A recent NAR survey suggests: 82% of real estate agents believe that staging makes it easier for buyers to visualize a property as their future home. Further, if a house is decorated according to buyer preferences, it positively impacts its perceived value.
It’s safe to assume there’s a similar relation between the value of a real estate development and the interior design of its model homes.
A model home helps potential homeowners visualize what their new home may look like. Its appearance and aesthetics play a critical role in the overall home buying experience, helping buyers reach a decision more quickly.
In this article, we’ll discuss some useful and practical interior design tips to help Home Builders design fabulous model homes that truly appeal to their buyers.
1. Start with White or Light-colored Walls
While it’s important to keep up with the latest design trends, it’s best to provide a neutral foundation when designing a model home. To that end, paint the walls in white or other light colors. This will make your space appear brighter and more spacious.
While a hint of dark shades may add character to a house, dominant dark colors can make it seem small and cramped. They can also seem restrictive to potential homeowners who may find it difficult to visualize different hues and accents in the space.
Light-colored walls, on the other hand, feel like a fresh new canvas. This helps to showcase your model home’s potential at becoming a buyer’s dream home more effectively.
2. Leverage Technology to Visualize Your Designs
Model home design isn’t easy and mistakes can be costly. Without the right tools, it’s practically impossible for Builders to visualize how different paint colors, finishes, cabinets, countertops, flooring or fixtures may look. And whether or not different home decor elements even fit together.
Here’s where interactive design software like Hyphen HomeSight can help. With it, you can try out different design elements within a floor plan and see how they look together before implementing your model home interiors. That means you can rest easy knowing your bedroom floor complements the wallpaper and your dining room design doesn’t clash with the adjoining living room.
Hyphen HomeSight even allows potential homebuyers to customize their future homes per their taste. Using simple product selection features, they can see their home design ideas come to life and compare different options. This is particularly useful for helping them assess your model home’s potential to see if it fits their needs.
3. Follow the 60-30-10 Rule for Colors
When choosing colors, the 60-30-10 rule can greatly simplify your choices. This timeless decorating rule has been proven to work in many design styles including the contemporary, the transitional, the modern farmhouse, the Scandinavian, etc.
According to this concept, 60% of a room should be a dominant color, 30% a secondary color and 10% should be an accent. Your 60% would be the main color that defines your room — this would be on most of your walls, large accent pieces, area rugs, sofa, etc.
The 30% is your secondary color. This should be used half as much as the main color and can go on drapes, bed linens, accent walls or chairs, painted furniture, etc. The 10% is your accent color — one that sharply contrasts with the other two. Use it for throw pillows, accent pillows, artwork, lamps and other decorative accessories.
4. Use White for Hanging Fixtures, Door and Window Frames
The best thing about white is that it goes with everything. So consider using it for hanging fixtures as well as window and door frames to brighten up your rooms.
White allows you to safely experiment with various design ideas. But the great thing about it is that it can hide certain elements in a way that they don’t attract people’s attention.
For example, white fixtures can help you hide your light sources to provide a clean lighting effect throughout a room. A few white fixtures with warm-toned light bulbs can create a beautiful ambiance in a dining room that’s not too bright or too direct.
5. Use the Same Flooring to Make the Space Look Bigger
Using the same flooring through different rooms is another great way to make the available space look bigger. This will go particularly well in open concept homes. A uniform flooring can make the space appear more fluid, connecting the different rooms seamlessly.
As with wall colors, light-colored flooring can make rooms appear more spacious. The texture or design of your floor tiles can also impact people’s perception of a room’s size; small intricate patterns can make it seem smaller, while large patterns can make it look more spacious.
6. Soften up the Design with Curvy Elements
Curvy elements (like circles, arches, etc.) make a space appear less intimidating. Taking away the sharp edges makes a home look more welcoming. So, consider adding an arch at the entryway to the kitchen, using kitchen cabinets with softer edges and circular fixtures in the kitchen and master bedroom to make your model home feel warm and welcoming.
Final Words
Well-thought-out and beautifully designed model homes can make your projects stand out and rise above the competition. So make sure to plan them well keeping in mind the needs and wants of your target demographic. Use the right design tools to see how different elements fit together and allow your customers the flexibility to customize them per their tastes and preferences. Contact us today to learn how Hyphen HomeSight can help you design functional and beautiful model homes that bring in more buyers and create lasting impressions in their minds.
