The Retro Decor Trend The Stars Of HGTV's Unsellable Houses Recommend For Resale

When you move into a house, your first instinct is often to update and upgrade it, bringing in modern decor. While this can be great if you aren't planning on selling any time soon and you love the decor you've chosen, it may not be the best option if you're concerned about resale. Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis of HGTV's "Unsellable Houses" know a thing or two about preparing homes for resale, and they argue the best strategy is to accentuate the home's charm by leaning into period era decor and design choices.

A home's age is rarely a secret, and potential buyers won't be fooled into thinking a 100-year-old home is a new build just because you've opted to add trendy decor features. Instead, understand that an older home is likely to appeal to buyers who enjoy vintage charm and decorate to emphasize that. Decor choices like older electronics, as well as elements like wallpaper and built-ins can make your older home's unique beauty shine through, helping it stand out in potential buyers' minds. 

When you decorate and stage your home for sale, it's best to go minimal with personal decorations and knick knacks, removing most of your personal touches. A perfect alternative to these is to use a retro stereo, telephone, or even a television set as a decor piece. When decorating a home from the 1950s, Lyndsay and Leslie opted to use a charming retro style record player as a decoration, having it perfectly tie together a living room that's as practical and usable as it is charming.

Preparing a home for resale is all about creating a space that potential buyers can imagine themselves in, but that doesn't mean buyers, especially those that are considering an older home, don't want a house to have a sense of character and uniqueness as well. By using either actual antiques or quality replicas as decor pieces, you can emphasize your home's history and uniqueness while still showing how it functions as a practical living space today.

Built-in elements often add to a home's retro charm, so if your home lacks these features, you may want to consider adding some before selling. Creating DIY built-in bookshelves won't just provide buyers with more storage space — something old homes often lack — it will also add to the home's vintage craftsman appeal. In their 1950s home, Lyndsay and Leslie opted to create stunning built-in shelves and to wallpaper the back of the shelves to add an additional patterned element. 

While you may not be able to completely repaint or wallpaper your home before selling, adding even a few sections of vintage style wallpaper can perfectly bring together the colors in a room and give your home a sense of history and place. While some of the colors and patterns may be too much for a whole room, bold wallpapers can be just right for an accent wall or the back of a bookcase.