Walls just a little too sunny
Jim Buchta, Star Tribune
The dining room in this Bloomington townhouse features tall, beamed ceilings, newer laminate flooring and lots of
space, but bright yellow walls and too many pictures and knickknacks were a major distraction. "We don't want potential buyers to
get so hung up on the yellow that they don't notice anything else," said Lori Matzke of Centerstagehome.com.
Here's what Matzke did to play up the room's positive features:
Matzke advises packing up anything smaller than a football, including small hanging artwork, so she packed and
stored all the small pictures, knickknacks and shelving hanging on the wall, decluttered the tabletop and removed decorative
beading from the chandelier.
An extension cord plugged into the far wall and used to light a living room lamp was rerouted to the living room.
To play up the floors, soften the heavy ceiling beams and downplay the contrast between the formal dining set and
the more casual room, the dining room walls and adjoining kitchen were painted a more neutral color with a subtle gold undertone.
A large oil painting with an ornate gold frame helps draw the buyer's eye into the room and is more appropriate
teamed with the formal dining set. Hanging it roughly halfway up the wall makes the room feel more spacious and the ceilings higher.
Positioning the dining room table at an angle directly under the light makes the space feel less boxy and
the furniture feel more casual. Two chairs were placed on opposing walls (one not shown) for balance.
Oversized greenery on the tabletop draws the eye into the room's center, creating the illusion of a larger space.
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