With homeowners across Britain finding they have an abundance of free time on their hands amid the lockdown, many will be looking to make home improvements.
But first-time DIYers could easily fall into traps and knock value off their house by making the wrong design choices, which can quickly make things look dated and unattractive to future buyers, a designer has revealed.
Speaking to FEMAIL, the experts at RatedPeople, shared the common mistakes to avoid when sprucing up your house.
The company, who connect those in need with trusted tradespeople, analysed more than 820,000 historical job postings, as well as interviewing more than a 1000 homeowners and prospective buyers about their choices to produce their 2020 trend report.
They teamed up award-winning interior designer, Jen Stanbrook at Love Chic Living to create a comprehensive list of tips on how to maximise your home's value ahead of selling.
Here she share what not to do if you want to attract buyers.
Interior design expert Jen Stanbrook told Femail one of the most common mistakes people make (stock image)
The interior design tweaks you should NEVER make (and how to fix them if they've already been made!)
NEVER PAINT ROOMS DARK BLUE OR DARK GREY
'If you're worried about dark blue walls putting off potential buyers, but don't want to lose the bold colour completely, you can lighten the space by repainting just one of the walls in a lighter colour, preferably the one you see first as you enter the room' Jen said.
'If you won't want to live with white, use a pale grey, but neutralise the space and your home should appeal to a wider audience.
'Give the illusion of a light, bright space by adding a colourful wall collage.
'Keep it cost-effective by rummaging through charity shops for an eclectic selection of frames and use postcards, prints and wrapping paper for savvy alternatives to expensive art.
Jen explained that painting kitchen cupboard dark grey and blue is a big no-no for prospective buyers (stock image)
AVOID DARK BLUE AND DARK GREY KITCHEN CUPBOARDS
Jen explained that you should avoid painting cupboards dark blue, and stick to lighter and neutral colours. But if they're already dark blue you should clear the surfaces to make kitchens seem more spacious.
'Whilst it might be too expensive to replace dark blue kitchen cupboards and you might not fancy repainting them, you can make the whole room appear brighter and less overpowering by decluttering and removing everything but the kettle from the worksurfaces.
'Add a handful of accessories in natural materials, like a marble chopping board and large wooden fruit bowl and ensure the room is well lit to offset the darker cupboard shades.
'As a potential buyer could be put off by dark grey kitchen cupboards, show them how vibrant and lively the space can be by adding plants.
'The injection of greenery will change the atmosphere and overall appearance of any room where dark colours have been used.
'It's inexpensive and whether you go for faux or real, use a variety of sizes and styles to draw the buyer's eye away from the feature that puts them off.
Jen added that two big attractions in a kitchen are marble work surfaces and kitchen islands.
'Marble laminate is also a good option, but if you're hankering after the real thing, there are so many places to get hold of second-hand options.
'Be clever and creative by giving the illusion of an island with a portable shelving and worktop unit like a butcher's block.
Black fittings are a marmite features in houses and can put off buyers, Jen explained (stock image)
AVOID BLACK TAPS AND BLACK SHOWERS
'As black fittings aren't to everyone's tastes, you can pick up a second-hand chrome tap for next to nothing – they're easier to replace than you think and can be swapped over in a few minutes' Jen said.
DON'T INSTALL COPPER TAPS
'Copper accessories are very popular in home interiors at the moment, even though they might not be to everyone's tastes' Jen explained.
If it's too late, and you're unable to change them, Jen said they look better if coordinated with other accessories.
'To make this look more appealing, coordinate with other copper pieces like a vase, utensil holder or even a copper kettle and toaster. Rather than change these items, style your home to make them more integrated in the overall space and give the buyer the vision of how great they can look.
Alongside black taps, copper ones can be decisive and put off potential buyers, Jen said (stock image)
AVOID DARK GREY WINDOW FRAMES
Lighter window frames are more appealing to potential buyers, Jen explained, but darker ones cans be softened using a white blinds at the windows
'It's a cheap way to give the illusion of a softer window frame on the inside of your home and helps a potential buyer see how the darker frame won't affect the home interior
REPLACE ORIGINAL SASH WINDOWS
'Although original sash windows can look beautiful, some buyers may be put off by potential drafts and the cost of maintenance in the future.
'Your best bet is to ensure your windows are in great condition to show they aren't going to incur any immediate costs.
'Give them a fresh lick of paint and make sure they are all in good working order too – reassuring your buyers that old features make your home more desirable can help you seal the deal.
'Although original sash windows can look beautiful, some buyers may be put off by potential drafts and the cost of maintenance in the future' Jen explained (stock image)
DON'T INSTALL WOODEN DOUBLE GLAZING
'If you have wooden double glazing, potential buyers can worry about upkeep and costs.
'If you can produce evidence, possibly receipts that show when they were originally installed and when the wood was last treated, you can make them more confident that this feature of your home won't end up costing them money' Jen added.
'Whilst it's not always cheap to replace windows and install UPVC double glazing, brand new windows can really help to attract more buyers.
'One cost-effective way to achieve this is to upgrade the windows at the front of your home only.
'Another solution if you want to ensure your heating bills are reduced, is to install window film to single glazed windows at around £40 per kit to create a quick fix double-glazed effect.
'Not all buyers will appreciate the decorative appeal of patterned floor tiles, so play down their appearance' Jen explained
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