How has the show home changed in the last decade?

Lucy was asked by Show House Magazine,
‘How has the show home changed over the past decade? In terms of design and as a marketing tool’.
A designer talks..

With space and sites at a premium, especially in cities, rooms are getting smaller, hence furniture is too, to work within the spaces. Builders are building more apartments, rather than houses hence (especially in key areas, inner city with re-urbanisation), more ingenious ways to make the apartments look as good as possible are needed. Architects and builders are therefore getting more creative with awkward sites, where ingenious design and materials are needed to showcase the smaller space. Hence this allows opportunities for a show home/interior designer to make the space as individual and quirky as the build.

The top end luxury market, is stabilising due to tax rates, and people are waiting to see the results of brexit, with a higher percentage of overseas sales and glossy photos helping to sell of plan and secure deposits before the show home is even built. This has resulted in pre marketing aids from CGI’s, videos to glossy brochures growing as a tool.

Show homes now have become more focused and tailored to the market that they are selling to, with an individual designer handwriting. Rather than the generic ‘same as’ look of old. You have to now stand out from the crowd, so the show home is a valuable tool for marketing/sales.

Show homes have become more energy efficient, with low running costs and high specifications. Generous incentives are often used too, by the builders, from the developer paying a proportion of the deposit, to stamp duty paid on your behalf. to free items, – such as kitchen appliances, carpets/curtains.