Is trendy home decor DEVALUING your property? Expert reveals fashionable features that put buyers off – including freestanding baths, kitchen islands and statement tiles
- Stylish homeowners often favour interior trends like freestanding baths
- But a property expert has explained how these can actually put buyers off
- Here, FEMAIL reveals the popular designs that should be avoided
While an on-trend home might look good on your Instagram grid, investing in the latest fads could be reducing the price of your property, experts have claimed.
Holly Herbert, head of content at webuyanyhouse.co.uk, in collaboration with sofa and carpet specialist ScS, has revealed the ten interior features currently hugely popular on social media that could devalue your home.
The trends to avoid include DIY patterned feature walls often made using tape, high maintenance freestanding baths, as well as kitchen islands which could make the space on offer feel more cramped.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the popular designs to avoid if you want to keep the value of your property from decreasing…
1. FREESTANDING BATHS
Tub toil: Standalone baths (pictured) look great but they often come with a lot of practical issues including hidden pipework that can be tricky to reach
Freestanding baths look great in social media posts, but they often come with a lot of practical issues that make them unattractive to buyers.
Holly says: ‘Freestanding baths are far higher maintenance than normal varieties. You may need to make extra room under your floor for additional pipes and plumbing.
‘If these pipes leak, they can be incredibly expensive to access and can create bad smells,’ she adds.
The expert suggests they’re not easy or practical, which is what most homeowners want, especially families with children. Standalone baths also require more storage space for soaps and toiletries, which many people usually keep on the corners of a bath.
It also depends on who is buying your property, as young, busy couples and elderly homeowners tend to prefer walk-in showers over bath tubs.
2. GOLD HARDWARE
Glittering gold features can add a touch of elegance around the home, but as Holly explains, this effect doesn’t last long.
‘Gold hardware can quickly look stained and marked, which is very noticeable. It can also be difficult to match it with other features in your home, especially once the gold colour has faded.’
Gold door and cupboard handles are currently all over TikTok interiors accounts, but this trend can either be loved or hated by potential buyers.
Interior trends can change quickly, so if you really want to add gold to your home, seek the help of a professional to make sure it’s done right and ensure that it will age well, says Holly.
3. TAPE-DESIGNED WALLS
Just paint it white? Triangular-painted feature walls (pictured) often using tape to create coloured shapes were a lockdown hit but might not age well
Triangular-painted feature walls, with tape used to create coloured shapes, were incredibly popular during lockdown, but such creativity isn’t always appreciated by buyers.
Holly says: ‘Over-expressive decorating, like accent corners, scalloped edges, painted arches or frog-tape walls, are all very much to individual taste.
‘As such, it can make it much harder to achieve a sale. You’re far better off sticking to neutral colours.’
If you really like this trend, consider creating artwork that can be framed or hung up on the wall rather than risk having to redecorate your entire home when it comes to selling a property.
4. HOME GYMS
With the pandemic closing gyms across the UK, many people added workout rooms to their home, but this can be off-putting for prospective buyers looking around your property.
Holly adds: ‘Home gyms were a bit of a lockdown fad but are becoming more redundant now that regular gyms are open again. They generally take up space which could be used for something more beneficial.’
People want to imagine living in a home when they come to view it, and exercising in the home may not be everyone’s lifestyle. Consider using extra space as an extra bathroom or bedroom, which can add up to 15 per cent on to a property’s value.’
5. BI-FOLD DOORS
Bi-fold doors (pictured) are really useful for creating an easy passage from your home to your garden, but if they are low-quality or badly fitted, they can count against you
Bi-fold doors are really useful for creating an easy passage from your home to your garden, but if they are low-quality or badly fitted, they can count against you.
Holly says: ‘Such doors do look attractive, but in reality, they can break quite easily, which can be a nuisance for new homeowners. It can also be really difficult to get hold of replacement parts, so it’s something to keep in mind before paying out.’
Bi-fold doors may not be practical either, as the British weather is often grey, these features will spend most of their time closed, making them more impractical than regular doors and windows.
6. LOG BURNERS
On cold winter evenings, log burners can make your room feel cosy, but not all buyers will agree.
Holly explains: ‘Log burners require a lot of fuel, which can be expensive, and you need somewhere to store the wood, which takes up extra space.
‘There’s also the risk of smoke damage and marking decorated walls, which buyers won’t want to inherit. If you do install one, make sure to clean it regularly so that it works efficiently and doesn’t look messy.’
7. KITCHEN ISLANDS
Open plan kitchen, dining and living spaces with islands (pictured) are really popular with interior influencers, but before you hop on the trend, there’s a lot to consider
Open plan kitchen, dining and living spaces with islands are really popular with interior influencers, but before you hop on the trend, there’s a lot to consider.
Holly advises: ‘Islands are great in a big home, but space is the main factor for most buyers, so if they make your kitchen look cramped, they can be a big mistake.
‘If you do add an island, make sure you don’t add appliances (such as a cooker) to it unless you’re absolutely certain, as it then becomes expensive for the next owner to remodel if they want to change things around.’
8. CERAMIC STATEMENT TILES
Pause a while before installing tiles – statement flooring can be too niche for home buyers
Tiling needs to be consistent around the house to look attractive and it can be expensive to remove, which many buyers will want to do.
If tiles are badly laid or decorated with quirky colours, they can be off-putting and quickly look outdated.
Holly says: ‘Poor flooring can decrease a house’s value by around 5 per cent. It can be really costly to rip it up to replace, so if tiling, you’re best sticking to neutral colours.’
9. PANTRIES
A pantry can work well in a large home but in smaller kitchens they can kill valuable space
Having a separate area to store food can be a great feature for a kitchen, but pantries need to be well-located and genuinely useful to be appealing.
Holly adds: ‘Pantries tend to take up a huge amount of space, which impedes the kitchen and reduces the house’s value.
‘They are a nice touch in homes which have enough room for them, but this isn’t the case for many properties.’
10. PAINTING OR COVERING OVER ORIGINAL FEATURES
The trend of touching up original features is very divisive, so isn’t a good idea if you’re looking to sell.
Holly says: ‘You need to carefully maintain original features if they’re to look good and attract interest. Don’t risk damaging them by attempting paint or restoration work yourself, as you could end up ruining the feature altogether.’
Painting features like kitchen cupboards, taps, window frames and floorboards put off over 30 per cent of buyers, who admitted they couldn’t see past these personal touches to see a property as their own, recent research by the firm found.
Some of the worst colours you can paint features in includes dark grey, black and dark blue.
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