3 Keys to Attract Homebuyers with a Cramp-free Dining Room

Are you a homeowner with a property that includes a space designated as a dining room?

If you’re so lucky to have the space, life with the kids has likely turned your dining room into a place you hardly recognize. Gone are the days of the fancy-schmancy lay out of place mats with the four piece set of dinnerware, silverware, stemware and …oh yeah, don’t forget the decorative napkin rings. Suddenly, the dining room has transformed into study zone central, or a simulation of Target’s toy aisle twelve days before Christmas.

Leaving the space ‘as-is’ feels so tempting that you’re beginning to rationalize that buyers might need the space exactly as you have it set up. But, you’re selling the dream.

Resist temptation. Shove the plastic trucks and Barbie dolls into their own special out-of-sight spot. Find a new area for your kids to complete their homework.  And arrange the dining room to suit the lifestyle your ideal home buyers aspire to.

Since home buyers love to see the potential in a property that shows off tons of square footage, here are 3 key ways to create a cramp-free space in your dining room. One thing to note…these tips are ideal for the small to medium-sized dining room.

GOT A LARGE CHINA CABINET OR BUFFET?

It’s time to downsize. Store the large piece and replace it with a complementary console table or small buffet table. If a table competes for space with the dining table, send it to storage.

WORKING WITH A SMALL RUG?

If the chair legs fail to comfortably touch the rug when pulled away from the table, it can make the room look and feel tiny. Replace the rug with a larger one, or remove the rug to allow for a visually larger space.

Does the dining table and chairs appear too tight in the space?

If you have a table that seats more than four and it has a table leaf, remove the leaf. If you have large, upholstered dining chairs in a small space, edit six chairs to four, or replace all the chairs with suitable streamline dining chairs to reduce a bulky look and a tight space.

Essentially, these tips could provide a new way of looking at your dining room. You might even love the room again. And don't forget...as you prepare the dining room for home buyers…every bit of square footage matters.