Before you dive into homewares and decor shopping, identify your target buyer. Consider if your home appeals to investors, professionals, young families, or downsizers. Tailoring your property styling to suit your target market is key to presenting your home in the best light.


If your target market is professionals, dress up the spare nook as an office. If you’re appealing to families, present it as a nursery. Scandinavian ambiance suits young families, industrial suits young buyers, while bringing the outside in will suit older buyers as basic furnishings appeal to investors.

The colour scheme creates a cohesive look in your home. While neutral colours are generally recommended for staging to sell, use up to two strong hues if you prefer bold colours. Just strike that balance to avoid overwhelming your potential buyers.

Neutral is always best when styling to sell, but if you’re keen to use bold hues, limit these to two strong shades. Vast washes of colour, bright ‘pops’ or accents, a monochrome backdrop of black-and-white also works well to a broad buying audience. 

While choosing a colour scheme can be daunting, if you feel out of your depth, go all-white. While this neutral hue is overly safe, selling a home is not the time to get adventurous with colour – that blazing red feature wall or the purple curtains you love so much can be off-putting to buyers. White also gives the illusion of a larger space and brightens a home – qualities highly prized in real estate.

After settling on your colour palette, remove all superfluous furnishings that don’t fit. Less is more when it comes to decluttering and styling.

When it comes to property styling, decluttering is a golden rule. If an item doesn’t enhance the beauty or functionality of a space, hide or remove it. Decluttering creates a sense of openness and allows buyers to visualise themselves in the space.

Begin by addressing essential needs rather than focusing solely on decorative items. Utilise what you already have creatively, along with some well-chosen decor elements, to style the property effectively. Start with living and entertaining areas, then move on to other critical areas like kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

Create inviting scenes in each room to help potential buyers imagine themselves living in your home. Little details such as a tray with coffee cups and a magazine subconsciously adds appeal to the space.

Keep the dining space simple and clutter-free. Opt for a clean, organised setup that showcases the seating capacity without overwhelming the space.

Maintain a clear bench, featuring luxury appliances such as a coffee machine for a touch of sophistication. A fresh fruit bowl offers a pleasing pop of colour.

Arrange the bed neatly with textured throws and matching cushions. Decorate bedside tables with books, flowers or scented candles to create an inviting ambiance.

Tidy and organise built-in wardrobes for an impression of ample space. Invest in wooden coat hangers for an elegant touch.

Keep bathroom styling simple with fresh towels, a scented candle and a potted plant. Remove unnecessary items from vanities and neatly organise essentials.

Use shelves to showcase decor aligning with your colour scheme. Experiment with arranging vases, plants, books and other homewares for an aesthetically pleasing display.