In this article we talk about the 4 tips an interior designer recommends to increase the value of your home
Text by Naomi Astley Clarke
With over 25 years’ experience working with a high-profile client base, British celebrity interior designer, Naomi Astley Clarke, has built up a wealth of experience on ways of adding value to an interior design project. With the cost of living increasing, maximising spend on a project has never been so important.
“Now is a time of such huge uncertainty and rapid change, mingled with an undercurrent of fear. There is a real duality in emotion which is affecting the way people spend on their homes – one side “you only live once, throw caution to the wind, just do it, let’s spend it, we might not be here tomorrow” and on the other side a feeling that things must be made to last, be low maintenance, be cost-effective to run. Look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves. I think this duality will continue – a tug of war between responsibility and uncertainty and this will show in the products we buy and the way we live in the home.”
From prioritising timeless, flexible designs and bespoke pieces that are multipurpose, Naomi Astley Clarke shares her top tips on ways of adding value to an interior design project.
Select timeless designs and finishes
“Choose finishes that are lasting and timeless as possible and suit the architecture of the building. That way they will always be suited to the home they belong in even if fashions come and go. Also face the fact that the room will age, and that your customer’s tastes and needs may change over the course of two decades, so make choices that allow for some level of flexibility – for example a paint colour is easy to change, tiles less so. So perhaps choose tiles or hard finishes that are more neutral and that will work with many colours – then the wall colours can be more dramatic and easily changed overtime. Swapping over cabinet knobs and handles is also an easy upgrade to make.”
Bespoke design that is multipurpose
Naomi Astley Clarke believes firmly in the maxim that you get what you pay for. She says: “Whilst bespoke pieces are comparatively expensive, the finish and longevity of handcrafted items will far outlive that of high-street options. Never underestimate the aesthetic value of a proper fit. Going bespoke is all about making something fit and function perfectly. It allows you to optimise space which is particularly important for city apartments where it is at a premium.”
Flexibility is key
“Think about where you will be in 20 years’ time, that your daily life will entail, how you will move about in a space, who will be living with you. Flexibility is key – a room may serve one function in 2020 and an entirely new function 20 years on, so long as the backdrop is well made, you should be onto a winner.”
Buy once and buy well
“Even if people are happy to have extravagant things, they’re for life and I’ve always been an advocate of buying something right once. While we’re not experts in sustainability yet, we are about to engage a consultant to help advise us on what we can do to reduce the impact of our work on the planet. It’s a top priority that we are working to improve upon and we are in the process of drawing up a charter.”
We hope you find this article useful in How to increase the value of your home and can add some tips to your home.
All images: Sloane Square Pied-A-Terre, Naomi Astley Clarke, Photographer Paul Massey
