Warning: the photos in this blog may cause you to feel a sense of hunger, thirst or the desire to stage your kitchen!
We've all heard it said that "the kitchen is the heart of the home". If you've ever had guests over for dinner or thrown a cocktail party, you know that people tend to congregate in the kitchen. In my experience as a home stager, the kitchen is often the room most overlooked by home sellers.
According to a poll conducted in 2006 by Maritz Research, 52% of buyers said the kitchen had the most significant impact on their purchasing decision. While a beautiful kitchen significantly increases the value of a home, a poorly presented kitchen can be a deal breaker. Ironically, with the kitchen having perhaps the highest impact on potential buyers, it is often the most simple and least expensive area to stage.
In
this blog I will focus on staging kitchen counter
tops.
Buyers love clean and ample counter space so begin by clearing everything (yes everything) from your counter tops.
- Excess items on counters stop the eye from moving freely around the room.
- Microwaves and large appliances "eat up" (pun intended) valuable space.
- Blocks of knives pose a potential risk to anyone showing the home.
- Don't forget the back splash, sink and faucet.
- Take into consideration the amount of counter space available and select appropriately sized items.
- Unless you have truly expansive counter space, limit items (or groups of items) to 2 or 3 areas.
- Place the selected items where you want the eye to stop.
- Greenery and bottles of water help convey a feeling of freshness.
- Fruit and vegetables stimulate appetite. Due to their bright colors, these will also be great items for directing the eye.
- A cook book propped open on a
stand or laying flat is also great for setting the scene.
Still unsure, perhaps these photos of our work will be of inspiration...
Jackson
West is the owner and lead designer for Reveal Estate, a full service home
staging company located in Vancouver, BC.
Hey Jackson - I love kitchens also. I do occupied homes and it is shocking the amount of appliances that most homeowners keep on their counters. They have things the even they don't know how to use but they are out there anyway.
Jackson - excellent post, and I cannot agree with you more about cleanliness at a home - it makes a huge difference. And I love the photos here. Great job!
Maureen, I too am often shocked at the amount of "stuff" people have on their kitchen (and bathroom for that matter) counters. You have inspired me to dust off the juicer I have on mine and pulverize some carrots, apple and beet!
Sharon, amazing how the crumbs collect under the toaster! Thanks for reading and commenting. Cheers.
I am hungry now...off to get something to eat..you did warn me Jackson! great post!
Jackson, what no BROWN! just playing - once again! This is Marvelous! You must have the Midas touch- everything you touch turns to SOLD!
Jackson ~ Very nice! I like the pictures you used to show the visual. It is amazing how the kitchen seems to accumulate so much stuff - I guess because we do spend so much time there!
Hi Jackson. Your photos show how a few well chosen, colourful accessories bring the ktichen to life. And as we know, the kitchen is where everyone lives. Good to see your 'trademark' Perrier bottles again! Cheers,
Wendy Casey - Surrey, BC
Trademark Perrier bottles? I want a trademark! Great post, Jackson! I'm always looking for something new and fun for the kitchen. I have had it with the cookbook on a stand! Thanks...I'm off to find a trademark!
Great post Jackson! Love the pictures you added :)
Jackson - COME AND TAKE PICTURES FOR ME!!!!!!! So true about counters - get all that crap off of them and showcase the space with strategically placed items. You did it SO well.
I keep thinking about buying bottles of Perrier and never do... now I may have to resist the hesitation and actually throw them in my cart!! Everything looks awesome. Thanks!
Hey Jackson, I too LOVE the Perrier on the counters, it does represent freshness, LOVE IT. Yes cleanliness is top of the list, without that no amount of food will entice buyers.
Great Post!
Phyllis Pafumi
Love the tile backsplash. Love the cleanliness and fresh look. Nice work.
Awesome as always! I love everything you do. Do you do your own photography too? It's fantastic.
HI Jackson, beautiful work as always.
The really scary thing about all the items on the counter in the kitchen or the bathroom is that the client generally never moves them to clean. It can be really eye opening once all the items on the counter are moved away.
It is the first thing on the agenda to do. Declutter and clean. Then Stage to market the lifestyle aspect of living in that property.
Love it! Too bad every kitchen doesn't look like this...but they do when stagers are finished.
Great Post and so true. The kitchen is one of the easiest spaces to stage and yet it has the greatest impact. I've been to open houses before where the block of knives are out there for everyone to see. One time I went to a FSBO open house where the home owner was all alone, I think she thought I was a psycho because she looked scared after I told her about the safety issues of having the knives out. Oh well, at least I know that she probably put them away as soon as I left - better to be safe than sorry. I mean really, being all alone in the house with a stranger, who knows what could happen with all the crazies out there.
Great post and I agree on 2-3 well placed groupings or items -- so often I go to homes or view staging photos and there is too much stuff -- even it it is beautiful stuff. The examples you showed are wonderful.
Mmmm! Peppers, pears, Perrier... I think I see a pattern. ;-) Beautiful examples of staging a kitchen, thank you for sharing them with us!
Simply and beautifully staged Jackson. Uh-oh, now I'm getting hungry ....
Great advice for staging counters. Beautiful example Jackson.
Cathy Lee, don't suppose you could grab me some perrier while your up? ;-)
Marci, my SSIS (staging sister in the South) I did add some brown! Check out the bar stools...
Kathy P, It's true most people have too much "stuff" in the kitchen (especially on the fridge). I think many sellers don't realize that buyers can't see what they are buying when the countertops are covered.
Wendy C, Love my perrier as you know! When are we going for a glass of gewertzraminer?
Elaine, Have you ever considered using a rooster or two? Hehehe
Wendy T, Thanks for the kind words, have been trying out a new collage format for some of my photos to change things up a bit.
Debbie, I just might take you up on your offer in order to escape the rain here!
Melissa, I can't tell you how many times I have stopped at a convenience store on the way to a job to buy bottled water. Pellegrino is another one I use often as well as my absolute favorite... Voss!
Phyllis, cleanliness is paramount indeed!
Terrylynn, I loved that backsplash too. Staged another kitchen recently that had little stainless steel tiles that added some real sparkle. I now want that look for my own kitchen!
Judy, You're too kind! I did take the photos with my trusty kodak.
Michelle F, I have come across my fair share of crumbs and spills when reconfiguring counters in occupied homes.
Gail, what we do may hinder convenience but it definitely increases value.
Emma, sad but true, kife blocks do pose a risk. You did that agent a favor.
Margaret, as you know it is hard to create focal points when the counter is chalk full.
Lisa, my pleasure, didn't realize all the p's I had used, will have to add some q's next time!
Maureen B, I warned ya ;-)
Michelle H, simple ideas yet highly effective. Thank you for the nice comment.
Jackson, excellent info, I looked at all of your pics with the website link, very nice!! I like your style, BTW, those bar stools are perfect for that space. Cool man, cool!
Come stage my kitchen so my husband will understand that not everything belongs on the counters.
why put something away when you are going to use it again next week
Nice and simple with the perfect touches of color. We just did a great kitchen yesterday that I'll be posting this week. Thanks for the good tips - hopefully sellers will heed your advise!!!
Jackson,
I love the sink. Do you like the flat or curved farm sinks the best?
Robyn, Thanks for your kind words. I love those bar stools too and they were actually a gift from previous clients that were moving to New York. They knew how much I liked them and gave them to me. How cool is that?!
Virginia, I am still laughing at your husband comment. I''ll stop by this afternoon ;-)
David, Looking forward to seeing your kitchen photos!
Brenda, Thanks for taking a look. The sink in this kitchen has an industrial feel to it and it worked in this room. I grew up on a farm but to be honest I don't know what a farm sink is!
Jackson, I knew you couldn't forget about me! Thanks BRO!
No problem SIS, now that you're seated can I offer you some faux fuit while I crack open the decorative peppers and perrier? ;-)
Jackson - Great post! Kitchen counters are so important and you have done a great job of showing what can be done to pull the buyer in but not overwhelm. I love the Perrier. I might have to borrow that idea :-).