Most people shopping for their next home want a larger home. Retirees may be downsizing, but others have a family or a bank account that's expanded and want a bigger house.
If you are selling your home, you can grab buyers' attention with your square footage, but you can also impress them with how large your home looks. Don't shy away from home renovations that will help your home sell faster for a better price because the renovations made your home look larger.
Here are some ways to make the most of your home's size.
Exterior tricks
Light colors reflect light. They make everything from waistlines to homes look larger. Does your home's exterior show some pale paint choices?
It's understandable if you don't want to spend money on painting your dark exterior siding a different color, but there are still things you can do. You can paint the trim white or a light color. The trim can include window frames, porch railings, shutters, columns, fascia boards, the foundation, corner boards, and the trim around the front door.
You can paint your downspouts and gutters to match the siding. Even asphalt shingles and brick chimneys can be painted for a seamless look.
If you are replacing your windows to make your home more energy efficient, choose white sashes to make your windows appear larger.
Reducing details that distract can make your outside look larger, too. Hide things like propane tanks, generators, HVAC units, recycling bins, and garbage receptacles behind partial fencing or shrubbery.
Your home could be competing with newer ones on the real estate market. The older your home is, the more likely it's ready for the kinds of updates that today's buyers expect.
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This home had good bones but looked ordinary. Photo: BHG |
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Here's the same house after it's been dressed up with a new roof and railing, fresh paint, and landscaping that flatters the home. Photo: BHG |
Put your landscape to work
How your home's landscape looks is as important as how the building itself looks. A good landscape, one that's planned well and maintained, gives a house a "sense of place" that adds to its perceived value.
Older homes often have trees and shrubbery that have overgrown their space. Trees can be limbed up to let in more light and show more of the home. Shrubs can be pruned to make them look younger and neater. Trim or move foundation shrubs to leave at least three feet between them and the house to allow for air circulation and pruning.
Make spaces around your house look larger by using fine-textured plants and pale colors at the borders. Keep the path to your entrance clear and visible from a distance. It's your home's focal point, the "smile on your house."
If there are nearby views worth noticing, such as a distant mountain range, a body of water, or even the neighbor's beautiful garden, clear your landscape so they are visible. This practice is called "the borrowed view," and it can make your property feel larger.
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A small house can get a boost from add-ons like this pergola. Other exterior perks could be a simple deck or patio. Photo: Julian Porcino via My Domaine |
Fine-tune your indoors
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This fairly compact bath feels roomy because of its white walls, lack of clutter, and the pale green flooring and tub surround. Emily Henderson Design Photo: Sara Ligorria-Tramp |
Double-check your flooring
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This small dining area benefits from the open-weave seating and the single base tulip table characteristic of Mid-Century Modern furniture. |
Rearrange your furniture
Aim for Spotless
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The mirror in this entryway acts like a window to open up the space. Photo: Decoist |