How interior design can increase your return on investment
One of the projects we are currently working on is a commercial to residential development, on behalf of a property investor. This client shares our mindset that homes should be a joy to live in, whether you own or rent the property. That is why they brought us on board from day one, to carry out a feasibility study for how the property could be converted from an empty retail unit into three one-bedroom apartments.
Before Images
A common design route taken by developers is to hire an interior designer at the end of the process, to furnish and dress the space for viewing. However, considering the internal layout early on ensures that costly mistakes aren't made during the build. It could be as simple as adjusting a wall to accommodate a double bed rather than a single, or altering a window location slightly so the kitchen can accommodate a fridge freezer (both real world examples!). These things take moments to change on a plan, but potentially weeks once already built!
As part of our turn-key design service we fully manage the property renovation from concept to completion, meaning we’re on site to deal with problems as they arise, and maintain standards from start to finish.
Final Floor Plans
We’re over a year into the project at this point, with planning permission finally granted, and quotes coming through from contractors. I can’t stress enough how important it is to factor planning time into your budget…this particular council had a 16-week lead time when we submitted the first round of plans, which unfortunately were not approved. That’s a lot of business rates to be paying on an empty unit! But we’re heading to site for the fun bit, and will keep you updated on the progress…
HMO Design
Another project we’ve recently worked on is for a landlord, converting a three storey property into a house of multiple occupancy, targeting professional tenants. Our brief here was to use cost effective finishes to create a stiking result - in this scenario paint is going to be your friend!
Elevations for an industrial bedroom design
We have specified lime paint to bring a soft texture to the walls, which compliments the existing exposed brickwork. Neutral or monochrome palettes work well for rental properties as they appeal to a large proportion of the market, as well as allowing tenants to introduce their own accessories.
