|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  |
|
Barrier to sale: A tired galley kitchen in a west Bloomington townhouse with shabby cabinets, dated counters, stained linoleum and worn appliances. "You can't expect to compete for top dollar with other homes on the market if your kitchen looks like this," said Lori Matzke of Centerstagehome.com. "Kitchens are typically high on the list of priorities with buyers, so simple cosmetic upgrades or replacing anything that needs to be replaced would be a wise investment."
Matzke removed all the clutter on the counters and boxed up the bulk of the cabinet contents. "The cupboards were so jam-packed, a lot of the doors wouldn't even close!" she said. "We emptied the cupboards to show how much space was actually available." To give the shelves and drawers a more polished look, Matzke removed the old contact paper and replaced it with a high-quality vinyl shelf liner.
New patterned linoleum makes the kitchen seem larger. It's always better to show buyers finished rooms in move-in condition rather than leaving them with a long list of upgrades they'll have to make themselves, Matzke said.
After cleaning the cabinets with a kitchen de-greaser, Matzke painted the cabinets and trim with an oil-based, almond white paint. "The counters were in good condition, but they looked out of date against the dark cabinets. The color brightens the room and compliments the counters." To give the space continuity, she painted the walls with the same soft-cocoa eggshell finish used throughout the rest of the house.
Because the appliances were in rough shape, the owner agreed to replace them. "If you're planning to include appliances in the sale price of your home, they have to be super-clean and in working order," Matzke said. She recommends shopping for new appliances at appliance clearance centers and at retailers offering deferred billing or 12-month no-interest financing options.
An open door to the laundry room at the end of the room makes the kitchen feel larger, but the laundry-room walls were dirty and scuffed and the color inconsistent with the rest of the space, so she painted them a pale shade of celery that coordinates with the kitchen counters and draws the buyer's eye through the space.
Replacing the oversize microwave with a smaller toaster oven makes the counters look more spacious while still making the space feel functional. A bamboo mirror and a few complementary accessories coordinate with the dark laundry-room door. A colorful silk floral arrangement and potted silk greens add interest. A new $6 overhead light keeps the entire space looking pulled together and current.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
