The interior design choices that wreck house sales

Picture the scene: a professional couple in their late thirties are visiting what could be their dream house. It’s all going well – the house is well-proportioned, close to the railway station, with a striking late Victorian fireplace. The estate agent is feeling gleeful; the downsizing vendors are hopeful.

And then, suddenly, the potential buyers are making excuses and a hurried exit. What could have provoked their hasty departure, when they seemed so interested in the stuffed otter collection? 

However impressive a house may be, seemingly superficial details – such as the quirky decor, or peeling paint on the front door – can be highly off-putting. 

Presenting your home well is no waste of money. According to the Home Staging Association, 90pc of buyers search online first for houses, and spend just 20 seconds looking at each listing. In this market, first impressions really do count. 

Here, Telegraph Money reveals the interior design mistakes which may deter would-be buyers from making an offer – and the quick fixes that can save your sale. 

Kitsch interiors that haven’t aged well 

Outdated interiors from decades past can be “very off putting”, according to Elaine Penhaul, director of Lemon and Lime Interiors.

Through her company – which offers home staging for developers and private clients – Ms Penhaul said she sees generations clash over style “all the time”.

A typical example might be a couple in their late sixties or early seventies, she said, who have lived in a Georgian rectory or big country house for 40 years and haven’t redecorated or decluttered for some time.

“They might be one or two generations older than their buyer, who may be upsizing for their family,” Ms Penhaul explained. 

“Their house is full of brown, orange, swirly carpets from the 60s and 70s. The furniture was once very fashionable, but is not any more. It’s a bit knackered, not retro in a cool way.

“That’s something sellers find it very hard to get their heads around, as they remember the pieces being expensive when they first bought them.

“They don’t want to get rid of the look, but it dates the whole house.”

Striking feature walls 

So controversial are feature walls – where one wall in a room is painted or wallpapered in a different colour or style to the rest to make it more of a “focal point” – within the interior design sector, that Location Location Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp recently took to X/Twitter to decry the trend. 

“I’m gonna just say it…..feature walls make rooms feel smaller,” wrote Ms Allsopp.

“If you want your room to feel shorter, paint or wallpaper one wall differently to the other walls. 

“Oh, and while I’m at it, darker/stronger colours make rooms darker, it’s not rocket science Petals.” 

The trend, which first became popular in the early 2000s, still has many people arguing about whether it’s a good idea or not. However, buying agent Richard Pryor agrees with Ms Allsopp that statement designs are a no-no.  

“Inoffensive is a very good tactic,” he said. 

“The ideal is a house with ‘tastefully neutral feel’, or a period listed property that feels complete but where buyers can put their own stamp – especially the kitchen.

“The broader the church, the faster they sell – there’s no question.” 

For those who have the space for experiments with wallpaper, such as Mr Pryor’s country house clients, he says “a little bit of William Morris goes a long way”.

“A few strips of willow pattern wallpaper can brighten the house. But room after room of the strawberry paper shouts too much about the kind of person who owns that house, and can be divisive.” 

Taxidermy, of any kind

While the art of preserving animals enjoyed a gentle revival since the pandemic, it remains an unappealing prospect for many. 

“It’s an absolute horror,” said Ms Penhaul. “There is an argument to say it is quite fashionable again, but it is a very specific taste.  

“I don’t like bits of dead animals on the wall, and I would recommend clients to remove them as it would put off many prospective buyers

Mr Pryor agrees: “Taxidermy of any sort is generally an issue. I’m afraid it comes up quite a lot in the countryside.

“The occasional pair of antlers is okay, but as soon as you have a stuffed otter it’s not a good look.” 

Overpowering smells 

Flower arrangements and period fireplaces can only go so far if your house has a noticeable stench.

“If the smell hits you, it’s not a good sign,” said Ms Penhaul. “Pets, damp and cigarette smoke are the major issues.”

She recalls one client who was perplexed by the lack of interest in her attractive home.

“I told her: ‘If you didn’t smoke 60-a-day it would sell much more quickly’. It absolutely stank”.   

Where urine has spilled, whether animal or human, the only way to truly remove the smell is to replace material with new. 

Too much clutter and personal items 

When prospective buyers are viewing a property, much of what they’ll be doing is imagining whether their belongings and lifestyle can fit into the rooms. 

While a little evidence that, for example, a sofa can comfortably fit in a lounge can help them imagine their own items in situ, having too many things squeezed in each room could end up putting them off.

“There is a very fine line between presenting a lived-in space, where the buyer can imagine themselves living, and having too much clutter and personal items,” said Ms Penhaul.

“I’m not a fan of the super decluttered look, which makes the home look a bit unnatural, but you have to try to look at everything through someone else’s eyes.”

Most homes will just need some books, cushions, and throws – but not too many.

Mr Pryor warned against putting items on display that reveal “anything that gives too deep a knowledge of the owner’s personal life”. A bath in the bedroom, for example, may provide an unwelcome talking point, he said. 

Rather, both recommend that homeowners aim for a balance between a property feeling too sterile and excessive personality. 

It’s also a good idea to keep the circumstances of the potential buyers in mind. When selling a family home to another family, for example, keeping some toys and shoes out can allow potential buyers to better imagine themselves in the property. But it may be better to put the toys away if you have older buyers coming to look around, who could be looking for a neater space. 

Reconsider the Aga

Once the ultimate icon of the middle-class kitchen, Aga’s popularity is lately on the decline – in part due to rising energy costs.

“Agas can be a big turn-off, because they are too expensive to run, but also too expensive to get rid of,” said Mr Pryor. 

Many countryside homes depend on the traditional cookers for heat as well as preparing food, but their appeal may be lost on younger generations.

Last year, engineer Jack O’Dwyer, an oven remover based in Blackpool, said he had removed Agas at the rate of around one per week, and has heard from a further 100 people planning to sell theirs.

If you’re thinking about getting an Aga, or already have one, it may be worth considering the potential impact it may have on your house sale. 

One solution could be converting old-fashioned fuel based models to electric, a service which is offered by several specialist companies including Blake & Bull and Rural Ranges. 

Design solutions to help you sell 

If you are running low on both time and energy, working with a home staging company could ramp up interest in your property.

Some estate agents may offer this professional curation, as well as interior designers or companies devoted exclusively to home styling.

Services can range from filling an empty house with furniture, to simply tweaking existing arrangements and removing potentially unpopular items. 

According to the 2023 Home Staging Report, staged homes sell faster than non-staged homes. It takes 41 days, on average, for a staged property to sell, compared to the 99 days that non-staged properties stay on the market.

“It’s like putting on your best suit for an interview,” explained Ms Penhaul.

“These days people treat Rightmove like a dating app, “swiping left” if the visuals aren’t right. However, you might miss out on a potential match, just because they look a bit rough.” 

What should be overlooked – and what can’t be ignored

Although it is important for vendors to make a good first impression with their property, buyers must take care not to forego a great home because of some ugly curtains.

“Light fittings, furniture, soft furnishings, anything not fixed permanently to the building – these can all be overlooked,” said Mr Pryor.

That being said, even the “perfect” styling should be ignored in instances where important features of the property are wrong for you. For example, if the property is too far away from a train station for your commute.

“Of course, all of this comes down to personal preference,” Mr Pryor adds. “The condition and location of the house remain the most important considerations. No fundamental issues should be outweighed by a really beautiful fireplace.”