Most sellers these days know that they need to spruce up their home and possibly rearrange the furniture to highlight its best points for buyers. While the kitchen, living areas and bedrooms often get plenty of attention, it’s important to make your bathroom look as appealing as possible, too.
We asked McCullough; interior designer Marlaina Teich of Marlaina Teich Designs in Merrick, N.Y.; Joseph Tsedaka, principal of Nomi bathroom remodeling in Dallas-Fort Worth; and Brittany Farinas of House of One interior design in Miami for advice on how to stage a bathroom for a home sale. All four responded via email. Their responses were edited for clarity and brevity.
What are some general inexpensive tips that can make a bathroom appeal to buyers?
McCullough: Keep your linens and accessories in neutral earth tones. These are naturally calming colors and appealing to all types of buyers. Colors such as light brown, beige, taupe, gray and stone work well with accents of greens such as sage, hunter, emerald, navy and light blue.
Farinas: Stay away from any ornate fixtures and wallpaper. The idea is to create a clean canvas and leave the imagination of what’s possible to buyers.
Tsedaka: This may seem obvious, but make sure that the surfaces are clean and free of mildew. Consider replacing the silicon grout inside the shower or at a minimum spray it down with bleach and let it sit for minutes for a quicker option.
McCullough: Leave the shower curtain open. If your shower has nice tile or fixtures, you want to show these off. Buyers are not buying the shower curtain, but they are interested in how nice the shower is, so make sure to highlight this by leaving the shower open for buyers to see.
How can you make a small bathroom seem more spacious?
Teich: Try to include as much natural light as possible by keeping windows unblocked or covered with light shades. Install a floating vanity and/or a floating toilet to open up more floor space. Add a large mirror to create the illusion of more space.
Tsedaka: I suggest using light wall colors such as white or light gray. Keep your vanity clean of personal items or clutter.
What small fixes can make an older bathroom look a little more modern?
Farinas: Give the walls and the vanity cabinet a fresh coat of paint. Replacing the hardware — including drawer pulls, cabinet knobs, faucets and shower fixtures — is also a quick way to make a big impact.
Teich: Replace your old medicine cabinets or mirrors with modern-looking ones. Alternatively, you can add a modern border to a mirror with MirrorMate. Install a new modern light fixture to brighten the space and update the look.
How do you warm up a large primary bathroom that has lots of floor space?
McCullough: Keep it simple. Don’t overdo it with accessories. Let a spacious bathroom speak for itself. Remove excess storage, such as cabinets, toilet paper stacks, clutter on vanities, etc. Crisp white towels and clear surfaces are great ways to keep the bathroom feeling calm and relaxing.
Farinas: We love incorporating vibrant silk florals in our bathrooms because they add so much life to the space and aren’t affected by humidity or moisture. A nice runner can add an extra dimension to the space and warm it up.
Tsedaka: As a general rule, don’t fill up every space. Use dark colors for tiles and walls to warm up the space. You can add accessories such as a bench and pictures.
Teich: Layering in soft textures can warm up a space. Consider a large, luxurious bathmat to fill up some of the floor space. Roll up bath towels to place on the counter or shelving. Add a small stool or a rolling cart to lightly stage the area with bath essentials such as lotions and soaps.
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