This Decor Could Boost Your Home’s Value by $12,500 (No, It’s Not Modern Farmhouse)

It’s no secret that a few simple upgrades can boost your home’s resale value by hundreds—sometimes even thousands—of dollars, like adding a fire pit to the backyard or opting for a black front door. But if you really want to increase your home's ROI, you may want to think about your decor style (and ditch the shiplap).

That's according to new Zillow research that found nature-inspired design helps homes sell for $12,500 more. Dubbed organic modernism, this breezy decor style blends Scandi and minimalist aesthetics with a focus on neutral tones and natural materials to create inviting spaces that are both warm and sophisticated.

Per the report, “homes with statement finishes and natural materials like soapstone and onyx, herringbone and cork floors, and Venetian plastered walls sell for as much as 3.5 percent more than expected, adding approximately $12,500 to a typical U.S. home’s sale price.”

Specifically, the real estate marketplace found that the following design choices gave sellers the leg up when it was time to list:

• Homes sell for more when they have soapstone countertops (3.5 percent sale premium), white oak floors (3.2 percent) and Venetian plaster walls (3 percent).
• Buyers pay more for functional outdoor features, such as an outdoor shower (2.8 percent), outdoor kitchen (2.2 percent) and bluestone patio (2.2 percent).
• A wet room is now more desirable than other spa-inspired bathroom features, helping a home sell for an additional 3.3 percent, compared to 0.6 percent more for a spa-inspired bathroom. 

“Organic modernism is the new modern farmhouse,” said Zillow's home trends expert Amanda Pendleton. “The contemporary look of homes today is characterized by natural stone, wood flooring and cabinetry, and textured walls. Buyers are seeking out and competing for homes with these raw but refined finishes, and that's pushing up sale prices.” 

Yep, sorry, Joanna Gaines—it seems that shiplap and reclaimed wood are no longer the decor trends de jour, and that buyers instead are seeking something decidedly more earthy. (BRB, going to research soapstone countertops.)