to hear your buyers weren't out off!

Thank you so much, I really appreciate such detailed ideas! Will be shuffling around a.lot of stuff in my home. Particularly love the chalkboard idea as I have very dramatic cursive handwriting that gets a lot of compliments and might add to the overall feel.

Absolutely going to move lots of plants to the loft, now I look at the photo I have it looks so plain!

Will pick up some zoflora and hopefully some pieces of art that emphasise the ceiling :)

Stunning house OP! Love your style.

Would the wardrobe fit in the alcove in the other bedroom? If so you could maybe do a swap with the desk.

The kitchen does look a little bare compared to the other rooms. Maybe some pretty storage containers using the same colour palette as the other rooms and adding a rug might make it feel as cosy.

Is there space to add a clothing rail in the loft. We did this in our last house to show extra storage options.

Also agree about putting on the lights for the official pics..maybe a couple of lamps would help.

Pretty bog standard terraced house without a front garden area :( not going to post an image as it's in a regeneration area where all the houses are done up similarly on the outside so it'll be easy to reverse Google search where I live! I've got some plant pots out front though and painted the door recently.

I definitely will make the kitchen more lifestyle-y, think that would be super fun! All the advice I saw was to make the surfaces empty but it feels cold without some colour.

They always say to depersonalise but you have nothing on the walls. It is very bland and boring.

Also get that cat off the table as it puts me RIGHT off knowing there have been pets in the house, ditto the litter trays and climbing thing. Yuk.