Styling 101 | Bling

November 2015, By Nicole Langelier

As a stylist and interior designer, I have seen many many properties of all shapes sizes and styles (some modest, some quite the opposite indeed…). I do however, believe that style is subjective and that if you love the way something looks – regardless of how other’s feel about it – it really can’t be ‘wrong’.

That being said, if you are styling your home for sale – or if I’m doing it – the intention is to present it in a way that is unique, fabulous and high style while appealing to as many potential buyers as possible. If you – the vendor – love it, that’s a bonus, but lets face it, you aren’t buying your own property, so best to just leave the styling to the professionals who have your best interest at heart.

The key is to know your market and to style accordingly. What may entice in one market can just as easily repel in others.

When it comes to ‘bling’, it’s really not my thing. In some markets however, like the wealthy Chinese market (which is steadily rising in Melbourne and across Australia), Bling is just their thing, and for many Chinese buyers there is no such thing as too much. This is due to the belief that crystals and shiny objects attract and represent wealth, so the more the merrier. My job is to use just the right amount of bling to get the likely buyers ‘eyes a-twinkling’, but not too much that it might be off-putting for other prospective buyers. When it comes to styling properties for sale, moderation and restraint is the name of the game.

It is true most people understand that you, as the vendor, are selling your house and not the furniture, but purchasing a property is a very emotional thing. If you are not down with the diamonds and you walk into a property and are blinded by Swarovski crystals dripping from every available surface, it is highly likely that you won’t really see the property you have come to inspect. However you can have both – subtlety and bling believe it or not, and it is achievable through careful selection and placement of furniture, lighting and objects.

Here are a few pointers on how to successfully use bling when styling your property for sale.

• Quality is key. Not all bling is created equal. When using things that shine or reflect light it is the finishes and scale that make or break the look.
• Stay traditional. Polished steel chandeliers dripping with oversized crystals by the thousands are too much of a statement. You need to leave room for the perspective buyer to envision their own touches on the property. If you go for a more traditional antique chandelier you get the sparkle in a whisper rather than a shout.
• Reserve your bling for the heroes of the house. Not every room needs to sparkle. Home bling should be formal. If you want to use it focus on the entry, the formal living, formal dining and or the master bedroom.
• When adding bling to a bedroom, moderation, once again is your best friend. Bring it in as accents in your scatter cushions and small accessories. No need to drape your bed in it.
• Perhaps the best piece of advice I can give in the bling department – and this goes for every room, is when you think you have finished styling, take one thing away. This will ensure you don’t overdo it.

At the end of the day, if you are styling your property for sale you are doing it in order to maximise your profit. If you need to step outside of your comfort zone and into the bling ring, than I advise you to put your personal style aside for a while and cash in that golden ticket and watch the dollars pour in.