Top 5 Affordable Kitchen Staging Ideas

5 Budget Friendly Ways to Makeover A Kitchen When Staging A Home!

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, in the 3rd quarter of 2011, kitchen remodeling sales were up 36 percent compared with the same time in 2010.  This does not surprise us because the kitchen is one of the most important selling points of a home.  Buyers will compare this room of a home when they are out shopping for their next home.  Here are 5 Budget Friendly Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen That Buyers Will Love when traditionally home staging or virtual staging a home for sale…

1.) Countertops.  There are great laminate countertops available, from big-box-stores that will change the look of your kitchen dramatically.  Laminate can mimic the contemporary look of granite at a fraction of the cost!  If, however your budget is a bit higher, consider investing in solid surface tops.  We suggest quartz, granite or caesarstone.   They may cost more, but in the long run are more durable and will not wear as much as a laminate.

2.) Hardware.  Replacing hardware for cabinets is very affordable and a quick home staging trick to dramatically enhance a kitchen space.  There are so many options of knobs and pulls to choose from at Lowes, Home Depot, Restoration Hardware and Antrhopologie.  We suggest to keep it simple and clean and go for brushed silver knobs  or nickel whare are definately IN and brass is OUT!

3.) Faucets.  There are a variety of options available  as far as height, spouts and and folding necks.  We find to keep a low budget is go for the nickel or stainless steel options and most faucets start around $200.

4.) Lighting Fixtures. A well lit kitchen is very important when staging a home.   It is not only aesthetically pleasing when buyers are viewing a home but it’s also very important to have proper lighting functionality wise.  We suggest focusing on Ambient lighting (main lighting), pendants (hung above an island if you have one) & accent lights.  We find that adding an LED undercabinet light can have a dramatic effect to start and runs around $40.

5.) Organization.  Be sure a kitchen is functional and not heavily decorated or cluttered with small appliances on the countertops.  Show off the countertops and keep it clean & organized in drawers and cabinets.  Baskets in the pantry, drawer organizers and stackable shelves for cabinets will add appeal and all for less than $100.  We suggest IKEA or Container Store to start getting organized!

There are many ways to update the look of your kitchen.  And it all comes down to your budget, time & desire as to how much you want to change in your current kitchen.  Kitchens and bathrooms yield the most ROI (return on investments) when deciding to sell a home.  So, rest assured that whatever changes you can afford to make will go a long way!

Here are some additional great tips for decorating or home staging.