In some showhomes we have installed small chandeliers as a central statement piece, while in others we have used 1970s s
A showhome is often the one chance you get to ‘wow’ a potential customer and to make them fall in love with the product, writes Sharon Bouhali, sales director at Persimmon Homes West Wales.
When they step over the threshold, they’ll be looking at the space, the layout and the general build quality, but equally important is the interior design.
The way the property is decorated makes a massive difference to how it is perceived. As your mum would always say, first impressions matter.
At Persimmon Homes, the way we present showhomes has changed significantly over the years. Tricks like removing internal doors to create an illusion of space aren’t used any more. Today it’s more about creating an ‘Instagrammable’ showhome through décor.
We work with external professional interior designers to ensure we are always on trend, but me and my team are heavily involved, too.
Vintage meets modern
It’s very fashionable at the moment to incorporate a mixture of vintage and modern décor. We don’t want to over do it – usually one or two pieces of vintage-style furniture is enough to create interest.
In some showhomes we have installed small chandeliers as a central statement piece, while in others we have used 1970s style table and chairs.
Pantone trends
The 2020 Pantone Colour of the Year is Classic Blue, so we have seen an increase in our designers using this in our showhomes.
It looks striking when used as a feature wall in an otherwise light room.
Floral wallpaper
Floral wallpaper and printed wallpaper has made something of a comeback in recent months. It’s all about big bold patterns and bright colours.
This wallpaper has to be used in the right places. We find that it works best in bedrooms and kitchen. It’s glamorous yet comforting.
More sociable spaces
A lot of people will want to entertain in their new homes – and they need suitable spaces to do. Many of the Persimmon house types benefit from kitchen/diners and often we will show visitors how the rooms can be combined by using the same design theme in both areas.
Children’s bedrooms
For our customers who are parents, finding a house with a good children’s bedroom is a top priority.
We let our designers’ imaginations run wild in these rooms and make them as fun as possible. We tend to go for a theme, be it pirates or comic books or Star Wars. We have also made the most of Persimmon’s Team GB sponsorship and themed rooms around that.
Using bunkbeds is a clever way to utilise space better.
Simplicity
Despite these little touches, the overarching style of our showhomes remains clean and simple. That means mostly light coloured walls, light carpets and good lighting.