Everyone, meet Danielle & Elliot. This lovely couple approached Topology back in 2023 to assist with the renovation of their open plan kitchen / living / dining space. However, after the renovation, unexpectedly they decided to sell after a they found out a baby was on the way! With the happy news they decided it was time to upsize. When they listed it with Savills, Danielle was delighted with the result as ultimately it sold for 15% above the asking price. In their words, they “honestly believe this beautiful space that sold it for us and that’s thanks to your amazing design!”. So we thought we’d share a little bit of their e-design journey with us and show you just how effective hiring an interior designer can be.
What made you hire an interior designer?
We wanted to do a pretty big renovation to our kitchen, living room & dining room (open plan) which is not only the heart of our home and where we spend most of our time, but also represents a significant chunk of our square footage. We had in mind to rip everything out and start over, so we knew the cost would be high and we wanted to make sure it was a worthwhile investment. That’s why we turned to the experts for help! We aren’t creatively inclined but we appreciate good design and aesthetics – it was a no brainer for us to hire Topology to help us design a space we’d love and would sell our flat for us..
How the space looked before
What was your favourite part of the process?
The mood boards and the 3D rendering of our space. We just loved what the team came up with and it suited us down to a T. The colour and texture combinations across paint, furniture, decor etc were awesome
What was your inspiration & brief for your open plan / kitchen space?
We spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking at kitchens and were able to share a few images that we liked. We definitely leant towards a modern take on a more traditional style – like shaker kitchen units but in a bold colour and with slimmer lines. We also knew we wanted to drastically change the kitchen layout – moving electrical and plumbing in the process. But beyond this, we were happy to be guided by the Topology team and I think this flexibility / openness served us well.
What was your budget for the works and did you manage to stick to it?
We budgeted £40k for the building work, the new kitchen (inc. appliances) and the furniture. We had some unforeseen structural challenges with the building that pushed us a bit over budget – to be expected in an older house! But otherwise we stuck to it. The Topology trade discounts were a godsend!
How does the new layout affect the space compared to the former layout?
In every way, the space is more usable and more enjoyable to be in. Our dining area opens out onto the patio which has been amazing for summer bbqs. Our TV area no longer suffers from skylight glare! And the kitchen is sublime to use (we are big cooks) – we have better storage space, a much better flow for food prep & cleaning, and all appliances & bins are integrated. The redesign also allowed for better light throughout the entire space.
How much above asking price did you receive and how quickly did your home sell?
Without a doubt, our favourite elements are the paint colours suggested! Namely for the joinery in our living room (powder blue), the ceiling in our office (forest green) and the cabinets in our room (teal). We sold for £10k above asking and the sale price reflected a 15% appreciation in value (+£100k) vs what we bought the flat for 3 years prior, which is pretty astounding. We got an all cash offer within 3 weeks of listing – 2 weeks if you exclude the Christmas break!
“The Topology trade discounts were a godsend”
