The inside walls:
Painting the interior is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to make the property look fresh. Just remember not to paint a room or wall without considering how it fits into the bigger picture of the property – including the exterior painting. Keep colours neutral. You want to appeal to the largest amount of people, so avoid painting walls bright pink or luminous green at all costs.
The floors:
Trends come and go, but at the moment timber flooring has become very popular with buyers and tenants, says Yarrow. Keep carpet in the bedrooms and tiles in the bathrooms, and if your budget allows, try put timber down everywhere else. If your budget is ultra-tight, carpet is normally the cheapest to lay across a wide area, as long as you follow one simple rule: avoid easy to stain colours like black and white.
The bedrooms:
At the very least, the main bedroom should have a wardrobe. This is one area where it is good to get creative: transform unused corners and dead or dark spaces into built-in wardrobes. This is particularly appealing to tenants and buyers in smaller apartments and houses.
The lights:
Changing light fittings around the house makes a subtle but important difference. Light never goes astray, never dates, and makes things look brighter. It also gives the appearance of more space. Hardware stores usually have a wide range of modern, designer looking fittings available that don’t’ break the bank. Just stay away from chandeliers.
The kitchen:
Painting generally gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Again, stick to neutral colours and glossy trims. It’s also a good idea to upgrade the small fittings you usually find around the kitchen. New handles on cupboards and drawers can make the kitchen appear new, as will replacing old light switches, fan controllers and socket outlets.
The bathroom:
Don’t be afraid to move the plumbing around if it will improve the layout. You can also hang lots of mirrors on the walls to give the illusion of space. Shiny surfaces will make the bathrooms appear new – except on the floors. As a general rule, floors should have a darker, matte or textured finish, while walls should have a lighter, glossy finish.
