I'm a property expert and here are 10 big interior design mistakes that will put off potential buyers

When selling your home, first impressions are everything. The right furniture and furnishings can make your home appealing, but mistakes in this area can quickly turn potential buyers away.

From making rooms feel cluttered with too much furniture, to having outdated furnishings, Liv Conlon has seen it all when it comes to reasons why a house won’t sell.

Mum-of-one Liv is the CEO of ThePropertyStagers which furnishes more than 300 homes a year to make them more appealing to potential buyers.

What’s more, seven-figure entrepreneur Liv, 25, originally from Glasgow but who now lives in Marbella, can also give style advice to sellers who are looking to achieve above the asking price - whether it’s on a strict budget or a luxury home.

Here are Liv’s top ten common missteps to avoid to ensure your home is staged to perfection.

Liv Conlon, pictured, is the CEO of ThePropertyStagers which furnishes more than 300 homes a year to make them more appealing to potential buyers

The 25-year-old, pictured, who is originally from Glasgow but now lives in Marbella said that you should keep style consistent throughout the house 

1. Overcrowding with Furniture

There is a misconception that home stagers use smaller sized furniture pieces in order to maximise the scale of a room, which isn’t always true. The real art in furnishing your home for sale is placing statement furniture pieces, which can be large, but not too many.

An abundance of furniture can make a room feel cramped and small. Buyers are looking for spaciousness and flow, not a labyrinth of couches and coffee tables. Opt for fewer pieces that serve multiple purposes and are appropriately scaled to the room size.

The layout of your furniture should highlight the best features of each room and facilitate movement. Avoid blocking windows, doorways, and pathways. Arrange furniture to create conversational areas and to showcase space and functionality

2. Mismatched Styles

Consistency is key in home staging. Mixing modern furniture with antique pieces can create a disjointed look that confuses buyers, as can mixing interior design styles. This does not only apply to one room, this applies to every room.

You want to create a cohesive style throughout each room of your home so that when a potential buyer is either perusing the internet and swiping through images or at an in-person viewing they aren’t experiencing ‘interior whiplash’ as they transition from room to room. 

You can assign a singular style or one particular hue to the full home on a budget, there is no need to refurnish your whole home, you can achieve this look with soft furnishings and accessories to draw similarity between each room. To work out which style would suit your home best, consider the end buyer. Are they a modern family, a trendy couple or an older demographic?

3. Outdated Furnishings

To achieve the maximum offer possible for your home, people want to buy a home that is relevant in this era. Furniture that looks like it’s from a bygone era can date your home, making it less appealing to contemporary buyers and will jeopardise achieving the price you want.

Outdated furnishings insinuates a potential refurbishment opportunity or an estate sale which insinuates a bargain is to be had as work is needed to bring the property value up to its maximum value. Replace or reupholster dated pieces with more modern, neutral options that appeal to a broader audience.

Liv first had the idea of house staging when she was 17. She realised that giving a home a show room feel would lead to a quicker sale

Liv suggested ensuring  that you have a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to highlight your furnishings and create a warm, inviting atmosphere in bedrooms and living rooms

4. Personalised Decor

While your family photos and quirky collectibles have sentimental value, they can make it difficult for buyers to envision themselves in your home, and they often result in a cluttered atmosphere. Remove the majority of your family photo frames, inspirational quote plaques, souvenirs from your travel so that buyers can imagine adding their own personal touches.

5. Placing Your Furniture Around the TV

The modern person positions all of their furniture around their TV, however this is often the non-optimal position for your large furniture pieces. The goal is to create a ‘wow’ effect on the entrance of each room, this translates to the bed facing you upon entrance of the bedroom (unless facing a view where the viewer can visualise waking up) or the sofa positioned towards the door rather than the wall. This will create impactful images for your online presence and a jaw dropping reaction whilst viewing.

6. Neglecting Scale and Proportion

Furniture that is too large or too small for a room can disrupt the balance and make the space feel awkward. 

Ensure that all pieces are appropriately scaled to the room’s dimensions. For example, a massive sectional sofa in a small living room will dominate the space and make it feel claustrophobic whereas a small sofa in a large living space will feel sparse and cheaply implemented. To create impact and focal points, consider oversized accessories, artwork and mirrors rather than furniture pieces that oppress the space.

7. Ignoring Lighting and Accessories

A beautifully furnished room can still fall flat if it’s poorly lit. You could describe a room being poorly lit if there is too little light or if overhead pendants or spotlights are being used throughout the whole home. 

The only time the ‘big light’ is appropriate is in a small bathroom, kitchen or utility space where it’s required. For rooms that require ambience such as the bedroom or lounge ensure that you have a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to highlight your furnishings and create a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Furniture should not be centred around the TV in the living space, but this reduces the 'wow' effect of the layout 

Stick to neutral colours overall and save bolder shades for pops of accent colour 

The bed should your be facing you as you walk into the bedroom so that viewers can perfectly visualise waking up in this room 

8. Overly Bold Colours and Patterns

While bold colours and patterns can express personality, they might not appeal to the majority of buyers. Stick to neutral tones for larger pieces of furniture and use bolder colours sparingly as accents. This will make your property pop online but won’t repel those who are offended by boldness. This creates a versatile palette that appeals to more people and makes rooms feel larger and more inviting.

9. Worn or Damaged Furniture

Furniture that is visibly worn, stained, or damaged can give the impression that the home hasn’t been well-maintained. It immediately places doubt in your buyer's mind that there are flaws to spot throughout the property, which will result in nit-picking and discount opportunities. Invest in repairing or replacing pieces that show signs of wear and tear to present a well-cared-for appearance, or if you’re on a budget.

10. Too Much or Too Little Furniture

Striking the right balance is essential. Too much furniture can overwhelm a space, while too little can make it feel sparse and unwelcoming. Aim for a balance that makes each room feel fully furnished yet spacious. If you’re furnishing an empty space, consider what pieces will add to the aesthetic appeal of a property rather than a functional purpose. Opt for a console table with lamps and mirror rather than a chest of drawers, opt for a vanity desk over a wardrobe. If you’re optimising your own home, draw attention to vignettes in your home rather than functional items such as media units or wardrobes.

Staging your home effectively is all about creating an inviting, functional, and aesthetically pleasing space that allows potential buyers to see themselves living there. Avoiding these common furniture and furnishing mistakes can significantly enhance the appeal of your home, making it more attractive to buyers and potentially leading to a quicker, more profitable sale. Remember, less is often more, and neutral, well-maintained furnishings will always be in style when it comes to selling a home.

Liv Conlon is the CEO of ThePropertyStagers which furnishes more than 300 homes a year to make them more appealing to potential buyers.