The only way is Essex - a family show home with the X factor

Hidden away in the countryside on the outskirts of Stapleford Abbotts  in Essex, lies Woodside View — a new collection of nine exclusive four-bedroom detached houses ready for modern luxurious living. Read on to discover how our expert staging took the show home from vacant to vibrant to entice buyers..

As ever, we are creating a lifestyle. Priced from £ 800,000 - to £984,950, these homes offer a gated communal living that promises both privacy and community.  Each property provides a spacious layout. There’s underfloor heating on the ground floor, the principal bedrooms is en-suite, each house has a private parking space with an EV charging point — catering to both the eco-conscious and the tech-savvy buyer.

There’s a beautifully designed open-plan kitchen/diner complete with integrated appliances and stylish stone worktops. In the kitchen we set the dining table to allow viewers to envision gathering friends and family for dinner. The kitchen has all expected modern conveniences and heaps of work surface. With ample natural light and a generous layout we wanted to create a space that’s welcoming  as well as purposeful and stylish - somewhere that invites conversations and culinary adventures. With huge bifold doors into the garden this will be a fabulous kitchen in which to entertain for any occasion.
The adjacent dining area comfortably seats eight, making it an ideal setting for gatherings, from family dinners to lively social affairs. The open shelving adds interest, elegance and accessibility, transforming these items into part of the kitchen’s decor. And finally the kitchen island acts as a natural focal point, so we added high bar stools for a breakfast bar to enhances its social aspect, offering a casual spot for morning coffees, quick lunches, or evening cocktails. The house comes with a separate utility which we dressed too, appealing to the functional and organised buyer.

The main living room is giving relaxation and a sense of 'coming home. Soft, plush furnishings in neutral colours are complemented by the stunning centrepiece rug and accent pillows add to make it an inviting area. Artwork, the gorgeous cherries from Rockett St George and strategically placed coffee table books give the room a relaxed feel while keeping it chic and elegant.

We opted for a neutral palette to act as the base and incorporated shades of amber and caramel to bring warmth and a sense of cosiness to the light and airy room. This choice of colour scheme is deliberate as we want to allow the eye to move seamlessly throughout the space, making it feel more expansive and inviting.

We layered this with metallic accents on the decorative pieces to add a contemporary edge, ensuring that the home feels both modern and timeless. In fact, various textures are layered throughout: the rug underfoot is soft and plush and the sofa and soft furnishings add depth and interest and also appeal to the tactile senses, encouraging potential buyers to imagine sinking into this comfortable, serene room.
Natural voiles drape the windows throughout the property, a clever touch that amplifies the sophisticated and breezy feel of the interiors. These light, airy fabrics allow sunlight to filter through gently, illuminating the spaces with a soft, natural glow while ensuring privacy. This element is especially crucial given this property’s context as part of a larger development possibly still under construction. The natural voiles provide a sense of seclusion and tranquility amidst the ongoing development activities, allowing residents to enjoy their homes as peaceful havens without feeling exposed to any construction nearby.

The principal bedroom on the top floor with en-suite is a real retreat, with zones in the space for the bed as well as a dressing area and a luxury shower room.
On the first floor, with the other bedrooms, we added texture with bed-throws, ensuring the crisps linens were well pressed and as we are aiming for a family market, we included a child’s bedroom too with cute nightlight and on trend pastel colours. Conscious as ever of the demands of post-pandemic life, we added a workstation in one of the bedrooms to demonstrate the potential for working from home.

Staging a property like this isn’t just about adding furniture; it’s about presenting a lifestyle that matches the elegance and functionality these homes offer. Through thoughtful styling and strategic design, we’ve transformed an empty box into any buyer's dream home.  What we promise isn't just a house, but a sophisticated, comfortable lifestyle that awaits its new owners.

Are you an agent or developer looking to stage a show home? We’re the proud winners of Showhome of the Year and we’ve worked for large and small developers. Get in touch.