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Stylishly dressed interiors can be a key sales tool for developers. We all like to start with a clean slate, except, it seems, when it comes to buying property. When viewing a new apartment or house, many people find it difficult to imagine themselves living in it or how they might decorate the space. That’s where the expertise of interior designers come in. The right look in a show property will not only give the buyer a clear idea of how the space can be used but actually help them envisage living there, all of which boosts the prospects of them purchasing. “Many buyers are often overwhelmed by a large, empty space, so aren’t able to imagine furnishing it,” says Heidi Aiad, interior designer with A.LONDON. “Our goal is to help them complete that process, whereby they can see themselves living there and, ultimately, get the property sold.” The Accouter Group offers several tiers of design service, Accouter Design, aimed at the superprime, luxury sector of the residential market and A.LONDON, which works across a broader spectrum of high-end development. Heidi says the team aims to create bespoke solutions for each client, whether the developer is selling a unique penthouse or a multiple-home development. “We start each project by discussing with the developer the style and character of the development, researching the location and looking at what will appeal to the buyer the property is aimed at” she says. This means that the team may come up with a different look in, for example, Knightsbridge, where there is a more traditional idea of luxury and style, to Notting Hill, which is often perceived as having a younger vibe and as being more creative and cool. When dressing a show home, designers will consider how a buyer will use the space and the kinds of brands they might have an affinity for. This will include selecting furnishings, accessories and homewares that will appeal to the market the developer is hoping to attract. Attention to detail means every item the buyer sees when they view a dressed show home, right down to what lies inside the drawers or cabinets, should resonate with them. Each piece of china on the dining table, every cushion on the sofa and the original artworks on the walls, have all been carefully selected to create the right look and
ambience. “A buyer wants to feel immediately at home when they view a property,” explains Heidi. “Our job is to create a lifestyle for them at that address.” “A smaller property aimed at a single person or young couple will often need a more relaxed feel, there’s less of a need for grand design schemes,” says Heidi. “However, A.LONDON’s designers must also take into account the differences between properties within the same development. What may appeal to the buyer of a one-bedroom pied-a-terre won’t necessarily be suitable for the buyer of a three-bedroom penthouse or executive townhouse - a luxury property needing a higher spec finish. We always try to tailor the design to the prospective purchaser and their lifestyle.” In creating an overall look the team also has to strike a balance between appealing to a range of buyers with varying tastes while being different enough to fire up their imaginations when viewing. “Our challenge is to appeal to a broad range of buyers while being individual enough to stand out in their minds,” adds Heidi. “We don’t want to design a look that buyers might have seen elsewhere but we equally can’t be too outrageous.” This means that many A.LONDON design schemes make heavy use of neutrals, alongside bolder touches, such as mirrored doors or beautiful and elaborate light fittings. Often furnishings such as cushions and rugs or key pieces of furniture, such as a dining table or armchair, are created specifically to dress the show home in order to enhance a particular room or zone the residential space. Heidi says the A.LONDON team design pieces that aim to offer a more interesting dimension. So a sofa might be upholstered in a mix of fabrics with different textures, while furniture or light fittings might comprise several contrasting or complementing woods or metals. Art is another medium that bestows on each project a bespoke aspect that draws a whole look together. Accouter Design works with the world’s top art galleries to secure outstanding pieces for clients selling prime, luxury real estate, while the A.LONDON team often call on the relationships that Accouter Design team have formed with galleries offering wall space in the prime locations that are being dressed. Again, the style of artwork, be it traditional or contemporary, is matched to the overall look of the specific property and the profile of the potential buyer.