room. Any splashes of bold color should appear in the wall art or any place you want to draw attention. LET THERE BE LIGHT Whether natural or art ifi cial, good, bright light is one of the most e ff ective ways to show o ff your home. Using light to enhance your home’s appeal can mak e a diff erence. Oddly, this is an aspect of staging that’s o ft en overlooked. Light that is too dim or too harsh is un fl attering to the fin est furnishings and best features of the house. Dim lighting gives everything in the house a dingy feel. Assess the lighting in each area of your home for ideas on where to bring in added light. Rooms with abundant windows greatly bene fi t from natural light, as your home will be seen during the day. Supplemental light is necessary for rooms with smaller windows or limited natural light. One quick, easy fix is to increase the wattage of light bulbs in your lamps to improve art ifi cial light. As a rule of thumb, there should be 100 watts for each 50 square feet of space. Keep in mind that there are three basic kinds of lighting. General lighting or overhead lighting is typically ambient. Pendant lights are good for tasks like food preparation or reading. Accent lights are usually found on tables or mounted on walls. You can use all three to bring out the best your home has to o ff er. Key areas, such as foyers, can set the stage by impressing buyers with a dramatic light source. If you don’t have an abundance of natural light coming in, a chandelier-type light works if your ceilings are high. Otherwise, wall sconces are impressive in smaller spaces. Don’t assume you need to buy new fixt ures if you can update your existing ones. Th e aim is to make sure each area of your home is e ff ectively lit.
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