5 Interior Design Styles that will Increase the Value of your Home
When thinking about commissioning an interior designer for your home design, your main motivation may be to create a home that feels cohesive, maximise the potential of your space, address pain points, and receive creative solutions. Beyond these very obvious benefits, did you know that incorporating a specific style or aesthetic also has a major impact on the value added to your property?
Following a popular analysis conducted by Bankrate in 2020 on the Interior Design styles that was impacting the value of properties across the UK, Online Money Advisor followed last November with their own analysis and unsurprisingly some of those results shifted.
MID-CENTURY MODERN
As public appreciation for vintage pieces and craftsmanship rises, so too has the demand for homes that showcase this. It’s no surprise then that Mid-century modern designed homes shot up from 7th place in March 2020 to 1st place in November 2021, adding a staggering £127,980.83 to the asking price of homes compared to the UK average.
In fact, Online Money Advisor mentions that “if you’re in Leeds, you should start looking for mid-century modern furniture now as properties listed with this style have an average price of £369,975, which is more than £162,048 than other houses in the area.”
Design Hallmarks:
Clean lines, organic and geometric shapes, a combination of natural and manmade materials, tapered furniture legs, vibrant colours, and integrating indoor and outdoor motifs.
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Building your room around statement pieces. Choose one or two signature mid-century modern pieces to build your design around. This can be achieved with a curved Pierre Paulin type sofa, an Eames lounge chair, or Warren Platner style coffee table.
Image Credit | Architectural Digest
Home of | French Businessman Jean-Eric Gnuva
Design By | Jean Charles Tomas
2. SCANDINAVIAN
In contrast, and dropping down to second place from 2020 is the cooler Scandinavian design, which appears to increase property value by just over £111,925 compared to houses without this style. This leap in value is particularly noticeable in Liverpool, where according to Online Money Advisor you can expect property listings to be over £162,162 more than houses without this décor.
While the Ikea effect may be strong with its streamlined design and DIY appeal, it’s important to note that this increase in value has dropped from the 2020 Bankrate analysis, which at the time, found that Scandi design was increasing property value by upto £340,224. Could this relate back to the rise in demand for warmer mid-century pieces?
Design Hallmarks:
Pared-back aesthetic that is clean, simple, and most of all functional. No more than four key shades with heavy reliance on whites and lighter hues, including the wood work and furniture. With a little bit of Hygge.
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Clearing the room of any clutter. White or light walls. Keep window treatments light and airy, to allow as much light in as possible. Dot around some sheepskin for that hygge feeling. Incorporate Hans Wegner style wishbone dining chairs and any other blonde wood furniture.
Image Credit | Architectural Digest
Design By | Lee F. Mindel
3. BOHEMIAN
Coming in third place is the bohemian style, where layering patterns, textures, and colours are highly favoured. While true bohemian styling has no rules other than the incorporation of lots of natural materials, I would go one step further and suggest that it’s likely the homes that manage to capture the boho aesthetic with a cohesive eclectic mix of furniture and pattern, that are the ones most impacting property value.
According to Online Money Advisor, Bohemian homes are listed for £76,320 more than other properties in the area with different interior design styles, on average, throughout the UK. Regionally, the value increase is most noticeable in London. The average house price in the capital is £498,223, but boho-style homes are typically listed for £1,690,000!
Design Hallmarks:
A free-spirited aesthetic rooted in cultural mixing and an artistic sensibility. The palette leans heavily on earthy tones: think browns and greens, jewel tones, and metallics.
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Embrace handmade pieces such as paintings, quilts, rugs, macramé, sculptures, or pottery. Layer textiles such as rugs, pillows, throws, with varying pattern throughout the space, like Persian rugs or ikat cushions. Add vintage treasures, souvenirs from travels, Moroccan lanterns. Finish with lots of plants.
Image Credit | Vogue Living Australia
Home of | Model Lily Aldridge
Design By | Pierce & Ward
4. CONTEMPORARY
Surprisingly, contemporary interior designed homes came in sixth position in 2020 and fifth position by November 2021. An interior design style that is known for sleek surfaces, crisp furnishings, and cutting-edge art, contemporary interior design really most refers to the style of the moment, which means it is constantly evolving with time.
According to the recent analysis decorating in this style will add an average of £52,073 to your house value! If you’re in Birmingham and a fan of contemporary styling, you’re in luck! Properties without this style of interior design are often listed for £237,924 less than houses with it.
Design Hallmarks:
Contemporary design favours open spaces, which highlight simplicity, curved or straight lines, and lighting. Attention to craftsmanship and mixing materials. Lots of high contrast, black accents and low-slung furniture.
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Creating an open plan entertaining space with a calm backdrop that’s in harmony with architecture. Similar to midcentury modern and Scandi designs, decluttering is an important first step. Try replacing solid doors with industrial style doors to allow as much light in while providing contrast. Add low coffee tables, large textured artwork and focus on creating lots of zoned spots around the house for different functions.
Image Credit | AD Middle East
Design By | Maureen McDermott
5. MINIMAL
Finally the minimal aesthetic with its monochromatic palette holds steady in eighth position, adding £39,573 more to the listed price with this interior design style and seems to dominate properties in Manchester and London.
Love elements of minimal design but find it too cold? Then I would include here that the increasingly popular Japandi aesthetic which combines Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian design, was also found to influence property listings in the 2020 Bankrate study, adding up to £97,935 in value.
Design Hallmarks:
Simplicity, clean lines, and a monochromatic palette with colour used as an accent. The minimalist approach uses only the essential elements: light, form and beautiful materials, usually in an open plan layout, to create a sense of freedom and relaxation.
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Keeping your decor purposeful. Minimalist principles value function over flourish, which means every piece of furniture and art serves a purpose. Draw attention to architectural details like exposed beams, but keep decor minimal yet functional and distraction-free. Adding visual weight with soft textiles like wool and cotton can warm up a space, making it feel cosier.
Image Credit | AD Middle East
Design By | Isern Serra
