The Weird and Wonderful World of Property

One of the things I absolutely love about my job is looking around hundreds of different properties. As part of that, I get to see the latest interior design and technology trends, plus an insight into how different people live their lives and use their space.

I’m often asked about the weirdest things I’ve seen over the years and there are many! There was recently a house mentioned in the press which had a slide linking the bedroom, the open-plan kitchen, and living room via a trap door. Although a lot of fun, it’s often features like this that can sometimes be too wacky for buyers or tenants when the property is put back on the market.

At the higher end of the market, I regularly see lots of ‘wow factor’ features which are great fun, although not always used in practice. In one house, for example, there was a sunken seating area next to the kitchen which was carefully designed so it could be filled with ice for a drinks party. In another large house I saw, there was a cover for the indoor swimming pool which doubled up as a dance floor.

One riverside penthouse I showed a client had been interior designed at the owner’s request by a renowned television interior designer. The entire property was purple, even down to the purple feathered chandelier. The seller wanted a premium for the flat because it had been interior designed, and the agent had the delicate task of trying to explain that it wasn’t to everyone’s taste! At the lower end of the market, one of my colleagues viewed a property which hadn’t been upgraded for decades and there was a shower cubicle in the kitchen.

Not many of us are likely to install a slide into our homes, but if you are thinking of creating a ‘wacky’ interior, just remember that not all buyers or tenants will have the same taste as you, so it’s worth bearing that in mind when you come to sell or let the property.

If you have a question you’d like Jo to answer please email enquire@eccord.com or tweet her @joeccles.