Recently on this home staging blog I asked for your staging recommendations for the busy kitchen pictured here.
Anyone with an eye for decor knows this kitchen has great bones.
It won’t take much to transform it for the real estate market.
Thanks to all of you who left comments and staging advice on that first cluttered kitchen post.
The following are my home staging recommendations for this cluttered kitchen.
Each of us has our own personal take on what colors to use. The home staging advice I’ve offered isn’t much different than the opinions left by readers on the original post. Proof that when you have an eye for design, you’ll always instinctively know what to do to make it show better.
De-clutter and Placement
Remove the clutter from the table and add a fresh cut flower arrangement or flowering plant instead. I don’t generally recommend setting the table because I think it looks too “staged.”
Get rid of the clutter from the area by the telephone (shown to the left of the microwave).
All that should be there is the phone with a pad of notepaper and a pen so it looks like a convenient and organized place for taking calls.
Remove everything from the front and the top of the fridge.
Clear off the counter tops leaving only the toaster oven, coffee maker and microwave. Remove all items from the top of the microwave, which should be moved to the corner to the right of the window.
Where the microwave is now, replace with a bowl of lemons or green apples.
Keeping to one color of fruit in the same bowl is generally more visually appealing than a mixed arrangement. An added benefit, apples or lemons last quite awhile unrefrigerated.
The current piece of art over the microwave should be moved down about 6 inches or replaced with something slightly taller.
More staging tips for this cluttered kitchen
Get rid of distractions
Take down the wallpaper border because it makes the kitchen look very dated.
Remove the extra piece of furniture (tea wagon) shown at the bottom right of this photo. It makes the eat-in area feel crowded and draws attention to lack of counter space.
Remove the two decorative items from the top of the cabinet over the oven.
Color Recommendation
I suggest repainting the walls and back splash a deeper tone to provide contrast and visual interest.
Since there really isn’t much “wall” as it’s mostly cabinets, the walls can carry something like Benjamin Moore Adams Gold (HC-18) or Bennington Gray (HC-82).
Both of these colors work with the existing cabinets.
Keep existing cabinets. Replacing them is too expensive and time consuming when you’re just trying to sell fast. Consider a fresh coat of paint in a similar shade to what’s there now.
Updating
I would not replace the appliances because this will just make the existing counters and cabinets look more dated by contrast.
It’s rare in a staging project to replace expensive items or make expensive renovations (and kitchens are the most expensive to renovate).
Update the current light fixture/track above the sink. A big change at minimal cost.
While installing pot lights or something hanging over the stove would be attractive, that requires an electrician.
In an old house I avoid opening ceilings and getting into the wiring, because this just invites more problems that you/the home seller won’t want to deal with.
If the client’s budget allows, lay a cork floor down right over the existing dated vinyl.
Cork floor comes in planks that quickly click together and float over what’s already there. Some of my readers suggested bamboo, which is another great idea!
There’s tons of home staging advice for kitchens, bathrooms, attics and every other space in a home in the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floor Plans.
Home stagers, what additional recommendations would you have for the kitchen in the photo above?
Loved your comments – I can always learn something from you! I wish you’d included a photo of the staged kitchen for a contrast. Did the owners follow your advice and paint, remove wallpaper and so on? Would love to know.
Debbie Fiskum, Perfect Transformations; Home Staging & Re-Design in Denver
Debbie, glad you liked the comments and found them helpful. As for an after shot, I don’t have one. Many of my clients just pay me for my advice and I never see the place again. I used to try and get to see them all afterward during an open house, but the busier I got, the less I did that.
Also not all clients let me know what happens in the end and while I always recommend following up, I don’t always take my own advice! Again, it’s a function of how busy I am with new clients.
But for stagers in the earlier days of building a portfolio: Make sure you go back for after shots and also follow up to find out how the sale went. Great way to get testimonials and success stories!
HI, Found your website only yesterday night, and I’m reading it with big interest. just wanted to join here with my comment about cluttered kitchen. If I could I would move a stove as well it’s like in the middle of the kitchen. Don’t think it’s a best place for it, as after it kitchen still have drawers… 🙂
Hi Kristine, thanks so much for joining in and sharing your recommendation!
Loved the article and ideas – it was so cluttered, I would have had to clean it up and clear away everything and then use a critical eye to see what needed to be done to put it back together – the ideas were great and I agree…. haha my pet peeve is fridges that are totally covered in STUFF…. how do they clean???
Thanks again
Mary, glad you found this helpful. The fridge covered with stuff is my pet peeve too! Just changing that makes a huge difference.
Love the idea of putting a darker paint on the wall and cork flooring, but I am wondering if changing the hardware on the cabinets would make a great difference as well and keep it in budget.
Thanks for your ideas Joyce. I find changing cabinet hardware can make a really big difference in a lot of kitchens and bathrooms, but budget always has to enter into it of course.
De-clutter, remove all things on refrigerator, paint and something fresh like cut flowers on table, remove extra furniture in room, too busy, maybe new flooring laminate hardwood, remove wall border, too busy and old looking. Clean and brighten up back splash.
Great staging ideas Barbara!
This is a wonderful way to put my toes in the water! I found way more than 5 changes. All of the above ideas including the utensils hanging on the wall next to the window – those must go. I also noticed the “tea cart”. Which is really a place for the cooktop. Either eliminate it completely and place a cooktop on the counter near the microwave, or move a base cabinet down and put a stove. Although there is a wall oven, who couldn’t use two! Is it too costly of a suggestion or would you offer that in your plan? Curious if this is too costly of a suggestion.
Cally these are all great suggestions, you have a good eye!
As for whether changing an appliance is too costly a suggestion, it all depends on the price point of the home and how bad the situation is. In other words, there is no hard and fast rule, it will be a judgement call with every client. I talk a lot about how to figure this out in Course 3 of the Staging Diva Program, called “Taking the Mystery Out of a Home Staging Consultation.” You can learn more about it at: https://stagingdiva.com/store
Thanks again for commenting!
Just found your website today after so many people have been asking me for advice on decorating and staging . I agree with everything listed, but I am going to add that I think the whole table needs to go – it’s too crowded (or at least from the picture ) and I would add some bar stools for more space . What do you think ? Also I think the micro needs to be moved- completely out of the space !
Glad you found me Kristen and I hope you’ll join my email list so I can send you information that will help you make money as a home stager that you won’t find on this blog. One way to get started is to sign up for this FREE Jumpstart Course at:
https://stagingdiva.com/free-12-tips-staging-course.html
Now to your suggestions…. yes you could certainly get rid of the microwave. As for the table, I disagree. It’s a family house so people with kids will want to see that it’s an eat in kitchen. And when you remove the table entirely, they don’t come to that conclusion on their own.
I love the idea of bar stools normally (assuming there’s space), however in this case if you look closely you can see that the counter doesn’t have an overhang for someone to have their knees there. Putting stools in a situation like that will always draw attention to that flaw.
Hope that helps! You can find more great tips like these in the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floorplans.
If you have tons of people asking for your advice, it means you have talent, don’t ever take that for granted. You can do something most people can’t and in addition to being a gift you enjoy using, it’s a talent that can earn you an income when you have the right business model. I’m excited for you!
Declutter the kitchen. Update appliances. Microwave would be on the wall. Remove wall paper and change the paint and flooring . Keep the counter tops clear as possible and change the hardware on the cabinets. Remove every thing off the dining room table add vase of fresh cut flowers
All great ideas. Updating appliances would depend on price point of the home, the rest can be done very inexpensively.
My one additional suggestion is painting the drawer and cabin that are by dining table and chair to black! I thought it would make a nice contrast and would match with chairs. Would that work?
Interesting idea Morgan. Black can be very effective at grounding a space. The key when going with a high contrast element is whether you want to draw attention to it.
Clean clutter, remove stuff from front of fridge, and add color to cabinets
Thanks for commenting Rochelle!
I love these cabinets but it needs hardwood floors. Laminite or stick on for budget. Its nice to have cabinets but the cabinets by the table dont look like theyre in the kitchen. I see a bakers rack to maybe make it part of a little dining room. Lift microwave off counter mount where picture is. Clear off table add colorul centerpiece case of flowers. Clear off fridge magnets for showing. Add some small plants to counter
Great ideas Dawn, thanks for commenting!
I’m enjoying taking this quiz. One thing I would suggest as well, would be to remove that piece of artwork and replace it with a few shelves. There you can put some cookbooks, cute dishes and other kitchen appropriate decor. 🙂
Glad you’re enjoying the quiz. As a rule I avoid adding shelves and putting decorative items on them as this can be an added distraction when a buyer is looking at the space. It can also be a distraction in the real estate photos.
For living, your idea is perfect!
Needed a more cleaner and modern look to the kitchen offcourse first needs to declutter the kitchen remove unnecessary things from the counters on the left side on phone neeed along with small writing pad and holder for pen and small pot of plant can stay there on top of microwave we can add a shelf put the plant instead there or some kitchen decoration but one or two enough or if not microwave can stay on there but that frame needs to go and the wall paper needs to be removed and fixture needs to be changed atleast something contemporary,floors need to be replaced,appliances should be of same colour and need of paint where walls r available and tea trolly should be removed and dinning table should be placed with table runners along with accessories
Yes, great ideas, thanks for sharing Nuziha!
Definitely painting the black splash or use stick on tiles for a pop of color. I don’t see how you would fit microwave on the right side of sink. If you wanted to mix a cake you have no shelf space to put something together. I would put in a oblong picture where the other one is to give it more dimension. Maybe paint the cabinetry backing that is facing the table. maybe same color you would use for the black splash. Definitely wash the dishes and put them way and straighten out all cabinets. This is fun!
All great ideas, it IS fun! Happy you agree 🙂
If I could afford it, I would gut this kitchen and redo the layout. If I was staging to sell, I would declutter and removal everything from the counter tops and above the oven. Remove the wallpaper border. New appliances. Hardwood floors, countertops and backsplash. Put the backsplash up the wall behind the microwave. Move the microwave where the toaster oven was. Remove the lights over the sink area. Paint a darker neutral color. Get a colorful valance for over the sink. An area rug under the table and a floral arrangement on the table. Some cookbooks and small items on the counter, along with the kettle on the stove.
Love this Linda, though for selling it’s rare that you’d have the time or budget to renovate a kitchen and replace appliances. So the trick is to make it all look better with paint and hardware. Inexpensive changes that have a big impact. Unless it’s a really expensive home of course, where spending tens of thousands on a new kitchen “might” make sense (assuming you had a couple of months lead time until the ideal month to hit the market).
Update the cupboards and get rid of the boarder, put the microwave above the oven, put in a flat top stove, update the refrigerator, redo the floor with something with a little bit of pizzazz.