Follow the Trends or Go Your Own Way?

Sunshine Drapery sliding glass doors window treatment

Fashionistas follow the current trend whether it’s clothing, shoes or hair styles. Following every fashion change that comes along is time consuming and expensive yet not to follow trends leaves a person outdated. The same holds true for the home except it’s even more costly and time consuming as refrigerators and granite countertops cost more to purchase and take much more time to install. Without these features a home on the market may not sell as quickly as another that does. But is it always beneficial to constantly update?

Are you going to follow the trends or go your own way?

It depends. Are you selling or staying in the home? Staying in the home means that the homeowner can do whatever he likes. If the homeowner wants to follow the changing styles and has the wherewithal to do so, furniture and window treatments can be changed on a weekly basis. By the same token, the homeowner can furnish his home in beanbag chairs and shag carpeting with avocado green and orange wallpaper if he’s partial to the 1970s. If the homeowner prefers the Southwestern styles so popular in the 1990s, the home motif can be pastels, cow skulls, and native pottery. The point is that until the homeowner decides to sell, the house can be exactly as he or she wants. The only person that needs to be pleased is the homeowner. However, if the goal is to sell the house and sell it as quickly as possible for a good price, it’s imperative to make the home appealing to as many potential buyers as possible. While prospective owners can see past outdated furniture, they may not be able to past old-fashioned, worn, and out-of-date window treatments. Window treatments are usually sold with the house and represent a good sized out-of-pocket expense for the new owners if the old draperies, curtains, blinds, shutters or shades are not in good shape or good taste. When prepping a house for sale, realtors recommend de-cluttering and de-personalizing the home. They also recommend deep cleaning and re-painting all the rooms in neutral colors. If the window coverings are not up to par, then their replacement is recommended as well. Again, the best selection makes use of neutral colors and a classic design that can go with any style of furniture. This makes it easier for potential buyers to imagine their own furniture in the new home without any additional expense on their part. Ultimately, the choice of décor is that of the homeowner, yet it’s often determined by whether the homeowner decides to stay or go.