26 minute read
COASTAL HOME STYLING
Giving your property a lift with Home Staging services
As we head into the New Year with Christmas behind us many of us will have made New Years resolutions and may be considering change of some sort, perhaps career or lifestyle based.
For those considering a house move of some description, be it buying, selling or letting, having your property Staged before it hits the market could be one of the best investments you will make.
So what is Home Staging? Staging is an e ective property marketing tool (not to be confused with interior design). Extremely popular in the States and many other countries around the globe including Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia, its main purpose is to ensure that a property is reflected in its best light and targets the correct audience.
Why should you bother investing time and money into getting your property Staged? Because Staged properties sell or rent out up to 3 x faster than their non-Staged competition and achieve the best possible price, on average 8-10% more and in recent months according to industry stats up to 15%.
Using the services of a Home Stager is not only a relatively inexpensive way to get the best return on your investment, but it speeds up the sales process and enables people to move on quicker too. Regardless of whether you are planning to sell or let, Staging benefits all property types, from flats to Penthouse apartments, old properties to new builds.
CASE STUDY: 4 BED DETACHED PROPERTY, BOURNEMOUTH
We were approached by a disillusioned vendor after their property had been on the market for 3 months without a sale in a very buoyant market. The property was a detached family home in a popular area close to good schools and facilities. They needed to move and were feeling frustrated as to the lack of interest and o ers. On viewing the property it became very clear as to why. We set to work with an action plan in place. The upstairs carpet was replaced, paint refreshed in some of the rooms, furniture layout altered and rooms were de-cluttered and dressed with lifestyle soft furnishings and accessories. The transformation took less than a week and the results were fantastic! The agent re-photographed the property and within a week it had sold for more than the sellers had expected! The Staging cost less then 1% of the property’s value!
BEFORE AFTER
CASE STUDY: 4 BED PENTHOUSE APARTMENT
We were brought in to Stage a Penthouse apartment in the Canford Cli s area which was worth in excess of £2m. Sadly the property wasn’t particularly appealing at the time despite being in a prestigious road with a stunning location. The rooms sat virtually unfurnished and the decor felt dark and uninspiring. It would’ve been hard for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in the space as it was. (Interestingly only 20% of people can see the potential in an empty space). Working
BEFORE
AFTER with the existing curtains and carpets we put together a styling package which would work in the space, hired in large high end furniture pieces and completed the look with stylish soft furnishings, plants and lifestyle accessories. The finished Staging project looked and felt fantastic and the property had been completely transformed. The first person to view the property purchased it at full asking price and the entire Staging package cost just under 1% of the property’s value!
So what exactly does a professional Home Stager do? There are various di erent services that Stagers provide, from initial consultation visits with detailed action reports and photos through to full Staging packages. A professional Home Stager will take the time to explore your property (both inside and out) and look at it through the eyes of the potential buyer. They will recommend any changes they think are necessary to improve the space and increase buyer interest from maintenance and kerb appeal to decor, room and furniture layout. In addition they will address issues such as clutter and lack of storage which can be extremely o putting to viewers. They will also look at location and target market and ensure that the property is attracting attention from the correct audience!
Is it expensive to hire a Home Stager? As with any investment there is a cost, however Staging is relatively inexpensive when you consider the value of your property and the potential return you could achieve. The average Staging project costs between 1-2% of the property’s value, though this very much depends on how involved you want to be and how much work needs to be done! Some other factors to consider are whether it is furnished or empty, well maintained and the state of the decor.
Purchasing property is often one of the biggest financial risks and commitments that many of us make. Having your property Staged before selling or renting out is a relatively small investment which usually delivers a much higher return! It ensures that your property is looking at its best when it hits the market and has the edge over the non-Staged competition. Staged properties attract more viewings and interest resulting in a faster sale, often for more money. In terms of rental, well presented and maintained properties usually fetch a higher premium.
To find out more about Home Staging visit our website www.coastalhomestyling. co.uk or for help and advice with preparing your property for sale or rent why not give us a call.
Follow us on Social Media to see our latest Styling and Staging projects, and for useful information and advice. We can be found on Facebook @CoastalHomeStyling, on Instagram @coastal_home_styling and on LinkedIn.
CONTACT
07510 463228 EMAIL
info@coastalhomestyling.co.uk WEBSITE
www.coastalhomestyling.co.uk
COASTAL
HOME STYLING
Glenferness Avenue, Bournemouth £2,050,000
Fully modernised accommodation | Stunning annex and double garage | Bright and airy throughout | Short walk to Bournemouth town centre Large internal hallways | Large swimming pool/gym complex | Beautiful veranda with views toward golf course
Mount Pleasant Lane, Lymington OIEO £1,700,000
Large detached bungalow | Modern bespoke kitchen/breakfast room | Drawing room with bi-fold doors to terrace and garden Sun room | Grounds of 0.82 Acres | Ample off road parking | Double garage
Salterns Way, Lilliput OIEO £850,000
Luxury top floor apartment | Stunning coastal location | Freehold available | Three bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Open plan living | Balcony 323sq ft | Lift access to all floors | Allocated under cover parking bay for large and small vehicle | Electric entrance gates | Security entrance system | Viewings essential Tarrant Launceston, Blandford Forum OIEO £850,000
No forward chain | Stunning period property | Newly thatched roof | Three bedrooms | Walking distance to postcard village | Off road parking | Beautiful grounds | Oak framed timber annex
Mags Barrow, Ferndown £645,000
Quiet location | South facing garden | 3 Double bedrooms | Modern kitchen/breakfast room | Large conservatory | Landscaped front and rear garden | Off road parking
Herbert Avenue, Poole £475,000
Spectacular detached bungalow | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Modern kitchen | 180ft garden | Outbuildings | Garage and off road parking Amberwood, Ferndown £574,950
Immaculately presented | Four bedrooms | Modern kitchen/ diner | Study | Family bathroom and en-suite to master | South facing rear garden | Off-road parking | Double garage
Hankinson Road, Bournemouth
£399,950
Three bedroom detached house | Ideal catchment area | Two spacious reception rooms | Large master bedroom with fitted wardrobes | Family bathroom | Fully enclosed rear garden | Off road parking West Way, Broadstone OIEO £500,000
Cul-de-sac location | Four bedroom detached property | Spacious L-shaped lounge/diner | Large kitchen | Two bathrooms | Off road parking | Detached single garage | Enclosed rear garden
The Avenue, Westbourne
OIEO £385,000
Share of freehold | No forward chain | Spacious two bedroom penthouse apartment | Oversized balcony | Double glazed | Large reception rooms | Spacious lounge | Dining area | Single garage | Well maintained grounds
Homes that refl ect your personality.
Affordable new builds, property refurbishment, remodelling and extensions.
We understand that you want your home to perfectly compliment your personality. That’s why we work closely with you to build a home that works for your lifestyle. We specialise in a ordable new builds that combine creative design, skilled craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Your vision is our vision. We’ll be with you every step of the way as we build your dreams into reality.
M: 07774 759576 | 07980 564494 E: info@hiprojects.co.uk WWW.HIHOMES.CO.UK
estateagents
01202 548855
SALE AGREED SALE AGREED
01202 548 855
ALBEMARLE ROAD GUIDE PRICE £650,000
A period, 4 bedroom, 3 reception detached family home with private south facing garden requiring updating/modernisation in this highly sought after BH3 postcode.
SOLD
STOKEWOOD ROAD £775,000
A particularly spacious double fronted 4 or 5 bedroom detached family home boasting well-presented accommodation and a beautiful 100ft garden.
SALE AGREED
DUNBAR ROAD £489,950
An exceptionally well presented 3 double bedroom town house offering almost 2000sq ft of luxury living accommodation in one of Bournemouth’s most prestigious locations.
SALE AGREED
FORTESCUE ROAD £244,950
A spacious ground floor 2 double bedroom garden apartment in this popular location, offered for sale with no forward chain.
SOLD
BRYANSTONE ROAD £184,950
A recently improved 1 bedroom first floor apartment, within a level walk of Winton High Street.
BOVERIDGE GARDENS £264,995
A highly desirable end of terrace 2 bedroom home situated within a quiet cul de sac setting.
estateagents
01202 548855
BISHOP ROAD £425,000
A spacious 3 bedroom detached house with large south facing garden located close to Winton Rec.
TALBOT AVENUE £1,399,995
An attractive investment opportunity consisting of a block of 5 recently converted luxury apartments in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth.
01202 548 855
PRINCE OF WALES ROAD OIEO £255,000
A bright, spacious and well-presented 2 double bedroom penthouse style apartment situated within walking of Westbourne Village.
HOMEOAKS HOUSE, WIMBORNE ROAD £85,000
Over 60s Extensively modernised well presented 1st floor retirement apartment being conveniently located close to Bournemouth town centre.
Garden trends: Recycle, re-use and rewild
Experts predict the trends that are going to be hottest in the garden in 2022.
Sustainability, recycling and the use of native plants are going to be trends which gardeners will be pursuing in 2022, experts are predicting.
Award-winning garden designer and TV presenter AnnMarie Powell (ann-mariepowell.com) says priorities have changed since lockdown.
“It’s about people wanting more layers in their garden. Pre-lockdown, people wanted something nice to look at. Post-lockdown, people want to have something that’s beautiful to be in.
“People have realised gardens aren’t just for looking at. They are places that enable you to do something good which makes you feel good, creating a space that’s not only beneficial to you but beneficial to the environment as well.” STRIVING FOR FEWER AIR MILES “Lots of people will want elements of grow-your-own and are keen to find out about food provenance,” says Powell. “The vegan movement, healthy eating and wellbeing, organic and no-dig – all those elements are much more in people’s psyche. People want to know where plants come from, that they are chemical-free and haven’t travelled for thousands of miles.”
MORE ‘LASAGNE PLANTING’ IN SMALL SPACES “Container gardening will continue but people will be trying to extend the season of interest,” Powell predicts. “Sarah Raven put the bulb lasagne (where bulbs are planted in layers and flower at different times) into people’s minds a few years ago and people with container gardens are really understanding that. “It’s not just about appreciating the flower, it’s about that flower inviting company to your balcony or window box to allow you the space and time to watch nature up close and personal.”
EMBRACING ALL SEASONS “I think we’ll be adopting a new way of thinking about seasonality,” predicts Andrew Duff , vice chair of the Society of Garden Designers and managing director of the Inchbald School Of Design. “In the past, we’ve tended to see autumn as the end of the year and the garden going to bed. But perhaps due to lockdown, people are seeing how exciting winter is and are beginning to embrace it.
“It’s to do with acceptance. In winter, we are realising that the branches of the trees, the strong sunlight and the bare soil is an important aesthetic in our calendar. It’s the skeletal nature of winter.” (andrewduffgardendesign.com)
GIVING HOUSEPLANTS OUTDOOR SPACE Horticultural influencer Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek, says: “There is the upcoming trend of using houseplants outdoors, directly into pots mixed with the usual summer flowering plants, or in borders and hanging baskets. The perfect candidates are spider plants, tradescantia, and perhaps even a specimen monstera. It’s the perfect way to gravitate indoor plant enthusiasts to the great outdoors, even if they just have a window box.”
ABOVE
Bird feeding on winter
berries | Alamy/PA
LEFT
Garden designer Ann-
Marie Powell | Ann-Marie
Powell/PA
RIGHT
Garden designer Andrew
Duff | Graham Carlow/PA
PRETTY VEG Powell reckons more gardeners will be growing ornamental veg within their flower beds rather than in a vegetable patch.
“Often people are wanting a muddle of productive plants as well as beautiful perennial plants. Things like cardoons, artichokes, we grow them as beautiful ornamentals and it’s the same with apple trees. Lots of plants that you would grow as ornamentals are edible.”
REWILDING RESUMES “Rewilding will continue apace and we are keen on that because every time you plant something it helps towards changing the world in some shape or form. Plants lock in carbon, attract pollinators and create habitat. It’s curated wilding,” Powell explains.
“If you create pools of planting in among natural landscape where you are planting a mix of grasses and single flowers, which are the plants pollinators love to feast on, they are like nectar bars – areas of loose landscape with no intervention and pools of planting amongst it.”
She recommends using grasses such as Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’, miscanthus and anemanthele (pheasant’s tail grass).
ABOVE
Cardoon flower | Alamy/PA
RIGHT
Rewilding with wild
flowers | Alamy/PA
TOP RIGHT
A gravel pathway cutting
through a garden | Alamy/PA
FAR RIGHT
Corylus avellana | Alamy/PA
“It’s curated wilding, of as large an area as you can, so you’ll be managing those areas in amongst the unmanaged areas. But it creates peaks of colour among scrubby, grassy, brambly areas.
“For colour, you’d be going for echinacea, heleniums, buddleias and those on the RHS plants for pollinators list.”
LANDSCAPING CHANGES “With hard landscape, upcycling and recycling will continue,” Duff predicts. “Gravel is being embraced because it’s in everyone’s budget and it offers a more natural feeling to the garden as plants self-seed and spread to the gravel, presenting a softer aesthetic.”
GOING NATIVE “A trend which is coming through is our acceptance of native species,” says Duff. “We are finally waking up to the glory of our native plants, which work well in our changing climate, such as the wonderful hazel Corylus avellana, native grasses like luzula and carex. They do so much for our native wildlife and we are seeing that come forward.”
PONDS WILL BE POPULAR “People really want water in their gardens for the same aesthetic and beneficial wilding project. If you have water in your garden, wildlife will come because they need to drink,” says Powell.
THE BUZZ WORD IS SUSTAINABILITY “It’s all about reduce, re-use, recycle. We are looking at trying to keep sites as neutral as possible with regards to taking things out of the garden. It might be crushing concrete that has come out of a sub base and re-using it as a new footpath,” says Powell. “People will be thinking, ‘What have I already got that I can re-use?’ It might be a coal bucket or the inside of an old washing machine drum. On Instagram, I have seen people using the trays that grapes come in for growing seeds. It’s not just about the aesthetics, it’s about practicalities.”
FURNITURE FASHION “We call it ‘dine and recline’, where your garden becomes like a lounge, but I think people are wanting things that are a bit more quirky than rattan. I’ve started looking at steel which has a reclaimed vintage vibe to it. That will last forever. You can just throw a blanket over it,” says Powell.
Words by Hannah Stephenson, PA
ABOVE
A garden pond | Alamy/PA
LEFT
A flower container made
from a recycled pram |
Alamy/PA
THERE AND BACK AGAIN, A COVID TALE
I write this staring at a Christmas destroyed for our industry and with every phone-call another dreaded cancellation. I can’t blame our customers, it’s not their fault - but got to say it’s hard to conjure up anything positive to say at the moment. We are looking down the barrel of the gun and the Wonky Table, my lobby network is in full red alert.
A Christmas destroyed, again. Irresponsible government and scaremongering media has meant that the Christmas has faded away and we now look set for a very hard dark quarter.
When I wrote last month’s column, we were so positive about the Christmas period, we were full and looking to fill the coffers for the long winter ahead. Now we face renewed restrictions, a December disaster in terms of trade – ultimately it’s going to be a very difficult winter with much depleted reserves – with my phone on overload with just one question, “Where’s Rishi?”
However, yet again it is time for the nation to come together and hopefully get through this next hurdle. Enjoy your Christmas be safe and spare a thought in the new year for hospitality. Eat local, eat independently, and eat often – and if you’ve not brought all you Christmas presents yet – maybe a gift voucher or two!
Happy New Year and here is to a better 2022!
LANDLORDS FINED £13,000!
A couple have been fined £13,000 after they were found guilty of unlawfully evicting four tenants and breaching management regulations on a property they rented out in London.
The landlords changed the locks whilst the tenants were at work, without going through the correct possession notice procedures.
It was then found they had failed to display an up-todate Gas Safety Certificate, Electrical Certificate, and emergency contact details.
Dagenham council were told by the landlords the tenants had left voluntarily, however, the courts did not agree with this. They were therefore fined, £2,000 for each of the four tenants illegally evicted, £700 for breach of management and prosecution costs of £4,574, a total of £13,274.
Are you self-managing and fed up with trying to keep on top of the ever-changing legislations? Then give me a ring and let’s have a co ee (virtual or in human form) and let me show you how we can take away those niggles and let you enjoy doing what you would prefer to be doing instead.
Wishing you a healthy 2022 and a better year for the world!
Sharon Canning
www.zim-braai.co.uk | 01202 068010
99 Commercial Rd, Poole, BH14 0JD T. 01202 711169 E. Sharon@moveon.biz W. www.moveonrentals.com
In the mood for a cosy winter break?
Hugely popular during the pandemic for summer escapes, Cornwall is magical in winter too, as Katie Wright discovers.
Ducking into the diminutive St Ives Bakery, where rows of pink and white marbled meringues are stacked in the windows, the inviting aroma of freshly baked pastry envelops you like a warm hug.
Rumour has it that the Fore Street bakery sells the seaside town’s finest pasties, and when I arrive in the early afternoon there are only a handful of the day’s shortcrust delicacies left.
Keen to expand my horizons, instead of the traditional Cornish variety I select a steak and stilton pasty, devouring the thick pastry pocket filled with chunks of tender beef, root vegetables, gravy and tangy blue cheese straight from the brown paper bag while perched on a low wall at the seafront, a few minutes’ walk downhill from the bakery.
ABOVE
Gwithian beach |
PA Photo/Katie Wright
RIGHT
The pond at Clowance
Estate | PA Photo/Handout
These baked goods are popular with the locals, too, I discover, when a huge seagull swoops down behind me and grabs the last chunk of mine right out of my hand. Later, as I wander along the winding cobbled streets of St Ives, I spy in the window of a gift shop an apron illustrated with a seagull and the words: ‘Pasty thief of St Ives’. If only I’d known.
There’s lots to see as you munch and mooch your way around West Cornwall’s picturesque fishing port. Since the late 19th century, it’s been a magnet for painters wanting to take advantage of the beautiful light, and is now home to many small, independent galleries as well as Tate St Ives, showcasing works by modern artists linked with the area.
Hiking along the rocky path that leads around St Ives Head, it’s not hard to see why artists flocked to the region. On the other side of the steep promontory, bright sunshine illuminates beautiful Porthmeor beach, where scores of surfers are scattered in the sparkling, jade green waves. Even more breathtaking, Gwithian Towans beach is located on the other side of St Ives Bay. There, grassy sand dunes make way for a huge, flat expanse of white sand. In the distance, whitewashed Godrevy Lighthouse (made famous by Virginia Woolf’s novel To The Lighthouse) sits atop a tiny outcrop. A few brave wetsuit-clad surfers limber up then jog out, boards under arms, into the whitewash.
Feeling a chill just watching them dive in, I head in the opposite direction back to the dunes and the Hungry Horsebox, a mobile café housed in a converted horse transportation box, to indulge in their ultimate hot chocolate, a cup of silky-smooth hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, two wafers, a flake and toasted marshmallows on a stick, plus crumbled homemade praline, sprinkles and more marshmallows – the perfect antidote to Gwithian’s bracing coastal winds.
ABOVE
Porthmeor beach, St Ives | PA Photo/Katie
If surfing or wild swimming aren’t your cup of tea, there is one way to take a dip in Cornwall without having to brave biting sea temperatures. Opened last year, the UK’s first geothermal lido, part of the art deco Jubilee Pool complex, extracts water from a 410-metre well to keep the shallow saltwater pool at a balmy 30 to 35 degrees C.
The water feels wonderful when I first wade in, but I have to keep paddling to stay warm enough during the hourlong session (£11.75 for an adult; jubileepool.co.uk).
Even more steamy than the geothermal pool is the hot tub I sink into that night (and every other night) on the terrace of The Gate House, the three-bedroom former rectory in which I’m staying on the Clowance Estate.
Situated at the far end of the 97-acre estate, surrounded by trees that are starting to shed their autumn leaves, the property feels secluded and cosy yet spacious, with an open-plan kitchen/dining area and conservatory that opens onto the terrace.
With delightfully comfy beds (the sheets are five-star hotel-level soft) and virtual silence at night, the luxurious bedrooms are ideal if catching up on sleep is top of your holiday priorities.
The main Clowance manor house was the seat of the St Aubyns family until 1839. Now the building houses a reception, a café-bar, the swimming pool, gym and spa.
From Scandi-style A-frame lodges to converted houses, all properties are self-catered, meaning the kitchens are very well-equipped (I get particularly excited about the immaculate drawers full of cutlery and utensils) and supermarket delivery drivers are used to dropping off grocery orders straight to your door.
Last year, the estate was forced to close due to coronavirus restrictions, but once lockdown ended and UK travel opened up, Cornwall became a hugely popular summer staycation destination.
“It’s been a bit up and down,” says resort manager Wayne Gilbert. “The impact on the business was massive.”
Now though, Clowance is almost back to full capacity and the team is relishing being in the spotlight.
LEFT
Jubilee Pool lido in
Penzance | PA Photo/
Katie Wright
FAR LEFT
Luxury Lodge at Clowance
Estate | PA Photo/Handout
RIGHT
Clowance Estate |
PA Photo/Handout
BELOW
The Clowance Estate
swimming pool |
PA Photo/Handout
“It’s given us a good opportunity as a company to show people what we’re all about,” says Gilbert, who enjoys welcoming back guests who “love the sights and the quirkiness of Cornwall”.
With renewed travel restrictions due to the Omicron variant, staycations are looking even more attractive again, and as my visit proves, Cornwall makes for a brilliant break all year round, not just in summer.
If country walks, stunning scenery and charming seaside villages float your boat, you’ll find a lot to love here – just make sure to watch out for the seagulls.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Luxury Lodges is a collection of hotel-quality, selfcatering lodges in the UK’s most spectacular and desirable holiday destinations, with two night stays starting from £1,075. For more information on Clowance, visit luxurylodges.com/clowance.
Words by Katie Wright, PA
WIMBORNE Guide price £1,900,000
This delightful four bedroom character home sits in secluded grounds of approx 1.2 acres with a swimming pool and pool house.
EDWARDS
www.edwardestates.co.uk 01202 842842
Properties of the month
TALBOT WOODS £1,399,995
An attractive investment opportunity consisting of a block of 5 recently converted luxury apartments.
SLADES WINTON
www.sladesproperty.co.uk 01202 548 855
LOWER PARKSTONE £525,000
This beautiful on trend three bedroom detached family home has a the rear garden and detached garden cabin.
EDWARDS
www.edwardestates.co.uk 01202 744944 SOUTHBOURNE £650,000
Spacious chalet bungalow with a lounge/ dining room, four good sized bedrooms, master with en-suite shower room.
LOVETT ESTATE AGENTS
www.lovettinternational.com 01202 303044 MEYRICK PARK £1,250,000
A four double bedroom, two reception room detached character house with a detached two double bedroom cottage.
HEARNES
www.hearnes.com 01202 317317
BRANKSOME £500,000
An immaculately presented 3 double bedroom semi detached home, lovingly restored and includes 2 reception rooms. EAST CLIFF £279,950
A character two bedroom top floor apartment with a double aspect lounge, mezzanine area and allocated parking area.
HEARNES
www.hearnes.com 01202 377377 SAXE COBURG
www.saxecoburg.eu 01202 30 30 66
POOLE Offers over £500,000
Ideal investment opportunity. Mixed commercial & HMO investment comprising shop with letting rooms above.
SAXE COBURG
www.saxecoburg.eu 01202 30 30 66 POOLE £750,000
Four bedroom detached house circa 1960 with refurbishment / development opportunity STPP.
CLEARWATER
www.clearwater.co 01202 738338
WINTON £425,000
A spacious 3 bedroom detached house with large south facing garden located close to Winton Rec. FERNDOWN Guide price £495,000
This detached four bedroom property benefits from, well-proportioned living accommodation with a garden and garage.
SLADES WINTON
www.sladesproperty.co.uk 01202 548 855 EDWARDS
www.edwardestates.co.uk 01202 855595 POULNER Guide price £1,950,000
An elegant five bedroom country house with potential to extend (STPP), offering stunning views and quadruple garaging
EDWARDS
www.edwardestates.co.uk 01202 829777
FERNDOWN Guide price £1,100,000
This five bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room detached home has a 80ft rear garden and outdoor swimming pool.
HEARNES
www.hearnes.com 01202 890890
WEST CLIFF £295,000
Spacious three double bedroom fourth floor apartment with balcony, garage and communal grounds with beach access,
LOVETT ESTATE AGENTS
www.lovettinternational.com 01202 303044
