Your home should reflect your personality: Nicola McDougall
We’ve long been told that when it comes to selling your home, less is in fact more. That is, your fascination with the colour orange may help you feel all warm and fuzzy every time you open the front door but is probably not everyone’s idea of schmick interior design.
Personally I love orange, and red, and any other bright colour that screams look at me, look at me. I have also, as yet, not attempted to sell said property so the proof may well be in the pudding or hopefully any future would-be buyer will also be a tad colour-blind.
A number of news stories of late, however, appear to show that the tide is turning, and what is old is actually becoming new and fashionable again.
A movement which appears to me to be in-line with the current fascination of all things 50s, including beatnik fashion, is the increasing popularity of original properties from times gone by – sans renovation. Indeed, it appears the more original the better.
And according to a recent story about a property in Brisbane, demand for retro properties is definitely on the rise.
Jerri Harrison-Taylor, from RE/MAX Executives in Coorparoo, said she had been swamped with phone calls since the latest retro offering – a brick cavity house in Tarragindi – was listed. It sold in a week.
And one of the potential buyers said it was the “awesome” white-and-mint green kitchen that was one its main selling features. I completely agree.
I must admit I have long desired a property with black and white tiled floors and a claw bath and a servant for that matter.
My current abode has fabulous original parquetry floors which, just like the colour orange, make me smile every time I get home from work. Who knew that flooring could make you so damn happy? Or perhaps I am a little odd or just easily pleased.
I’ve always thought that part of the beauty of the Brisbane property market is its abundance of homes from yesteryear, especially within the inner-city precinct. And a new property listing on reiq.com for a home in Annerley certainly ticks all of the boxes of retro-cool. In fact, the kitchen goes even one better than I could possibly imagine and has blue-and-white tiled floors, complete with a very fetching red-trim.
Perhaps this renewed fascination with our architectural history has something to do with the current fast-pace of modern life or maybe it’s recognition of the superb workmanship that was part and parcel of homes of a particular bygone era.
Either way I believe your home should reflect your personality and what makes you smile – regardless of supposedly acceptable notions of contemporary colour palates. I reckon you worry about its saleability much later when, and a very big if, you ever decide to sell.
Nicola McDougall is the REIQ’s executive manager of corporate affairs.
