Is your living room not quite hitting the mark? Sometimes, even a large, open space can feel cramped or too casual for guests. In this blog, we’ll show you how a few simple design tweaks transformed a crowded family room into a cozy, inviting space perfect for relaxing, watching TV, or mingling with friends. 

Problem: Despite its large size, the space felt cramped and lacked an ideal layout for watching TV or entertaining guests. Being the first room visible upon entering the home, it appeared too casual and didn’t create the inviting atmosphere desired.

Goal: Create a more formal, yet welcoming, space that is functional for both watching TV and hosting guests. The layout needed to be versatile, offering seating arrangements conducive to conversation and mingling.

Design Solution:
To address the cramped feeling and enhance the room’s functionality, we focused on the placement of key furniture pieces:

• Sofa Repositioning: The large sofa, which previously blocked the natural light from the windows, was relocated. We positioned it facing the TV to establish a focal point and improve the viewing experience.?

• Smaller Accent Chair: In place of the oversized sofa near the window, we introduced a smaller, stylish chair. This helped open up the space and let in more natural light while maintaining a comfortable seating option.

• Versatile Seating Area: A comfy chair and footrest were added to one corner of the room, creating a cozy, reading nook and could easily be moved to face the TV whenever needed. This layout also provided guests with an alternative seating area, offering flexibility for socializing without compromising the functionality of the TV setup.

This strategic reconfiguration of furniture made a significant difference in the room’s functionality and appearance. By repositioning the sofa and incorporating smaller, versatile pieces, the space now feels more open and inviting. The updated layout provides a seamless balance between casual relaxation and formal entertainment, making it the perfect space to watch TV or mingle with guests.

This goes to show how small changes can make a big impact—making your home feel more welcoming in no time!

As you may know, a fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive way to make your home look great to buyers. But, what if you don’t have time to paint the entire place? Here are three areas you should prioritize—and one you can potentially ignore. 

1. Rooms with bold colours 
A red bedroom and orange walk-in closet likely won’t appeal to everyone! Replacing personalized colours with a neutral colour scheme will present buyers with a “blank canvas” to which they can add their own personal touch. 

2. Kitchen 
When buyers view your home they linger in the kitchen, which makes it a key selling point. A new paint job will instantly make the space look cleaner and more inviting. 

3. Interior doors 
These become worn due to being touched multiple times a day, yet are often overlooked when painting. A new coat of paint on key doors, such as those for bedrooms and washrooms, can make a significant impact on the look of your home. 

By the way, you may be able to pass on painting exterior doors. They’re often coated with a durable weather-resistant enamel and don’t usually need more than a good wash. 

If you want to sell an item quickly—say, a couch—you can post it online, stick a super-low price tag on it and, chances are, it will be gone by the end of the day. 

So it’s understandable that some people think the same thing applies when selling a home. Indeed, if you need to sell your property quickly, you might assume that setting a low listing price is the best way to make that happen. 

But that isn’t necessarily true. 

The fact is, the list price is only one of many factors that determine how quickly your home will sell—and for how much. 

For example, if your home is in high demand at the moment—given its characteristics, neighbourhood, move-in readiness, and overall desirability— then it may sell quickly at its current market value or even a little higher. 

On the other hand, if the market is more of a buyer’s market, setting a list price that will attract qualified buyers to your home, and away from comparable listings, may be important. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to low- ball the price. 

Keep in mind there are many other things that can help get your property sold quickly, such as how skillfully your listing is promoted and marketed, how well your home shows to buyers, and how flexible you are with your closing date. 

After your home has been cleaned from top to bottom, it’s natural to want it to stay that way. Don’t you wish you could just wave a magic wand and the place would clean itself? Unfortunately, even Harry Potter can’t manage that! 

However, when you’re preparing your property for sale, you really do need to keep it clean and ready for showings. There are several ways you can make doing that a bit easier. 

Try these tips:  

• The one-minute rule. If a cleaning or tidying task takes you less than a minute, consider doing it right away. For example, keeping the foyer clear of clutter. 

• One room a day. After you’ve cleaned and tidied your home, maintain it by focusing on just one room a day. That’s manageable for most people. 

• Prioritize the floors. If you can keep the floors clean, everything else will tend to fall into place. Consider a routine where you do a quick sweep or vacuum of the floors each evening. 

• Declutter as much as possible. Clutter is the enemy of cleaning! When a room is free of clutter, it’s easier to keep it clean, tidy and looking great. 

• Get extras. Buy an extra mop or broom so other household members can help with the cleaning. Also, be sure to stock up on cleaning supplies so you don’t run short just before a viewing appointment. 

• Hire a cleaning service. Having a professional cleaning service come once a week—or twice a week when you’re showing your property frequently—can take a lot off your shoulders. Think of it as an investment in selling your home. 

Keeping your home looking “guest-ready” makes your home show better and gets more buyers interested. But, the task doesn’t need to be daunting. Try these tips to make it easier! 

As you may know, curb appeal refers to how your property looks from the street, where potential buyers first see it. Your home’s curb appeal can have a big impact on the sale of your property. In fact, it's not uncommon for a buyer to drive by a listing, rather than stop, because they don't like what they see. 

So, how can you improve your home's curb appeal quickly? One way is to do some outside cleaning. 
Start with the main entryway. Wash down the front door and sweep (or power wash) the front steps. It only takes a few minutes but you'd be surprised by the impact it can have. Sweep or power wash your walkway too and you’ll improve the overall look of your home — sometimes dramatically. 

Clean your front windows to brighten the look of your home’s facade. It doesn't have to be an arduous chore. In fact, there are washing products available that attach to your garden hose. You don't even need a ladder! Ask your local home improvement retailer for recommendations. 

If you have hedges and scrubs, give them a trim. To keep your trimming level, use a wide board, or even a piece of cardboard, then cut to the desired height. Pull off any dead leaves or branches. Of course, also mow the lawn! 

Finally, inspect your property from the street. Can you see anything else you can do to quickly improve the look? Do you notice anything that is unsightly or distracting, such as garbage bins that could be relocated? 

One final tip: When a viewing is scheduled, remove your vehicles from the driveway. Buyers like to see an empty driveway because it helps them imagine themselves living there. It also gives them a convenient place to park! 

If you plan to update your home with a significant renovation, be sure you are investing in the right upgrades. There is an assumption that the money you invest in a renovation will be fully returned to you if you sell the property. That is not always the case. Here are 4 tips that can help make your home renovation a success.

#1 - Understand the reasons why you are renovating

Do you want to increase the value of your home or enjoy the renovations for years to come? Or both? 

#2 - Think about your personal needs and wants

How much do you want to spend? How long do you plan to own the home after your renovation project? Will you be doing work yourself? Will you work with a general contractor or hire your own tradespeople? 

How much you spend on improvements should depend, in part, on how long you plan to live in your home. If you are thinking shorter-term, smaller and less-expensive improvements may be your best bet to recover your investment. THINK: fresh coat of paint, updating lighting, improving the curb appeal, decluttering, etc. These items can give your home an updated feel with a limited budget. For the highest return on your investment, ensure the workmanship is of good quality and the materials are consistent with other homes in the area. 

It’s important to keep in mind the present condition of the item you are renovating. For example, if you are replacing the builder quality maple cabinets in your 10 year old home with custom designed cabinets with an antique finish (because that is your personal style), the changes may not increase the value of your home at all. To appeal to a wider number of prospective purchasers, ensure the renovation blends in with the overall style and design of your home. 

#3 - Hire trusted professionals with references

An interior designer, architect and/or contractor should be consulted before you start your renovation project. They can draw up a plan and assist with renovation advice or construction. Don’t forget to build these costs into your project budget! This investment can go a long way to prevent cost over-runs and change-fees later on. 

#4 - Engage a real estate professional to increase your awareness of over- improvement and unique features 

Over-improvement:
Consider your neighbourhood and the expectations of buyers in the area when planning your renovation project. Depending on the particular market and/ or neighbourhood in which you reside, expensive projects that over-improve your home may only be partially recognized by prospective purchasers. For example, in a particular market, renovating the basement of your home at a cost of $65,000 in an area where homes generally do not exceed $200,000, may not provide the best financial return on your investment. 

Unique features 
Unique designs or improvements that are uncommon for a particular market may impact the re-saleability of a home. For example, a custom designed climate controlled wine room can cost many thousands of dollars. If you are a wine collector extraordinaire and cost is not a concern, then creating a wine room can be personally gratifying. However, if you wish to recover even a portion of your investment, a potential purchaser would need to share your passion. 

Before renovating, consider the value the improvement may add to the overall value of your property. This is where the expert advice of a real estate professional can provide an objective perspective. 

Renovations take time, patience and planning, but can be appreciated for many years. Work with an expert! 

Source: Appraisal Institute of Canada