Free home interiors event to unravel Derbyshire property predicaments

Nikki Jeffery, founder and director of Home Sweet Home Staging and Design, is holding a free property event at Horsley Lodge, in Horsley, Derbyshire, on Tuesday, March 25. During the event she promises design inspiration and tips that could add monetary value to a property through the power of home staging, as well as solving any interior design dilemmas attendees may have.

The Ashbourne-based interiors expert said: “It is difficult for some people to see an empty room and envisage how it would look finished, or if furnished how it could be improved. My skill is seeing that space and knowing what would make it zing.”

During the event, which begins and ends with a networking session, Nikki will introduce the benefits of home staging for both professionals and homeowners. She will give a demonstration of how to set the perfect Easter table, with styling tips on how to achieve two different looks. She will also show visitors how their own problematic rooms can be given a helping hand.

She said: “We are inviting attendees to bring in a photograph of their problematic property and we will show how that awkward space can become an asset with just a few tweaks. Any photographs brought in on the day that we don’t get to assess will be assessed via email after the event.

“Home staging is all about bringing out the essence of what makes a home - and that will be different for every property.”

Nikki, who for two decades prior had been an educator, began honing her home staging skills in her spare time for family and friends. However, it was during the Covid pandemic that the seed for her career shift took hold.

She said: “I’ve always been creative and loved design but it was after assisting my father in selling the family home that a casual remark began my design journey and career change. “I had staged the property prior to viewers attending and, as a result, secured a 34 per cent increase in the house’s value. The estate agent joked that I should do this for a living.”

The idea remained at the back of her mind and, a couple of years later, after overcoming long Covid, she decided to turn her passion and infectious enthusiasm for design into a thriving business.

“As a teacher for 20-plus years, I consider my life’s work to be that of service and so it was important to me to continue helping people when I changed career,” she said.

Nikki’s mission is to style a property so that it captivates potential buyers, renters or clients. However, it isn’t just about making the property visually more appealing, it is giving that home the potential to achieve a faster sale or rental price.

She said: “Home staging is an investment and it is always cheaper than the first price drop a seller has to make when they can’t sell their property.

“At the event, as well as offering practical advice, I aim to show the difference home staging can make to a property and give examples of how it has boosted the selling price and appeal of some homes.

“Investors and property developers are now coming to us for a quick turnaround design makeover, and it is proving lucrative for them.”

Open to investors, developers, estate agents, homeowners and sellers alike, the event is free to attend. It is being held in The Amber Suite, Horsley Lodge Estate, Horsley, DE21 5BL on Tuesday, March 25, from 9.30am until noon. Tea, coffee and pastries will be served to attendees on arrival at the venue. Spaces are limited. To book your place, email [email protected] or call 01335 667040

For more information, visit www.homesweethomestaging.co.uk.