Yahoo Finance I’m a Real Estate Broker: 3 Living Room Renovations You’ll Regret
Planning to renovate your living room? Ideally, homeowners will want these renovations to exude a comfortable, timeless space. What owners don’t want is a living area full of mistakes that cost too much money to fix later on, especially if they have plans to sell the home in the near future.
GOBankingRates spoke to a real estate broker and an interior designer to learn more about living room errors that homeowners financially regret the most. Keep reading to find out which three design mistakes to avoid in the living room.
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Over-Customizing
Maybe you’ve seen an “Architectural Digest” home video touring a celebrity’s house, and you liked some of the bespoke designs you saw in their living room, like massive built-in bookshelves or LED grid lighting.
As appealing as it may be to customize a living room, Colten Claus, associate broker at 8z Real Estate, doesn’t recommend going through with it for a few reasons.
The first is the cost, which has the potential to scare off buyers before renovations start. According to Claus, buyers that want custom features like built-in shelving or specialized lighting could end up paying anywhere between $5,000 to $25,000 to get the work done.
Another problem is its lack of universal appeal. The homeowner may love it, but Claus said custom features may not appeal to future buyers. The more an owner customizes the living room, the more difficult it may become to sell the home later on.
Instead of overspending to over-customize the living room, Claus recommends homeowners look into versatile solutions that can adapt to different needs. A few examples include using free-standing shelves or adjustable lighting fixtures.
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Buying Matching Furniture Sets
At first glance, buying matching furniture sets might seem like a quick, cost-effective way to renovate a living room. But Andrea Schumacher, president at Andrea Schumacher Interiors, said it’s a common mistake that can result in a static and uninspired space.
“A living room should be dynamic and reflect the personality of its occupants,” said Schumacher. To add depth and character to the space, she recommends investing in a variety of furniture styles and pieces.
Shopping for a variety of furniture doesn’t need to turn into an expensive outing, either. Consider exploring inexpensive retailers, like World Market or Ikea, or checking Pottery Barn’s Open Box Deals, the latter of which allows shoppers to buy returned pieces of furniture at a fraction of the original price.
Poor Lighting
You may think opting for a living room with one source of lighting, like a singular lamp, gives the space a moody aesthetic. The reality is poor lighting choices often make living rooms feel dark and uninviting.
It can even do a long-term disservice to one’s living room. Claus said homeowners that neglect to layer lighting or rely solely on overhead lights detract from the room’s ambiance and functionality.
A lighting overhaul, Claus estimates, costs anywhere between $1,000 to $5,000. It’s not cheap to take a living room out of poor lighting and into good lighting, but it’s worth it.
“Incorporate a mix of ambient, task and accent lighting to create a well-lit and inviting space,” Claus recommended, adding that homeowners can enhance the living room’s atmosphere and add layers of light by using floor lamps, table lamps and wall sconces.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m a Real Estate Broker: 3 Living Room Renovations You’ll Regret
