STEP BY STEP: Downsizing decisions
Step by Step is the blog of Kate Kerin Interiors. In addition to following some of my clients’ projects, I examine some of the latest issues of interest in the world of interior design.
I’ve been excited to work with new clients Andrea and Jim over the past few months. Having raised a family in North Epping, the couple has decided the time has come to sell the family home and move to a smaller dwelling. With more than 20 years’ worth of “stuff” to sort through, a large house to get ready for sale and the challenge of finding the perfect new home, Andrea and Jim were stressed. They approached Kate Kerin Interiors to take some of the pain out of the process. Selling or downsizing is a two-part process (the disposal of one dwelling and the purchase of another), but our agreement is just to focus on the sale of their North Epping home for now. Once Andrea and Jim have identified their new home, they’ll decide if they need interior design assistance there too. Either way, it’s been a real pleasure to get to know them and to assist.
Having made the difficult decision to move on from the home that has provided shelter and seen the growth of this family for decades, Andrea and Jim obviously don’t want to sink too much money into preparing for sale. However they are objective enough to recognise that the home is looking a bit tired. I work with them to identify where we can achieve maximum impact for sale, remembering that the average home-buyer spends under 10 minutes in each house they visit. Sure, serious purchasers may return for a more leisurely look but the majority of potential buyers will whiz through, keen to get onto the next place and not really looking closely at the details. So freshening up the home with new paint, re-sanding floorboards in the main living areas and master bedroom, updating bathroom tapware and new door hardware will go a long way to attracting an ideal buyer. In addition, styling for the photographs and open-homes will also be worthwhile to “sell the dream” to potential buyers. Andrea and Jim are busy professionals who are time-poor and on a strict budget. They have asked Kate Kerin Interiors to guide the entire project, including selection of trades and all fittings, fixtures and accessories.
The family home is located on a gorgeous bush block, and has lots of dark stained wood ceilings and rafters, plus some bold coloured internal feature walls. Although striking, it’s possible that potential buyers won’t come with the same vibe and so Andrea is keen to paint the majority of the house white. This will enable people to envisage their own furniture and belongings in the various spaces, and will be a neutral backdrop that won’t polarise buyers. However there is a strong possibility that the stained wooden ceilings, doorways and windows will bleed through, so several coats of primer are going to be needed – and this adds to costs. Further, the feature walls will also require multiple coats of white paint to be fully covered. After careful consideration of the multitude of white shades available, we settle on Dulux Natural White, which is on the warmer end of the temperature scale and will fit nicely with the couple’s existing carpet colour and floorboards. Andrea and Jim make use of my free resource titled “Yes You Can: Choose the Perfect Shade of White” which guides homeowners through the many white options available and some of the key questions that need to be asked and answered. We agree to leave the ceilings in their natural wooden state for two reasons; first the cost of priming then painting them, and second the very real possibility that some buyers may fall in love with the Western Red Cedar and once painted, they would be very difficult to restore to their original glory.
We move on to window treatments and agree to save some budget by purchasing DIY roller blinds which Jim can install himself. I recommend a warm beige colour that again will be inoffensive to any buyer, but will nicely offset the white walls and match any décor. The only real challenge here is measuring very carefully indeed, to ensure the blinds fit perfectly inside the deep window reveals when Jim installs them. We also choose a floor sander and request a more neutral colour than the existing orange tones. The sander assures us this colour is due to aging varnish and that the original colour of the boards is a much lighter one, which will look great when completed.
Each of the bathrooms needs an update including new vanities, tapware and accessories. Little details such as cutting out and replacing the old silicon and scrubbing the floor tiles has made a huge difference to the look of these rooms. The tiles in the ensuite bathroom were mis-matched a long time ago, but rather than re-tiling the ensuite Andrea and Jim decide to re-glaze the walls in a bright, clean white, leaving the retro-style olive green floor tiles to anchor the room. A professional is brought in to do this complex job, and when paired with a new vanity, tapware and some lovely new towels it’s going to look fantastic. The new owners may ultimately decide to start again with a brand new ensuite, but this one is now functional and looks great so there will be no need for anyone to rush into a renovation. Little things like this make it more likely that my clients will get a great price for their home.
Despite the upheaval involved in undertaking reasonably big projects like painting the entire house, re-sanding floorboards and installing new taps and vanities, Andrea and Jim are upbeat. They can see the benefit of engaging an interior designer to coordinate and advise on the myriad decisions that need to be made, and to troubleshoot throughout the process. As we move towards the final stages of the project, it is becoming more exciting and decisions are more about aesthetics than practicalities. Next month I’ll update readers on the artworks, accessories and finishing touches we undertake before Andrea and Jim put their home on the market.
If you are planning to sell your home or downsize, consider asking Kate Kerin Interiors to quote on supporting you through the process. It’s as easy as arranging a free, 15-minute discovery call or an in-home consultation where we can take the first steps towards working together.
Kate Kerin Interiors specialises in working with residential clients in Sydney, particularly people who are considering downsizing or other major milestone moves. Contact Kate for an initial consultation to talk about your project.
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