Staging A Bonus Room

Do you live in a hip, up-and-coming neighborhood with a lot of young professionals? If this is the case, consider converting the additional room to a home office. Live in a more family-oriented community? Buyers may be seeking a home with a playroom or nursery. If you’re not sure who your most likely purchasers are, talk to your real estate agent. They should be aware of who’s searching because they’re used to assisting folks in the area with house purchases and sales.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

• The vast majority of people will not build a nursery in their basement or a home theater/gaming area next to their master bedroom. 
• Before determining how to stage your bonus room, consider its size, location, and style. 
• If you want to turn an extra room into a home gym or yoga studio make sure it’s large enough for you to wander around without bumping into walls or furniture. 
• Planning a media room? Keep in mind that a large TV will require a lot of space for people to watch it. 
• If you already use your extra room for sewing, crafting, painting, or as a home office, go for it. It will feel more authentic, and staging will be easier because you already know what works and what doesn’t. 
• Buyers are often tempted by storage and shelves, but there’s no need to go overboard with bespoke built-in shelving or anything else that can be excessively time-consuming or costly.

WHEN DECLUTTERING, DON’T OVERLOOK THE SMALL STUFF

Customers want to see themselves living in your home, so remove as much clutter as possible and depersonalize the space as much as feasible. Remove all of the furniture from your bonus room and replace only a few pieces. Create a cozy little reading or hangout space in the attic by arranging seats and a coffee table in a tiny square facing each other. Plants provide warmth to a room, while a few books thrown about add a lived-in vibe without being overly personal. If the room is being used for a pastime, such as sewing, neatly store all supplies but keep the machine out so potential clients can see what it’s capable of.

TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION PAINTING

A fresh coat of paint can alter any room, but it’s especially important in compact areas with exposed pipes, sloped or low ceilings, or other odd elements. It’s generally advisable to utilize neutral colors when putting your house on the market. By sticking to beige, green, or “greige” colors, potential clients might envision their own paintings and portraits hanging on the walls. If your extra room was previously used as a nursery, remove or paint over any stencils or other embellishments on the walls. Even if a buyer is looking for a house with a nursery, they may want to make it their own.

CREATE A CHILDREN’S PLAYROOM

The most obvious – and, if you have small children, the most practical – way to stage your additional room is to turn it into a playroom. The goal is to avoid it from seeming like a childcare center by using organized cubes and storage bins to clear out the clutter. Choose a vivid color palette and furnishings that is acceptable for adults rather than children if you want the place to be organized.

WHAT ABOUT A MEDIA CENTER?

Who wouldn’t want their own personal movie theater? This method is great if you’ve been thinking about buying a large television, but it’s well worth the money because you can take your new item with you when you pass. Start with a large, comfortable couch, a coffee table for drinks, and, of course, your wall-mounted big screen TV. The finishing touches include a popcorn machine and framed movie posters.

MAKE A PERSONAL LIBRARY

Do you have a vast collection of books? When selling your home, books can appear “messy,” so a couple sets of matching bookcases can keep them contained in one area quite neatly. Add a soft rug and a reading corner by the window to complete the look. Make sure you have lots of lamps and, for the love of God, a comfortable reading chair with an ottoman!

CONSTRUCT AN ADULT DEN

Why not create the adult playroom of your dreams? The space will be transformed into a desired hangout spot for adults thanks to a pool table, modular bar, and integrated TV. There’s also the option of a ping pong or air hockey table. Keep it simple if you want to go with a sports theme; think “football,” not “New York Giants.” You don’t want to anger your buyer by admitting that he or she is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

When it comes to decorating your additional room, it’s all about usability. Rather than asking what you’ll do with the space, buyers should be able to envision themselves utilizing it. Give each area in your home a purpose, and potential buyers will value every square foot.

Summary: Staging A Bonus Room

When it comes to presenting your home, making an “extra spot” appealing to potential buyers is always a good idea. A bonus room could be an attic, an alcove under the stairs, or underused space over the garage. Many Ocean County, NJ houses for sale contain modest spaces that can be utilized as an art studio, a home office, or just about anything else. 

While it’s easy to let your imagination go wild when thinking about how to stage a bonus room, it’s important to stay focused. You wouldn’t want potential buyers looking at homes for sale to be confused about its genuine purpose.

If you have any questions about Staging A Bonus Room contact me today.