New interior design psychology ideas help you sell your kitchen. You may ask: “Sell my kitchen?”

Yes. Kitchens sell houses. So, get your kitchen ready with home staging ideas for a top-dollar sale.

Seven Home Staging Strategies from the Psychology of Interior Design for Kitchens:

1. Light up dark areas. For an inexpensive solution to illuminate dark countertops, use plug-in night lights. Also, a small lamp looks great on a countertop because the warm light bulbs feel “homey.”

2. Smooth down hard surfaces with cloth, including new window treatments and hand towels.

3. Remove all appliances from countertops. By clearing the eye clutter off the counter, this step visually expands your kitchen. Every item on the counter stops the eye for a second. Fewer fixtures let shoppers’ eyes roam free and give the impression of one large expanse of countertop. If necessary, use a bowl of fruit or flowers to brighten up the space.

4. If you decide to replace kitchen cabinets, choose light wood or a white finish to reflect light in a dark kitchen. White cabinets convey a feeling of cleanliness and spaciousness. Wood cabinets in major cities recoup 90-130% of the installation cost when you sell them.

5. For a moderately priced home, laminate countertops mimic limestone or granite and provide a smooth surface. Upscale buyers prefer granite countertops, but full-scale ceramic tile with small grout margins produces a granite-like effect for a fraction of the cost.

6. Luxury home buyers look for pantries, hardwood or stone floors, built-in wine coolers, water filtration systems, built-in microwaves, and custom lighting. All buyers expect a garbage disposal, dishwasher, and over-the-range vent system.

7. Sleek, modern kitchens don’t need to smooth down all-around hard surfaces (countertops, floors, cabinets, etc.). However, homes that exhibit a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere benefit from visually softening additions such as colorful new hand towels, a rug underfoot at the sink, and potholders on hooks near the stove.

No matter your budget, prepare your home for a high value sale. Small home staging strategies entice a buyer to say, “This is my new kitchen.”

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. (You may republish this article in its entirety with the following author information with live links only.)