The tips in this article can be applied to many areas - not just mid-lets. The tips are especially useful if you renovate property for sale. When you sell a property, you’re selling a home to someone. If your property looks beautiful, then buyers will dream up the property as their home. That’s how you get buyers through the door, and that’s how you get buyers to bid up their price. It can be the difference between selling a property at £200k and £250k.

In a below section, I talk about soft furnishings like wall art and cushions. These are super useful if you renovate property for sale. These are inexpensive items that make your property look awesome in photos. It can make your property stand out, and get people through the door.

My property is a 2 bed apartment in the centre of Angel, London. As a ground floor, north facing apartment, the property was very dark. You can see this in the slideshow above.

To create brightness in the flat, I utilised light colours and decorative mirrors. I used Dulux off white paint for the walls, with a tinge of blue. I also used at least one mirror in each room. The combination of light colour paint and mirrors helps to bounce light around the room. It was so effective, that the property gets Airbnb reviews complimenting the brightness of the property! To quote Mary Anne in January 2019: “The place is very comfortable, very clean, bright and quiet with full kitchen and dining.”

The below photo shows the 2nd bedroom before the refurb. Notice the darkness in the room

 

Below is the 2nd bedroom after the refurb. The light colour scheme and mirrors brightened up the room

 

 

The kitchen was my least favourite room in the flat. It was a complete clutter fest and the design was dated! The property was built in the 1990s, and kitchens like these were very popular. You’ll see similar kitchens in flats all over the country.

I purchased the kitchen from Magnet, who are the biggest supplier in the UK. I had a really good experience, and found them to be very efficient. There are loads of other kitchen suppliers in the UK, such as B&Q, Ikea, Howdens and Wren. My personal opinion is that you can get a good kitchen from most large suppliers – the ranges are similar. Just make sure you negotiate over price, as the kitchen providers will price match.

I embraced white in my kitchen. A white kitchen is timeless, and never goes out of fashion. Every property investor should use white in the kitchen, it looks great and will never offend anyone. White is also great if you renovate property for sale. The below photo shows the kitchen before the renovation.

 

I used a mirror splashback to enhance the feeling of space in the kitchen, as illustrated in the below photo. 

 

 

 

 

All of the kitchen appliances are fully integrated. I purchased a new fridge, cooker, dishwasher, microwave and washing machine. Most of the appliances were Zanussi branded. Zanussi have a good reputation for being reliable and well priced.

I purchased the appliances from Appliances Direct, and not from Magnet. You shouldn’t buy appliances from your kitchen supplier – they have a small range and charge more than Appliances Direct. I also avoid buying appliances from John Lewis or Currys, as they tend to be overpriced.

If you renovate property for sale, then you can skip this step. You really don’t need to buy appliances like washing machines and fridges.

In the bathrooms, I used grey tiles along with white walls. This created a simple and contemporary look. The items were purchased from a builders merchant in North London. Builders merchants are normally the best for bathroom supplies – you’ll save tons of money compared to Bathstore and other retailers.

I chose to have the same design in both bathrooms – it would look weird if they had different designs. Below is a before and after photo of the en-suite

In the property, I went big on soft furnishings. I used cushions, decorative mirrors, wall art, lamps, fake plants and sculptures. The effect of this was to give depth to my rooms, and make my property stand out in images.

In the mid-let market, images are even more important than the long let market. Tenants typically won’t view the property before signing a contract. So images are everything, and soft furnishings make the world of difference. A £20 cushion and a £50 painting can result in your property earning 30% more in the mid-let market. It’s an absolute no brainer.

The photo in the above slideshow shows the living room, complete with lamps, cushions and decorative mirrors. Below is the hallway with a classy console table and mirror, to add a touch of luxury.


What about if you renovate property for sale? Soft furnishings are a great way to make your property look great in photos. Best of all, you’ll just take the cushions and the wall art with you, once the property is sold! 

I took a lot of effort to decorate my property well, and the results were spectacular. The flat looks great and it earns far more in the mid-let market.