As a property developer in a competitive housing market, it can be challenging to stand out and attract buyers so when a major London Housing Developer found themselves struggling to sell several city apartments in a fantastic location, they knew they needed to try something different. They had many viewings of the show home for the multi-million pound apartments but very few sales.
After consulting with Blocc, the team decided that the only solution was to completely transform the layout and style of the show apartment to create a space that was modern, sleek, with an efficient use of space and would appeal to a wide range of potential buyers.
The Problem
The developer had been having a difficult time selling the apartments despite their prime location and attractive features. The sales team had tried various marketing techniques, but nothing seemed to be resonating with potential buyers. They started to worry that the apartments would sit on the market for a long time, leading to financial losses.
The apartment had an unusual triangular shape layout with an open plan living/dining/kitchen area which had a freestanding partition wall in the middle of the living space. Additionally, there were 2 large structural columns; one in the living area and one in the kitchen area.
They had received negative feedback from prospective purchasers as the space “looked awkward” and they “could not visualise how to arrange furniture or live in the space”.
Both bedrooms were spacious but the living area was seriously compromised. The apartment was a finished stock unit, with 5 others of the same style due to be placed on the market.
In an effort to increase interest in the properties, they approached our team with the goal of revamping their unit to make it more appealing and engaging for potential buyers.
What We Did
We worked closely with the developer to understand the problems they were facing, taking into account the feedback they had from prospective purchasers.
The developer wanted to demonstrate that the apartment had the space to seat 6 people for dining in both formal and informal dining settings; storage and a work from home area.
Based on our research and discussions with the developer, we came up with a plan to redesign the unit to highlight the unique features and modern amenities of the apartments, despite the unusual shape, with a smart, classic contemporary and opulent feel.
The first step was to revisualise the place and utilise the space and features that were available.
With this in mind, we started by designing and fitting a bespoke media unit to cover the whole of the partition wall facing the living area, including storage and housing a wall-mounted TV. A well-positioned bespoke sofa made exactly to fit along the wall opposite made the room look inviting and cosy and the addition of an occasional armchair provided seating for 6.
A large rug on the floor softened the hard flooring and created a sense of comfortable luxury. Behind the sofa and tucked away in a previously unutilised corner, we installed a bespoke cupboard with shelving and a desk to create the perfect area to work from home.
On the opposite side of the partition facing the kitchen, we clad the upper section with a bespoke fitted mirror and on the lower section, fitted a tailor-made upholstered banquette bench. A glass-top table and 3 lavish dining chairs were placed in front which enhanced the space with a comfortable dining area for 6.
The structural column at the far end of the kitchen was utilised to include a bespoke designed table that encircled the whole column and the addition of tall stools created a fantastic casual dining area.
In order to make the most of all of the space available, extra storage was created in the form of a tall, made to measure shelving unit on the wall leading to the dining area.
The Result
The results of the transformation were nothing short of astounding. The apartments not only oozed luxury, style and opulence but were shown to be functional and spacious whilst offering a range of storage options.
Within just a few weeks of the first apartment being reimagined, all six units had been sold, setting a new sales record.
The newly reworked apartment attracted a large number of potential purchasers who were impressed by the innovative use of space, creativity and attention to detail in the design. The developer was thrilled with the results and we were pleased to have played a part in helping them sell all of their apartments in a competitive London housing market.
The success of the apartment transformation is a prime example of the power of good design in attracting buyers. By updating the layout and style of the apartment our client was able to successfully sell the problematic stock and set a new sales record in the process.
If you want to discuss your problematic stock plots then get in touch!