When it comes to our homes and how we decorate them, we all have our own particular and personal tastes and styles.
Indeed, interior design is big business, and this is evident with the rise in TV programmes devoted to the subject alongside Instagram, Pinterest and companies and websites devoted to sharing the latest tips, tricks and fashions.
Average monthly Google searches* for different interior design styles total 448,000, showing just how many of us are looking to find inspiration.
But while putting our own design stamp on our homes while we are living there is one thing, this personal decoration has the potential to impact negatively when it comes to house hunters as a recent study by fitted furniture company Hammonds reveals.
The survey of 2,000 adults showed, perhaps unsurprisingly, minimalism is the most coveted style for those looking to buy. Characterised by clean lines, minimal clutter and a neutral palate, #minimalism boasts more than 327 million views on TikTok* and #minimalist features more than 14 million posts on Instagram*.
According to the survey, it is men who place more importance on style than women when looking to buy a home with 46% of men, compared to 36% of women.
Men would also be willing to pay more too, offering on average £4.4k above the asking price for a minimally designed property, compared to women who would offer £2.8k above the asking price.
For the Gen Z age group of 18 to 24 year-olds, it is even more important with 12% saying they would offer up to £10k above the asking price for a home that is cleanly decorated.
The study also revealed 40% of Brits wanted a style that matched their own. This means looks are everything when showing your home to potential buyers.
By contrast, bold, loud and brightly coloured interiors are a no-go for most buyers. The research showed nearly a third (32%) of house hunters said they would offer below the asking price for a house decorated in a maximalist style. Bohemian and art deco interiors were also considered less appealing, as 31% claimed they would also pay less for properties decorated in these styles.
Sheldon Bosley Knight head of residential sales James Morton said: “It’s no surprise buyers want homes with a neutral palate and no clutter as it allows them to visualise more easily how they would live in and use the space.
“When it comes to selling, we would encourage vendors to think about getting rid of any excess clutter, giving walls a fresh lick of paint and thinking with a buyer’s eye.
“With many years’ experience, we know how buyers think and can advise vendors as to what they can do easily and at minimal or no cost, to maximise the sale of their property.”
*Figures for March 2022.
