One of my favorite facets of the real estate market is the relationship I create between my sellers. Listing a house is a very personal process, and the connection between my sellers can be an intimate one. Part of my listing process involves reviewing the house, learning my seller’s style, and blending that style with what I perceive is going to really sell. As a seller, you only have one chance to hit the market with your first photography; and as buyers walk through your property they are going to be investigating it from top to bottom. Whether it’s inside your closets, pantry, garage, or basement – all of your homes spaces need to look sharp and inviting. 28 Elm Street in Newport’s Point neighborhood provides a perfect opportunity to take a closer look at my listing process.
A unique blend of old and new, 28 Elm’s refreshed, modern style is cleverly juxtaposed by its classic colonial exterior. Starting outside, I refreshed the curb appeal by adding a few sprigs of bright, red holly which contrasts beautifully with the property’s natural wood front door, and rich navy siding, in the color “Granite” by Farrow & Ball. Gas lanterns anchoring the front door gave the house a festive and welcoming holiday feel – a smart touch for the fall/winter buyer. In the backyard we spruced up the landscaping and back patio, and staged a long outdoor dining table to showcase the property’s true entertaining potential.
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Inside the house I refreshed the paint throughout, opting for a bright, creamy white to add light while maintaining the property’s inherent warmth and coziness. Drawing inspiration from our purple Instagram theme in November, I went bold with a deep currant accent wall in the living room. Dressed with complementary grey accent pillows, warm honey-toned wood, a statement piece of art framed in dazzling gold, and this room was quickly transformed into a magazine-worthy attention getter.
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A cozy neutral couch and stylish-yet-functional wall sconces made the den a quiet oasis to relax and read a book. A simple change of hardware on the cabinets quickly modernized the kitchen. Bathrooms were revamped with fresh paint, updated chrome lighting fixtures, and soft linens. The upstairs bedrooms became the perfect spaces to play around with fun and modern lighting. Gold wall scones provided balance, drew even more light into the sun-filled spaces, and added a fun contemporary style that appeals to any of today’s buyers.
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A huge token of advice I give to my sellers is that in listing your home you need to remove your life from the house and let other people imagine their lives there. The transformation at 28 Elm is a perfect example of this sentiment; the sellers allowed me to take the creative reins and implement a design strategy that I knew would accentuate the home. Best yet, my efforts paid off – 28 Elm went under contract in under 30 days!
