Potential buyers love to see spacious master bedrooms that give them a serene, peaceful feeling. Whatever your space looks like now, there are several simple and often inexpensive techniques to improve it and appeal to the most buyers possible. Use as many as your time and budget allows, and you'll soon have a beautiful master bedroom that will help sell your home.
Instructions
1. Declutter and depersonalize. Clear off the nightstands, dressers, and any other flat surface in the room. Get rid of any piles of clothes or shoes. The more clutter you get rid of, the bigger and more welcoming the room will be to potential buyers. Pack up your personal photos and other items. Buyers need to imagine themselves in the space, and can't do this while they're looking at your wedding photos.
2. Clean everything. This is an inexpensive process that can instantly improve a room. Dust the furniture, even the tops of bedposts and canopies, high shelves and ceiling fans. Polish the furniture and make your windows sparkle. Clean the mirrors and shine up any fixtures, including the doorknobs. Steam clean the rugs. The cleaner the room is, the brighter it looks, and buyers get the impression of a well-kept home they can move right in to.
3. Make necessary repairs. A crack in the ceiling might be something you've gotten used to, but to potential buyers, it can be a sign of trouble. Do the maintenance work you've been putting off and fix ceiling and wall cracks or stains, caulk the windows, and nail in that loose floorboard. Don't give realtors any ammunition to talk down the price of your home.
4. Finish projects. You may have new crown molding in your bedroom, but there's a huge gap in the corner where you ran out of material. You may have gotten new blinds for the windows, but only installed one set. These upgrades can transfer to more money on the sale of your home, but only if they're completed. Unfinished projects make the buyer question what other things have been neglected in your home.
5. Freshen up the room with paint. Paint is a relatively inexpensive decorating material that can make a huge difference in a room's look. Make repairs to the wall surface and paint in a nice, light neutral color. You can go for warm tones if it works with your furniture, but stay in the neutrals and don't go too dark. If you have older walls with lots of imperfections, choose a lighter color and go with a flat or eggshell paint. Glossy paints show every flaw. Consider doing a textured wall surface to better hide uneven walls. Take down old wallpaper if it's peeling and separating at the seams. If your walls are in good shape, think about painting all the trim, baseboards and windowsills. Fresh, glossy painted trim will make a dramatic, positive difference in the appearance of the room.
6. Fix flooring. Repair any damages to your hardwood floor. If possible budget-wise, consider sanding and refinishing them--this is a project you can do yourself to save money. If carpet is worn, stained or dated, you should replace it. You can replace it with inexpensive carpeting in a neutral color. Buy remnant pieces or shop at discount stores that sell overstock, discontinued or remainder items. Don't worry about how long the carpet will last or if you like it. New carpet makes the room look and even smell brand new, and this is a great impression on buyers.
7. Reduce the amount of furniture. Experts that decorate model homes always take the minimal approach to furniture, and some will even employ tricks like using beds that are shorter than normal or smaller-than-standard chairs. The less furniture there is, the larger the room looks to potential buyers. It's especially important to have a clear pathway for visitors to view the bedroom. If they have to turn sideways and sidle between furniture pieces, they're going to leave with the impression that the room is too small. Take the excess furniture and put it in storage until you move into your new home, where you can design the room however you want.
8. Give the room a single purpose. It may work for your lifestyle to have exercise equipment or an office setup in your bedroom, but this doesn't work for buyers. The bedroom should have a tranquil, restful appearance and be easily identifiable as the master bedroom. Take out any other furniture or equipment that confuses the room's purpose.
9. Highlight the room's best features. If you have large windows, dress them with minimal window treatments to show them off. Clean and freshen up your fireplace--if the brick surround is stained, consider a heat-resistant paint to make it look brand new. Polish the hardwood floor until it shines, and if it's in good shape, don't hide it with a room-size area rug.
10. Buy new, neutral bedding. The spa look is always popular, with pale, cool colors and simple lines. You can decorate your bed simply with new sheets and a smooth comforter. A clean room and fresh bedding makes your bedroom look instantly more inviting. Here's where spending a little more money can also go a long way. Elegant bedding draws the eye and can distract buyers from less desirable elements of the room.
11. Clean out the closet. Closets and storage are an important feature to buyers. Get rid of everything but the essential items you'll need until you sell your house. You need to pack anyway, so this is a good way to start. Take your cue from store and catalog displays of closet organizers. Make sure everything is neatly folded and that there is space between hanging items. Leave some shelf space open. You want to give the impression that there is plenty of storage space in the closet.
12. Add a few neutral, tasteful accessories to dress up the space. Keep it simple and pleasant and room appropriate--a clock radio, peaceful landscape photos and art, a few simple vases and a small jewelry box on the dresser. (Don't leave any valuables in there, though.) Professionals who stage homes also like to give the buyer a fantasy version of the room. You might want to add a simple wooden breakfast tray at the end of the bed, and place a small vase of flowers, a tea cup, and an attractive classic novel on it. This look says "breakfast in bed" and gives buyers a positive feeling about this master bedroom.
13. Visitors to your home are just as affected by scents as by sight. Put some scented sachets in the dressers and closets. Use a light linen spray to freshen up the bedding and curtains. Use pleasant scents like lavender, ocean and vanilla. Don't use anything that's too heavy or cloying, as this can turn off buyers as well. Think of the pleasant aromatherapy scents when you go to the spa, and incorporate that feeling into your master bedroom.
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