Walls just a little too sunny

Lori Matzke

Before: Too much yellow and too much clutter

Experts advise home sellers to declutter by packing up anything smaller than a football, including small hanging artwork

By JIM BUCHTA, Star Tribune

Last update: June 19, 2008 - 5:55 PM

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The dining room in this Bloomington townhouse features tall, beamed ceilings, newer laminate flooring and lots of space, but bright yellow walls and too many pictures and knickknacks were a major distraction. "We don't want potential buyers to get so hung up on the yellow that they don't notice anything else," said Lori Matzke of Centerstagehome.com. Here's what Matzke did to play up the room's positive features:

Matzke advises packing up anything smaller than a football, including small hanging artwork, so she packed and stored all the small pictures, knickknacks and shelving hanging on the wall, decluttered the tabletop and removed decorative beading from the chandelier.

An extension cord plugged into the far wall and used to light a living room lamp was rerouted to the living room.

To play up the floors, soften the heavy ceiling beams and downplay the contrast between the formal dining set and the more casual room, the dining room walls and adjoining kitchen were painted a more neutral color with a subtle gold undertone.

A large oil painting with an ornate gold frame helps draw the buyer's eye into the room and is more appropriate teamed with the formal dining set. Hanging it roughly halfway up the wall makes the room feel more spacious and the ceilings higher.

Positioning the dining room table at an angle directly under the light makes the space feel less boxy and the furniture feel more casual. Two chairs were placed on opposing walls (one not shown) for balance.

Oversized greenery on the tabletop draws the eye into the room's center, creating the illusion of a larger space.

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