Luxury interior designer reveals the decor and furniture mistakes that can put off buyers

A luxury interior designer has shared the top decor and furniture mistakes homeowners make when trying to sell their home.

Angelica Grab — the co-owner of LID New York, a real estate styling and interior design company — is an expert at “showcasing properties at their full potential.”

She knows which interior design trends will impress potential buyers – and which may subtly deter them.

Luckily, she spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about the home features that can keep homeowners from selling a home.

“From a design perspective, a home’s furnishings and décor can significantly influence a buyer’s first impression,” she explained.

“Even though buyers may want to purchase the home itself, the way it is decorated can have the biggest impact on whether someone will like a home or not.”

From brightly colored furniture and stunning artwork to mismatched rugs and outdated lighting fixtures, here are the little details in your home that might not fit right leaving a bad impression on potential buyers.

Overcrowded rooms with disorganized furniture can appear chaotic

Luxury interior designer Angelica Grab has shared the top decor and furniture mistakes homeowners make when trying to sell their homes

She said crowded rooms with disorganized furniture can appear chaotic (stock image)

Angelica told DailyMail.com that it is important that potential buyers understand “the space and layout” of each room in the house.

And she pointed out that rooms with “a lot of small, random or disorganized furniture pieces” can feel “chaotic” to a potential buyer.

“It ends up feeling more like a furniture store than a cohesive home,” she added.

‘Using fewer, larger pieces of furniture in proportion to the space creates a more spacious and functional space. Less is more, but bigger is better.

‘By making good use of space and grouping furniture together, larger rooms can also feel more organized.’

Using brightly colored or overly modern furniture can be unappealing

She added that using brightly colored or overly modern furniture can be unappealing (stock image)

Angelica then explained that homes with “several brightly colored” or “overly modern” pieces of furniture can deter buyers.

“A yellow sofa, red armchair and blue shag rug may be someone’s personal style, but when it comes to buyers, a home’s furnishings and colors should be more neutral and appeal to a broader buyer base,” she suggested.

‘A modern home with a neutral color palette and tasteful color accents will be more attractive to buyers than an overly specific personal style.’

Overwhelming artwork can be distracting, so focus on abstract pieces with neutral colors instead

The interior designer told DailyMail.com that artwork is a “very personal choice” and can be “distracting” if too “overwhelming” (stock image)

The interior designer told DailyMail.com that ‘works of art should feel like a natural extension of a room.’

She pointed out that artwork is a “very personal choice” and can be “distracting” if it is too “overwhelming.”

She recommended that you only put “abstract pieces that are neutral with pops of color and texture” on the walls when trying to sell a house.

“These can add sophistication to a room without distracting buyers from the home itself,” she added.

Improper sizing of area rugs and window treatments can mess up an entire room

Angelia said that ‘areas play a crucial role in defining a space’, and emphasized the importance of choosing the right size (stock image)

“Carpets that are too small or large living spaces without carpet can be a subtle turn-off,” she said

Angelia said that “areas play a crucial role in defining a space,” and emphasized the importance of choosing the right size.

“Carpets that are too small or large living spaces without carpet can be a subtle turn-off,” she added.

‘You wouldn’t think a rug would make much of a difference to a room, but it frames the room and helps the eye understand its dimensions, making it feel larger.

“Your eye understands the size of a space based on the perimeter you give it.”

She said window coverings have a similar effect, so she reminded homeowners not to buy curtains that are too short or too long.

“The wrong size of rugs and window treatments is a small but impactful detail for buyers and how they perceive a home,” she says.

Outdated lighting fixtures and light bulbs can make your home feel old

According to Angelica, lighting fixtures can “tell buyers a lot about a home” and she claimed that “outdated lighting fixtures” make it feel old and dark (stock image)

According to Angelica, lights “can tell buyers a lot about a home.”

She recommended updating all the light fixtures if you’re trying to sell a home because “outdated light fixtures” make it feel old and dark.

“Lighting is an important part of design and modern, bright lighting fixtures can give an older home a fresh look,” she says.

Additionally, she said to always “pay attention” to the “color temperature” of the light bulb, as it “can make a big difference in the ambiance of a home.”

“A beautiful, newly developed home can quickly seem uninviting to buyers if the lamps throughout the house have an icy or too warm tone,” says the interior designer.

Leaving rooms empty without furniture can seem disappointing and uninviting

Finally, Angelica said homeowners should never leave a room completely empty without furniture, as this will feel “disappointing and uninviting” to potential buyers (stock image)

Finally, Angelica said homeowners should never leave a room completely empty without furniture, as this will feel “disappointing and uninviting” to potential buyers.

‘Believe it or not, a vacant home can deter buyers. Empty rooms can be deceptive: they feel smaller and disappointing, or very large and uninviting, depending on the home,” she says.

‘Most buyers have no imagination and have difficulty imagining what a space should look like or how it could be designed.

‘Decorating a home can help showcase a home’s potential, making it feel move-in ready.’

‘People… want to be amazed. A well-designed home will attract more attention and interest than a vacant home and can lead to a higher return on investment.”