Interview boydens.co.uk 24 You thrive on being busy – how do you relax? I love a good old massage. But I really do like interior design as a hobby. I love to create mood boards for my renovation projects. Which is your favourite style of property and why? I love older properties with character, like a Victorian with the original sash windows or lovely fireplaces. If they don’t have these features, I’ll try to put them back. I also love panelling on a wall painted in a nice colour. Please tell us about your current home renovation project. I’m so excited about what I’m doing in this property. It’s an Edwardian house in a Surrey conservation area and has a folly. There’s a double-storey extension being built on the back and not one internal wall is staying. I loved the look aesthetically from the outside of the property, but I knew the layout and configuration inside didn’t work. I loved the setting, but I felt the property wasn’t doing itself justice in the location it is. I’ve already picked my herringbone floor and I’m having a handmade kitchen, a beautiful log burning stove, and a really nice fireplace. Which part of a property gets you most excited when starting a renovation project? The whole thing really! I love doing bathrooms... kitchens; there’s not one room I don’t love doing. More than anything, I love having people come over to see how it was and then again when it’s finished. I’m documenting it the whole way because it’s very easy to forget how it was at the start. Because a lot of the properties I buy and do up are Edwardian or Victorian, I tend to go for a classic, timeless look. Which simple home improvements do you think can add most value to a property? Kitchens, bathrooms and parking. When people are doing up kitchens and bathrooms, they should always think about spending the money on the fittings like taps – you can save money in other areas. What would be your advice to anyone buying or selling a home? Don’t paint your house magnolia! Everyone thinks that you need to go for something that appeals to everyone. Yes, but magnolia is awful! There are so many other neutral colours out there! It also depends on what your intentions for a property are. If you’re doing it up to sell on, it’s better not to go for anything too garish because sometimes people can’t see past that. If you’re doing up a property to let it out, think about the finish and quality. There’s no point going over the top... unless you’re going to let it out to a high-end or corporate client. If you want to add colour and texture, maybe think about doing it through fabrics and soft furnishings. In my current house, I’m doing something slightly different. I’m going for darker tiles and maybe gold fittings in the bathroom. A brushed gold sink that will sit on a navy blue unit in one of the ensuites. You could say that’s not very neutral, but I know it will work. What have you got coming up for 2022? I have a social media relations company, Evoque Management, which I set up with my business partner, Georgie Gavin, during the pandemic, offering social media, influencer outreach, marketing and PR services. I’m also filming for A Place in the Sun and a property feature series with This Morning that will be on in the summer, but my latest property renovation alone will be keeping me more than busy!
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