It’s that time of year when clients wish to determine the worth of their summer homes with an eye on that next purchase.
When staging properties, especially vacation homes, consider bringing the summer inside by freshening walls with vibrant contemporary art. Spruce up rooms with a fresh coat of warm-hued paint, and add framed images that remind potential buyers of tropical getaways.
A little change is a big help for a space that hasn’t been updated in decades, and all it takes is the right art to make that happen. Here are three tips to get you started in “summerizing” your clients’ homes with art.
1. Start in the living room
Buyers focus on large walls first, so find a large art piece for the wall above the sofa. This piece is a reminder of your client’s favorite summer scenes like the ocean, the beach or nature.
Select abstract works, and avoid images of people. When buyers are looking at homes, they are attracted to neutral images with subconscious reminders of their favorite things, so always remember to remove family photos before you start showing the property.
2. Bring in small works of art to the bedroom
Smaller works can be placed anywhere in the home, so I suggest works that remind you of sailing or nautical images of summer. Hang them over the bed (or on one wall beside the bed).
Select two or three pieces that work well together as a theme (sailboat image with two images of the deck and anchor). The smaller works can be hung horizontally or vertically and rotated as seasons change.
3. Create a sensory experience in the kitchen
Perhaps the most important room is the kitchen, where lively entertaining meets the warmth of a home-cooked meal.
Buyers want to feel cozy and relaxed, so art with images of summer cooking: barbecues, clam bakes, watermelon, berries, cupcakes — anything that reminds you of your favorite summer foods.
I hope these suggestions give you ideas for staging your next listing. The key to “summerizing” spaces is energizing a home with the spirit of summer.
Kipton Cronkite is the founder of ArtStager and an agent with Douglas Elliman. Follow him on Instagram or Twitter.