Home Staging Tips: Achieving Buyer Appeal with Roman Shades

REAL ESTATE TIPS

By Ronique Gibson

When selling a home, one of the most important rules of staging the space is to let buyers envision the home in its best light. When it comes to achieving buyer appeal, my clients often ask, “What will make our home feel inviting and warm to buyers?”

My answer? Any “extras” such as window treatments, decorative accents, and modern amenities will attract buyers’ eyes immediately.

Window treatments are considered fixtures and are typically sold with the home, unless negotiated out of the contract. With that said, buyers will love creative window treatments such as Roman shades that are versatile, beautiful, and can create a polished look to any window they grace.

Roman shades can be made from various material and textures
All Images via: Deb Barrett-Window Dressings

Roman shades are made of fabric panels that are raised and lowered with a cord system, via rings sewn into the back of the fabric. When they are raised, the fabric stacks into horizontal folds, giving a neat appearance even when they are raised or lowered halfway.

Because Roman shades come in a variety of styles to help control light and provide privacy, while adding color and texture to your interiors, there are options for any taste. Here are a few types to choose from:

• Unconstructed: The simplest of all forms; they tend to gather loosely.
• Constructed: More formal and tailored.
• Balloon: Have a whimsical and more feminine touch to them.
• Paneled: Constructed of layers of fabric to give more dimensions to your valance and are made in several pieces.

These balloon Roman shades keep a whimsical theme in the room

Bringing In Natural Light

Many of my home staging clients focus more on what color to paint the walls rather than actually seeing how much natural light comes into the room. Lighting is one of the most important factors when staging. Use your window treatments strategically to control lighting and to add a decorative touch to windows in the evening hours.

Layered Roman Shades give your room more eye-catching presence

Frame the View Outside

One of the best qualities of window treatments is their ability to frame the view outside of your window while still letting in natural light to your room. Virtually Staging Properties elaborates, “When it comes to staging, be sure to maximize the natural light in every room unless a particular room has a truly awful view that you are trying to hide. [Proper staging] means raising blinds and shades up and pushing curtains or drapes to the sides to let more natural light into a living space.”

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My advice is to thoroughly clean windows inside and out before a showing or open house. Open windows fully on a sunny day to reveal hidden spots and dirt on windows. Clean windowsills from dust and dirt and ensure window treatments are free of cobwebs and dust buildup that often is hidden in dark rooms. This will help draw potential buyers to look out the window at your stunning views, rather than focusing on unsightly grime around the windowsills.

For living rooms and public spaces, many of my clients prefer to keep the shades up to see the full beauty of the layering of Roman shades. In private spaces such as bathrooms and bedrooms, you can still enjoy their beauty pulled down in the evenings to provide security and privacy. I’ve definitely found that the right shades can be part of the thought process between, “This is the one,” and “Let’s head to the next house,” with potential homebuyers.

Home design expert Ronique Gibson writes on home decor, including window treatments such as Roman shades, for Home Depot. Ronique is the author of the ebook 111 Simple Tips for your Everyday Home, and has staged homes for many of her clients. Home Depot’s selection of Roman shades can be viewed online.