7 ways to make buyers fall in love with your home

When you’re listing your home, your real estate agent is responsible for marketing the property and ensuring it is staged, photographed and presented in the best light. However, there are small ways to give your home the extra edge to ensure a quick sale as the seller. Making several minor updates to your home can appeal to buyers in a significant way. Read on for 7 tips on how to make homebuyers fall in love with your home.   Create a Digital Impression Work with your real estate agent to bring in a professional staging company and take professional photographs. Your home’s first impression is all digital, so be sure that the online pictures are professional and editorial-worthy.   Start With the First Impression From ensuring the landscaping is pristine, laying out a fresh doormat, a fresh coat of paint on the front door and updating front door light fixtures, your home’s exterior is your home’s first impression. Making sure the exterior is eye-catching will entice buyers before setting food inside.   Appeal to the Senses The ambiance of your home plays to a buyer’s emotional side. Making sure the house is odor-free and layering a subtle, pleasant scent is the first thing a buyer will notice. Scheduling a professional deep clean, a professional air duct cleaning, carpet cleaning and sanitizing the garbage disposal will remove any lingering odors. Then, lighting an assuming fragrance, such as a fresh-smelling candle, will provide a subtle scent that doesn’t smell like it’s covering up any odors. Playing soft, instrumental music provides relaxing background sounds.   Highlight Storage Space Regardless of how many closets your home has and how large they are, a full closet appears smaller than an empty closet. Move half of the belongings in your closet to storage to create the illusion of more space. The same thought goes for shelving and drawers. If there is a door or a drawer to open, homebuyers will do so. Be sure these doors and drawers appeal to everyone’s need for additional space.   Play Up the Natural Light A home drenched in natural light appeals to nearly every homebuyer. Removing objects that block natural light sources and replacing heavy drapery with breezier curtains or bamboo shades will allow more natural light to come through. Also, make sure the windows are freshly cleaned, to maximize how much sunlight will shine through.   Create Moments Creating lifestyle-focused vignettes throughout the house can help buyers visualize their own family moments in the house. From styling an outdoor fireplace with blankets and a tray filled with s’more ingredients to styling a window seat with plush pillows, blankets and a stack of books can appeal to a buyer’s home buying imagination.   Swap Out Bathroom Necessities Swap out your existing bath mats, runners and towels with plush, white versions before showings. This will lend to a spa-like experience and subconsciously signal cleanliness and relaxation.

How to Build an Art Collection

If you’re starting to build an art collection, the process can feel overwhelming. There are many factors to consider from different art styles, mediums, and overall aesthetics before investing. With your aesthetic and budget in place, you can begin exploring your new hobby that you will enjoy for years to come. If you plan on starting an art collection, or you’re looking to expand your existing one, read on for the tips you need to know about building your art collection.   Identify Your Art Goals As you prepare to build your collection, define your goals of buying art. Are you looking to solely fill your walls? Are you looking to purchase pieces that bring you joy? Perhaps you’re looking to invest in art for financial gains. An intelligent approach is to buy art that you love and inspire you. Art is something you will see every day, so be sure the pieces bring you joy.   Define Your Preferred Aesthetic Selecting art is all about personal preferences. Every piece you bring into your home should bring you joy. Buying pieces to impress others will leave you feeling flat about the pieces you invest in. To find the aesthetic that appeals to you, immerse yourself in various styles until you can confidently identify what you like and don’t care for. Visiting galleries, art fairs, museums and the internet are the best places to start. Following interior designers you like on Instagram can also expose you to different art styles.   Establish a Budget Set your budget if you’re planning to invest in art for a whole home. Artsy.com has a price database, and galleries and auction specialists can help you price art as well. For artists you discover online, you can reach out directly for pricing details. Once you’re equipped with pricing knowledge, you can realistically set your budget. If you find an artist whom you love, but the pieces are out of your budget range, you can use the style as inspiration for similar style pieces.   Don’t discount pieces because they fall under what you perceive as valuable. It ultimately comes down to how much you love the piece. Lastly, avoid purchasing art solely as a financial investment. There is no guarantee that the art you select will hold its value.   Purchasing the Pieces Whether you buy your art in person or online, don’t be afraid to ask questions. From advice on framing, cleaning, longevity and requesting an authenticity report, the seller should be able to answer all your questions honestly.   Hanging the Art in Your Home To protect your art, have all prints and paintings framed professionally. Avoid direct sun exposure and moisture to protect the integrity of your pieces. You can also consider asking your insurance provider about fine art insurance to protect your new investments further. Finally, have fun with your new pieces. Move them around the house and hang them in different groupings until you find the perfect place for your new pieces.

6 Ways to Make Your Outdoor Space Year-Round Friendly

Since the onset of the pandemic, our outdoor areas have become a true extension of our home, going from a place for seasonal entertaining to a year-round haven for gathering, playing, living and working. To help you further utilize your outdoor space throughout the year, the home and property experts at Living Cozy offer these six tips for making the most of fresh-air living any time.   1. Weatherproof Furniture Weatherproof furniture will allow you to use your outdoor area all year round, no matter what the forecast says. Also look for furniture with a low thermal conductivity so that it won’t be hot to the touch on warm summer days. This will also help prevent cracking and fading of the materials over time.   2. Lighting Outdoor lighting used all year round gives your home a warm and inviting feel, while also serving a utilitarian purpose by illuminating paths and entryways. Options in outdoor lighting are endless, from motion-activated spotlights and solar accent lights to playful string lights and lanterns.   3. Add Warmth The best way to start using your outdoor space year round is to add a heating element. Consider a fire pit for everyone to gather around, whether you choose to construct one in a selected spot or invest in the portable variety. Also consider an infrared patio heater, which can warm your entire deck or patio for outdoor entertaining.   4. Make It Cozy Another way to add coziness and warmth to your outdoor space is with a selection of warm blankets and throws. Cushions and pillows throughout your outdoor space will also encourage outdoor snuggling, while adding a stylish pop of color, so don’t skimp on adding these traditional indoor elements to the outdoors.   5. Shade and Shelter Accessories and structures that add shade and shelter come in handy all year round, protecting you from harsh sun in the summer, and chilly winds in the cooler months. Some of the best shade and shelter options for gardens and outdoor spaces include umbrellas, gazebos, canopies and pergolas.   6. Dining Area When it comes to al fresco dining, it’s time to think beyond the barbecue. Today’s options for outdoor chefs include outdoor ovens, smokers, built-in grills and pizza ovens. Outdoor kitchens take the culinary factor up a notch by providing refrigeration, sinks and storage for cooking ease.

Lake House Decor Dos and Don’ts

A lake house retreat means long weekends filled with sun-soaked days and leisurely summer nights. Spending the weekend at a lake retreat can help you relax, recharge and create lasting memories. A thoughtfully designed home will help you feel instantly relaxed upon entering. One of the best ways to achieve this is through colors, textures and a focus on refined comfort. These lake house décor dos and don’ts will help you decorate the home of your lakeside dreams.   Do: Bring the Outside In Natural colors, such as watery blues and whites, are a perfect base palette for a lake house. White creates a crisp, airy space, while blue picks up the hues from the water. Anchoring this classic color combination with muted colors like greens or grays will help avoid an overly nautical theme.   Do: Ground the Space Natural fibers can help ground the space. Organic textures, such as a sisal or jute rug, rattan end tables or seagrass baskets, can help prevent the area from feeling too washed out.   Do: Bring In the Light Lake houses are synonymous with sunshine and outdoors. To let in as much light as possible, skip the heavy drapery and select minimal window treatments instead. If home improvement projects are in your plans, consider adding skylights, floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors to maximize the amount of sunlight inside. Hanging additional mirrors is a décor trick that helps the light reflect throughout the room.   Do: Include Woodwork Details Millwork is one of the best ways to customize a home. Incorporating shiplap in unexpected places, such as a ceiling, can add extra depth to your lakeside space.   Don’t: Fill the House With Kitschy Lake House Décor Avoid anchors, oars, shells in jars, word art or anything else overly nautical. Instead, fill the home with meaningful pieces, such as family photos, aerial photos of the lake, a vintage map of the area or any other sentimental items, whether they are from your travels, family history or lakeside memories.   Don’t: Forget About the Outdoor Space One of the most common reasons to invest in a lake house is to enjoy the outdoor scenery. Make the outside space feel extra special and serve as an extension of your home’s indoor living space. An outdoor kitchen, a fire source to gather around and plenty of comfortable seating and dining options all lend to an inviting outdoor area.   Don’t: Sacrifice Comfort Comfort can be the ultimate luxury. A lake house is meant to be a reprieve from the stresses of daily life, so create an inviting haven where you and your guests aren’t afraid to make a mess or put up their feet. Fabrics should be easy to clean, such as cotton, linen or performance fabric. Keep plenty of extra beach towels, blankets and pillows in easy to find spots so guests feel more at home.