Creating Show Homes That Sell

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that I’m a true maximalist at heart. I adore character, colour and a well-layered interior that tells a story. My own home is full of books, art, vintage finds and bold wallpaper that makes me smile every time I walk past it. But when it comes to styling show homes, I rein that instinct in.

While a beautifully styled home should always feel warm and inviting, the goal is very different from designing for an individual. You’re not reflecting one personality; rather you’re creating a space that allows everyone who walks through the door to imagine their own life there.

You want potential buyers to feel calm, comfort and aspiration with a décor scheme that says, “I could live here.” That’s why balance is key: the space needs personality, but never so much that it feels prescribed.

I start by thinking: Are we talking first-time homeowners, young families or downsizers looking for something elegant and manageable? And every detail - from the colours to the furniture scale - flows from that imagined lifestyle.

Layers, Light and Lifestyle

The best show homes feel considered rather than contrived. I always think in terms of layers -

textures, finishes and soft furnishings that add depth without clutter. Natural light plays a huge role too. Heavy drapes might look dramatic in my own home, but in a show home I’ll often go for sheers or light linens to let the sun do its work.

Then there’s layout and flow. Furniture placement should guide the visitor intuitively from one space to the next, showing off both function and potential. You want people to picture where they’d sit for morning coffee, where the kids might play or how they’d host friends for dinner.

A Seamless Colour Palette

Using one colour family across multiple rooms creates a sense of harmony and calm - a natural rhythm, if you will, that helps visitors move effortlessly from space to space. In a show home, consistency is powerful. Too many contrasting colours can break the flow or feel disjointed; a cohesive palette, by contrast, helps the home feel larger, more balanced, and beautifully thought through. You can still create variety by playing with tones and textures - sage in one room, olive or moss in another - but everything still feels connected, as though the house is telling one elegant story.

Holding Back the Maximalist

My inner maximalist always wants to add one more pattern, another picture, a bolder shade of paint. But styling show homes is a masterclass in restraint. It’s about editing as much as decorating. I’ll use texture where I might otherwise use colour; a statement piece of art instead of a gallery wall. You can still inject warmth and style, but it has to be done with subtlety.

The trick is to leave room for imagination. Buyers should be able to project themselves into the space - to see their own photographs on the sideboard, their favourite chair by the window. That’s what turns a viewing into an emotional connection.

The Finishing Touches

Finally, it’s the small details that elevate a show home from good to irresistible. A well-chosen scent, a stack of design books, the right artwork in just the right spot. These are the touches that make a space feel lived-in without actually being lived in.

And while every project is different, the principle remains the same: you’re not just styling a property -you’re creating a feeling. A show home should be aspirational, yes, but also believable. A place that feels achievable, warm, and ready to embrace someone’s next chapter.

So while my own home may be full of layers, colour and curated chaos, my show homes are a more measured. Because when you get that balance right - between personality and possibility - that’s when people fall in love with a space.