Red alert: the low-effort way to update your interior

When it comes to selling a home, the presentation advice remains the same. A non-offensive décor is best. While white, magnolia or cream-coloured walls look clean and fresh, they can come across as bland.

That can be a problem when there’s a glut of property for sale. You’ll want your home to stand out and make a lasting impression, not merge with other properties a buyer might be viewing. 

Sellers need to find the balance between appealingly neutral and memorable, and there’s an interior design trick that will do just that.

Red to draw the eye

Adding splashes of colour to a neutral backdrop is an easy way to create impact. Contrast is key and a current decorating trend – the use of the colour red - is perfect for sellers to emulate.

There is science behind why we always notice red. It has the longest wavelength in the visible light spectrum and together with more receptors, our eyes are aligned to see shades of red more than any other colour. We’re also hardwired to spot red, with our ancestors being drawn to ripe fruit or the dangers of blood.

Make a lasting impression

How can this form of recognition help sellers? Red accessories attract instant attention and bring interest to an otherwise innocuous setting. Potential buyers may refer to your home in conversations as ‘the one with the red cushions’. This recall is critical in the decision making process – you’ll want your home to be memorable. 

Don’t forget, buyers will be looking at photographs online as well as visiting in person. When you consider people dismiss properties based on a three second scan of one or two digital images, there really is a small window to grab attention. 

Caution required

We know red packs a punch but sellers need to avoid turning their home into a crime scene. Too much red will have the opposite effect, causing alarm and putting off prospects. A restrained approach is required. So instead of liberally applying red paint to the walls, adding red accessories is the path to follow.

If you really want your home to tell a story, consider adding something red to every room. This will provide colour continuity and your marketing photography will feel cohesive.

Small addition, big impact

Red accessories are widely available on the High Street and online. Browse cushions, vases, throws, rugs, lampshades, picture frames, vases and towels, all available in a myriad of red shades. 

Struggling for ideas? A red print in a red frame would look stunning against a cream wall. A red blind can turn a small window into a focal point. A stack of fresh red towels in your bathroom will create a contrast against a white suite. Even a vase of red flowers can become a focal point. 

Colour cautious sellers may want to confine red accessories to one or two ‘hero’ rooms –the living room and the kitchen. These two rooms are usually the most photographed and among the first three images a buyer will scroll through.

Take it outside

Of course, almost every property listing starts with an exterior photo and you can even shoehorn a shade of red into this photo. The bravest could repaint their front door red. This can signify warmth and confidence. If pillar box red is too vibrant, opt for garnet or oxblood red. 

More subtle ways to weave red into your home’s exterior is to use red garden pots, fill planters and hanging baskets with red-flowering plants or add a red-coloured door mat.

Let’s help you get sale ready

Preparing your home for sale will pay off at the listing and viewing stages. Book a valuation with us and we can also share our presentation advice. Get in touch.