Brightening the room

Bright and airy kitchens sell; dark kitchens don’t. As in every room in the house, your goal in the kitchen is to let in as much light and to make the windows look as large as possible. Windows are selling features. Take the following steps to highlight yours:

• Remove valences and swags — they make windows look smaller. If you’re unable to remove the valances or swags, hire someone to remove them for you. At a minimum, open all blinds, shades, and curtains for showings and open houses.
• Clean all windows until they sparkle. Consider hiring a professional window cleaner if you don’t have the time or energy.
• Remove and store the window screens to make the windows look clearer and more sparkly.
• In addition to natural light, use electric lights to your advantage in the kitchen. Turn on all the lights in the kitchen before showings or open houses. Consider adding lighting to your kitchen. Under and above cabinet lighting makes otherwise shadowed areas bright. These lights are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Be sure when you install them that you don’t leave wires showing.

Adding a splash of colour

We recommend you paint the kitchen a neutral colour and then add a spark of colour to draw the eye to a special view or to engage buyers’ emotions. Adding colour to a neutral kitchen is easy! Using natural props can help the buyer connect to the room:

• An open cookbook can encourage buyers to envision their own cookbooks on the counter.
• Baskets of fruits, vegetables, and other edibles like bread help buyers see themselves preparing and consuming their own meals in the room.
• Strategically placed flowers and vases add a splash of colour and warmth and draw the eye in both bathrooms and kitchens. Be careful with size and scale, especially in smaller bathrooms. You don’t want to overpower the room with the wrong size flower arrangement.