Model home design is a critical component of any new development. Over 16% of all home buyers choose to purchase brand new homes, and statistics show that model homes help communities sell more quickly and for a higher price.
Helping potential buyers see themselves in your neighborhood is a battle that’s won or lost in the model home. What are the secrets of successful model home design and how can you use them to sell?
Draw the Eye to the Home’s Features
The first and most obvious function of a model home is to illuminate the selling features of the house(s) at hand. Determine which features are being highlighted and…highlight them! If the great room was built with a massive two-story ceiling and custom ceiling beams, employ a gorgeous light fixture to draw the eye upwards. Were the kitchen and living space designed to be open and flowing, as many new home buyers want? Use similar materials from room to room to remind the buyer it’s one flowing space.
Use Color to Add Warmth
And no, not just “warm” colors. Experienced model home designers can use up to 25 paint colors in one house if necessary! Not only is paint a cost-effective way to make a dramatic style statement, it’s also the best way to make a room feel inviting and lived-in. Use specific colors to evoke the home’s mood whether that’s relaxing, entertaining, or family-focused.
Make Creative Use of “Useless” Space
No matter how hard any developer tries, even the best floor plan will inevitably end up with small amounts of hard-to-use space. Maybe it’s an alcove outside the master bedroom or a full-sun patio with a view of the driveway, but a buyer should never see “wasted space.” Good model home design turns these spaces into displays for art, nooks for creative furniture placement, or even entertaining space when staged correctly.
Let in Light
Home buyers love light, especially natural light. Designers use all kinds of strategies into tricking the eye into assuming more natural light and bigger windows: curtains hung from just under the ceiling instead of the top of the windows, transom windows, and even glass tiles. Great design uses the natural light that exists to illuminate high-function areas like dining tables and bathroom vanities, and wired lighting – particularly recessed lighting – to brighten up spaces without it like closets and staircases.
Give Each Room a Visual Centerpiece
The best thing you can do when designing a model home is to create an impression that lasts. Model homes tend to rather homogenous, so models with elements that stick out and stick with the consumer are always one step ahead. Every room in your model home should have a design element that pops: a stripe-painted wall, immaculately designed and backlit bookshelves, floor-to-ceiling windows highlighted by the perfect curtains.
If you need help designing a model home, contact Creative Model Designs today. We’re a team of expert designers working all over the Charlotte region and we know what it takes to attract buyers and sell properties.