Ok let’s start with the disclaimer, I’m not an interior designer, I “used” to be so far away from understanding good style that it was scary!
I am fortunate that I have always had the ability to understand good design and aesthetics when it comes to structures though (e.g. properties)
This allowed me to carve a reputation of being extremely good at blending traditional architecture with modern extensions and renovations. Creating sympathetic period property transformations
I have always understood the importance of good interior design, every property I have ever sold or rented has gone for well above the anticipated ceiling price, this has in part, been due to great interior and the unlocking the importance of giving a property a “great feeling”
I have learnt a huge amount over the years, on my most recent renovation I did the interior design pretty much by myself (I did take on a bit of advice along the way). I’m very proud to say that it was on trend, done affordably and gave the feeling of being far more expensive than it actually was – these are some of the key performance indicators I look for, to ascertain if it was a good job or not
When I started out, I was like the average 30-year-old male – my idea of interior design would have been an exquisitely seamless blend of white, black and chrome. Fortunately, I had enough foresight to respect that my personal taste (or lack of) was not what my potential buyer was going to be WOW’ed by
Instead, I teamed up with Kathryn, a previous client I had met through building work. She is an extremely talented artist. Through the clever, innovative use of reclaimed materials she transformed what could have been a very bog-standard boring extension that stood out like a sore thumb, on her 300-year-old house. Into something that blended in perfectly and added to the already beautiful historic character the building boasted
When it comes to throws, scatter cushions and autumn colour pallets, I am the first to admit that I am not an expert. I will still take advice from someone who truly understands aspects such as these
I have however, gained a lot of knowledge in how an interior should be put together (all be it, a slow and sometimes painful journey). I can tell the difference between what’s going to add value and what’s not
Through working with private clients over the years I have worked on some reasonably high-end projects. I have seen the results of when people simply value quality on price. This is when someone simply thinks if something is expensive then it must be good, therefore if you throw a load of expensive items together it will give a great result – on occasion this can work but other times it can look like Dunelm on steroids . . . not a pretty sight! **insert crying emoji here!
Far more important than simply throwing money at something is to;
- Having a well thought out and organised design brief?
- Know who the end user is?
- Understand the practical function that is required from the project?
- Have a good understanding of the budget that is required, in order to complete the project to the desired standard?
Along my journey it was a revelation to me that good quality did not need to translate to high price. Instead, you can achieve a great level of quality without having to buy the most expensive of everything
The key to this is having a good understanding of the above questions and having someone who has a great eye involved with the buying. Ensuring that the various pieces tie in seamlessly together and all work together complimenting the project. Enabling it to achieve the specific result
If you are going for a high-quality level of finish, this can be achieved by having a few more expensive “feature” pieces. Someone’s eye will naturally be drawn to them, meaning that the surrounding items can be of a lower quality & cost. Please note, they do all need to work together, if they do not it will just look like you went on a spending spree and ran out of money. Then had to get your nan to help you finish it off . . . by going to the local car boot sale
One of the key aspects I have focused on with every project is touch. It’s a non-negotiable for me, EVERYTHING someone touches, must feel like really good quality. Think door handles, kitchen worktops, taps – you get the idea
Often underestimated is the importance of the “feeling” of a property, I use this to buy and sell (with a lot of success). If everything someone touches “feels” like good quality, then is backed up by a number of statement pieces that catch their eye . . . people will walk away saying “WOW that place is really good quality”
As always if you have any thoughts or comments on this subject or anything else property related, I would love to hear from you
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As always, if you have any thoughts or questions on this or anything else property related, I would love to hear from you?
Cheers George B
