Fashions in interior design come and go. When getting ready to list your home, you might be tempted to try the latest trends to help make your home stand out from other listings. But sometimes, those trends can have the opposite effect. If you're planning on selling your New England home, our REALTORS® can help you sort through fads and nail down the fashions as you get your home ready for the market.

Here are some timely warnings about what to avoid.

1. Accent Wall
   Don't get us wrong -- we love accent walls. They can really spiff up a room, adding an element of surprise to an otherwise neutral to blah palette. They've also become really popular. However, when selling a home, the traditional wisdom prevails that you keep walls neutral so the potential buyers can imagine the home in their own terms, decorating and redesigning during their virtual tour of your rooms.
   
   
2. Fixtures
   Choosing the right fixtures can be challenging. These days interior designers say brass fixtures are out and mixed metal is in. So what does mixed metal mean? Go for some kind of contrast -- say, matte black fixtures in the kitchen or bathroom. Avoid mixing finishes that look too similar but aren't, such as chrome and nickel, which would look more like you made a mistake.
   
   
3. Appliances
   Speaking of appliances, avoid the urge to make a statement with a bright fridge or stove. Wait until you're settled in your new digs and then go all out with a turquoise or red refrigerator. When trying to sell your home, stick with a muted color such as white or steel, and if at all possible, make sure the appliance finishes match in tone.
   
   
4. Jazzy Bathrooms
   Wait until you're in your new home to create that bold, jazzed-up bathroom you've been craving. While you're trying to attract sellers, let the idea of "spa" inspire your design mojo. White is always right in a bathroom, connoting cleanliness and expanding the visual perception of space. You also can't go wrong with white towels and other accessories:a fluffy white robe hanging from the door; bamboo bath mats or trays; and gleaming white soap dispensers.
   
   
5. Busy Tile
   Busy or very intricate cement tile as a backsplash in a kitchen or on a bathroom floor has been a thing of recent years, but it may not be a great selling point. Once again, it's a very personal expression and it's probably not going to entice potential buyers to weave their own dreams as they wander through the virtual tour of your home. It's more of a distraction from the overall impression you want your home to make.
   
   
6. Too Much Clinical White
   We just told you white is great for your bathroom, but here's a caveat: sometimes you need to mute that razor-sharp clinical coldness with some warm tones. That monochrome, ultra-modern look can actually put off buyers. Add some warmth to a white bathroom, kitchen, or any room, by accessorizing with earth tones, like sage or sand or even muted corals and blues.Considerso-called warm whitesthat don't blind you with their starkness.

Your real estate agent has experience staying on top of the trends and can help you avoid the pitfalls of dated design. Contact ustoday.