David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

I've been advising a client of mine who is renovating a home for sale, coming soon in Sarasota, about keeping everything white. The home is small, and using white will create the illusion of a larger, airy space that a potential buyer can imagine with their furnishings, art, and accessories. Here's a great example of how a small kitchen using simple materials looks spacious and contemporary: Subway tiles are a timeless classic.  The lack of cabinet pulls creates a streamlined effect that would work well on simple and inexpensive stock cabinets from places such as Ikea or Home Depot.  There are no jarring colors to distract the eye, which makes the space look larger. The goal in a successful "flip" is the balance between spending frugally on the renovation, while appealing to as many potential buyers as possible.  The simple lines and materials in the above example would appeal to any buyer who prefers a beachy aesthetic, or a rustic look by adding more per...

I'm always looking for new ideas and watching trends in design for my real estate business, as I have a couple of clients who rely on my input for updating or renovating their Venice FL area investment property to sell. I'm a big advocate of the sparse use of color with a heavy emphasis on white.  This picture from modernize.com makes a statement in the use of white: Contemporary kitchen from modernize.com White cabinetry and a light counter top color, such as this marble, create the impression of a much larger space.  The unusual glass back splash perfectly creates a focal point without a sharp color contrast. If you are thinking of selling your Venice FL area residence or investment property and want to maximize it's value, please contact me for a consultation.

I have worked with a lot of Venice FL home buyers over the years.  Buyers take their time to make a decision on which property to purchase and are looking for a WOW factor to help make that decision. If you are thinking of sprucing up your Venice FL real estate to sell, consider something different for kitchen countertops: stainless steel. Photo courtesy remodelista.com Stainless steel counter tops are not for the budget minded investor or seller, but it can give that WOW factor to a property and help it stand out in the mind of a potential buyer.  Consider installing a stainless counter top in just one part of the kitchen. Stainless counter tops mix well with a butcher block island If you have a section of counter top in a standard cabinet width, check out restaurant supply websites that sell prefabricated counter tops:  http://www.webstaurantstore.com/advance-tabco-vctc-243-25-x-36-flat-top-stainless-steel-countertop/109VCTC243.html?

I've been blogging about how Venice FL home owners and real estate investors can make the most of their property for today's home buyers by using light colors to help create an open feel in any space. This kitchen, from modernize.com, is a perfect example.  The light counter tops, cabinets, and wall color all combine to create an appealing, timeless kitchen design. Notice the spare use of color I have mentioned in previous blog posts.  I also thought the pine flooring was an example of the vintage appeal buyers are searching for, as evidenced by a recent report from Google Trends. Wood flooring is not the best choice for a Venice FL home, especially if the home is constructed on a concrete slab.  Concrete slab foundations emanate water vapor from the ground, which will cause warping, mold, or decay, of real wood floors. You can mimic this look by using wood-look ceramic tile, available in Home Depot or Lowe's.

Today I took a tour of a home builder's design center and found some interesting contrasts in design elements they are presenting for kitchens in their Venice FL new homes for sale. One of the trends is for a contrasting cabinet color for the kitchen island space.  The white color of this island makes it seem like it is floating in space against the light floor, retaining the feeling of openness in it's use in an open floor plan. The builder also provided more traditional cabinet colors and stone counter top colors.  The counter top material on the island in this picture is actually a laminate, with an embossed natural stone pattern. There are 4 different counter top choices in this kitchen below.  Notice how the dark cabinets draw the eye in, as opposed to a light or a white cabinet that would blend and make the space appear bigger. Remember, design is a personal choice.  But, if you're preparing a home for resale, or buying a starter home and nee...