What's the one (free) thing which makes selling your home easier? Natural light, of course.
Interior designers will always tell you that lighting is the most important element of designing a room, and it's also the one crucial factor which should not be overlooked when selling your property.
It goes without saying but if you have an abundance of natural light in your home then definitely make the most of it. While a house price is not likely to be affected by natural light, its value could be impacted by the direction in which a property faces, i.e. sun-filled south-facing gardens, according to research from Rightmove – but good natural lighting will almost certainly impact saleability.
With virtual tours now commonplace, and often used as the first port of call before arranging an in-person viewing, ensuring you film at the best time of the day for natural sunlight will help to showcase your property in the best way possible.
Unfortunately, we don't all live in properties which are flooded with natural light, but that's where artificial lighting comes in, so a layered lighting approach is key.
'White lightbulbs, as opposed to warm lightbulbs are always recommended, as are open shades,' reveals Mike Fitzgerald, Executive Chairman at Coulters Property. 'Opening all blinds and curtains while turning on all lights is always a good idea for both your photoshoot and each viewing. Finally, there is always the trick of arranging your viewings at the optimum time of the day for maximum natural sunlight, if at all possible.'
According to the experts at Smart Lighting Industries, you should use 'as many linear lights as possible' to achieve a natural light look in a dark room. 'Light position is an essential factor, and a combination of angles and directions will help achieve the best natural light effect, especially in rooms which might not get natural sunlight throughout the day,' they explain.
To really wow potential homeowners, demonstrate smart lighting throughout the home. 'If you can walk them through your home (even virtually) and show off how easy to control the lighting is this will really add to the wow factor of your home, especially if they haven't got smart lighting in their current home,' suggest Smart Lighting Industries.
And if you haven't kitted out your home with smart lighting then it's definitely a feature worth investing in. As Mike Fitzgerald puts it: 'The difference that good lighting can make to your sale will almost always far exceed the cost of investing in improving the amount and type of light within your property.'
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
Love what you're reading? Enjoy House Beautiful magazine delivered straight to your door every month with Free UK delivery. Buy direct from the publisher for the lowest price and never miss an issue!
15 of the best indoor plant pot stands
Give your houseplants a leg up with Dunelm's bamboo and wooden plant stand. With a geometric design and smart black colourway, it will pair well with all interior schemes.
Add some glamour to your interiors with this affordable muted gold planter. Sitting on sleek black legs, it's the perfect choice to bring style and sophistication to your home.
Make a style statement with M&S' ceramic plant pot stand. It boasts classic wooden legs to create a little extra height for display and is ideal for medium-sized plants.
This rattan-effect plant stand from John Lewis' affordable ANYDAY range is one of our favourites. Available to buy for just £22, it's the perfect accessory for those forgotten corners.
We think trailing spider plants would look great in this mint green floor planter from John Lewis. Its clean shape and simple design will spruce up any living room, bedroom or hallway.
Looking for rattan indoor plant pot stands? Designed in beautiful outdoor-inspired shades of brown, each planter sits on a tripod to elevate plants from the floor.
Show off your green thumb in style with these classic metal standing planters. Sold in a set of two, we love the slim sturdy legs which will raise your favourite plants off the ground.
If you want to bring a pop of colour into your interiors, then choose Oliver Bonas' green glass standing planter for a luxe finishing touch.
Add a touch of colour and character to your living space with this vibrant metal plant stand. Choose from pink and rust red.
This nickel-plated pot and brass finish stand is a winning combination – and it's a best-seller. Perfect for contemporary spaces, this plant stand can be stood either way up, so you can choose to have the pot rise above the top of the stilts, or be fully surrounded by them.
Industrial meets contemporary with this gold scalloped planter. We love the beautiful textural grooved detailing, which adds an extra layer of intrigue.
Showing off your favourite houseplants just got easier with Garden Trading's Mayfair plant stand. Mixing two styles of natural rattan, it has space for one plant at the top and another at the bottom.
Sleek, luxe and functional, this plant pot stand boasts slim sage green legs with removable copper trays. Pop a trailing plant on the tallest tray, and a small potted plant or succulent on the lower two.
This standing planter table set from The Little Botanical at John Lewis is perfect for enhancing your greenery. It has a mango wood base, copper effect tray with a mango wood insert, and black metal legs.
