Development Address
Mar Design Report, September 2025
Hi Ted,
I am Raquel and As the founder of Mardesign, I’m passionate about unlocking the full potential of every development. I appreciate that your project is more than just another property – it’s a vision and investment that deserves to stand out. Over the past few years, our team has transformed 50+ developments across the UK, delivering up to 30% ROI on projects by carefully aligning design with strategy.
I’d like to share how a design-led approach focused on your scheme can overcome market challenges and significantly boost your returns. This isn’t a sales pitch; it’s a commitment to elevating your development and tailoring our expertise to achieve your goals.
The UK Market Challenges
Every development operates in a competitive landscape. Buyers and tenants today expect more – modern layouts, quality finishes, and a lifestyle experience. If a project lacks these, the risks are clear: properties that don’t meet market expectations tend to sit vacant or command below-market rents, delaying your ROI. Poor design can lead to lower tenant interest and reduced valuations, especially in high-yield sectors like HMO.
On the other hand, developments that embrace thoughtful design early on consistently outperform their peers. Attractive, well-planned spaces generate stronger demand – resulting in faster sales or lettings and premium values. In fact, investing in professional design and styling can pay off with shorter void periods and quicker sales, as well as higher-quality tenants and offers.
For example, one of our recent projects introduced a design-led finish and subsequently achieved full occupancy with zero voids and a higher rent roll (setting a pricing benchmark in its area). In another case, a boutique development we styled sold 100% of units before completion, far ahead of schedule. These outcomes aren’t luck – they’re the result of aligning design with your target market and development strategy. We will analyze your specific scheme and local market to identify similar opportunities: what comparable projects have achieved with and without design. By understanding the unique challenges of your development’s location and demographic, we can tailor a solution that positions your project to excel where others might struggle.
Without Design
GDV without design: (baseline comparables)
Comparable £/unit (1-bed): £[ ]
Comparable £/unit (2-bed): £[ ]
GDV Uplift: None
With Design
This one-off discussion provides insights into 15 years of industry experience creating comfortable and inspirational homes and workspaces.
After the masterclass, you’ll be empowered to make changes in your business strategy that will see you bring in more clients, and create properties that people will get seriously excited about.
Comparable £/unit (1-bed): £[ ]
Comparable £/unit (2-bed): £[ ]
GDV with design (actual/projected)
GDV Uplift:
This one-off discussion provides insights into 15 years of industry experience creating comfortable and inspirational homes and workspaces.
After the masterclass, you’ll be empowered to make changes in your business strategy that will see you bring in more clients, and create properties that people will get seriously excited about.
Your Development
Brief about development XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Our Vision For Your Development
We begin by envisioning the highest potential for your scheme. Instead of a generic design, we craft a concept that reflects your development’s story, location, and target buyers or tenants. This includes defining an overarching style and mood that will set your project apart. We prepare visual moodboards and concept images to illustrate the proposed design direction – from the color palette and materials to key furniture and lighting choices. These collages give you a tangible sense of how the interiors will look and feel, ensuring our vision resonates with yours before moving forward. We also create a detailed finishes board, selecting fixtures, fittings, and textures (such as flooring, tiles, cabinetry, and fabrics) that embody the quality and character you want. This helps to guarantee every finish – from bespoke joinery to paint colors – aligns with the desired level of luxury and functionality.
Concept imagery and moodboard elements help establish the design style and finishes for the project (e.g., a bold, artsy scheme we curated for a recent development). By exploring these visual concepts together, we can refine the design to perfectly suit your goals and appeal to your market. Finally, to truly bring the vision to life, we utilize 3D Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) to create realistic previews of key spaces in your development. For instance, you will be able to virtually walk through a finished living area or kitchen before construction begins. These lifelike renders not only help you (and potential stakeholders) visualize the end result, but also ensure that the design intent is clearly communicated to everyone involved in the project.
Your Target Market
The Market
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The Lifestyle
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Your Offer
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Your Development Conceptual Finishes
The lifestyle
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Your Offer
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Your Development Interiors
ROI Snapshot & What It Means To Your Development
Good design is not an expense – it’s an investment that yields measurable returns.
We approach every project with ROI in mind, ensuring that design decisions actively contribute to your profit. How does this translate in practical terms? By enhancing your development’s appeal and functionality, we expand its market value. Well-designed properties attract buyers and tenants willing to pay a premium, and they tend to appraise higher due to superior finishes and performance. For rental developments, thoughtful design means higher rents and occupancy; for sale projects, it means faster transactions at top prices. Industry data supports this: professional staging and interior upgrades can increase offer values by a notable percentage and cut down time on market substantially
Our own project experience echoes this. In a recent multi-unit conversion, our design strategy led to all units selling at 5-10% above the local market comparables and months sooner than projected – directly boosting the developer’s profit margin. Another client saw their rental yields jump significantly after we transformed their property’s interior to target young professionals, enabling a higher valuation on refinance. In concrete numbers, Mardesign’s approach has helped developments achieve up to 45% ROI (rate of return on total project cost) as in our Camden case, far surpassing average market returns. Even more telling, that project’s design fee was only a fraction of the added value gained – a true multiple on investment. Typically, interior design services might represent roughly ~10% of a project’s budget.
Yet by yielding 30% or more in increased value, the design investment can pay back 3x+ in return. We calculate these “design ROI multiples” for your scheme: for example, if a £50k design package can potentially unlock £200k in added GDV (Gross Development Value) or profit, that’s a 4:1 return – a smart trade-off by any measure. Our commitment is to ensure every pound you spend on design comes back to you multiplied. We’ll provide a clear forecast of this fee vs uplift equation for your development, so you can move forward with confidence that great design equates to great business.
Without Design
GDV without design: (baseline comparables)
Comparable £/unit (1-bed): £[ ]
Comparable £/unit (2-bed): £[ ]
Design Fee: None
GDV Uplift: None
With Design
This one-off discussion provides insights into 15 years of industry experience creating comfortable and inspirational homes and workspaces.
After the masterclass, you’ll be empowered to make changes in your business strategy that will see you bring in more clients, and create properties that people will get seriously excited about.
Comparable £/unit (1-bed): £[ ]
Comparable £/unit (2-bed): £[ ]
GDV with design (actual/projected)
Design Fee: One-Off Investment
GDV Uplift:
This one-off discussion provides insights into 15 years of industry experience creating comfortable and inspirational homes and workspaces.
After the masterclass, you’ll be empowered to make changes in your business strategy that will see you bring in more clients, and create properties that people will get seriously excited about.
Key Takeaway
design added £[X] GDV to this scheme — a [Y]% uplift. The £[design fee] investment returned ~[X]× in value. Design transformed the project from a market-standard refurbishment into a premium, lifestyle-driven development buyers paid more for.
Marbayham
We guided an investor developer through transforming a derelict building into four 1-bed studios and two 2-bed apartments in Camden, London. By focusing on smart space planning and high-end contemporary finishes, we aimed to appeal to young urban buyers in Camden’s competitive market. Outcome: The results were outstanding – all six units were under offer well before completion, allowing the developer to exit faster and save on carrying costs. The design’s impact on buyer enthusiasm also drove up values; the project achieved a 45% return on investment (ROI), significantly above initial pro forma projections. In short, every £1 spent on design translated to substantial ££ in sale price uplift.
The Market
Market Prices for Refurbished Flats in NW1
1-Bedroom Flats: Fully refurbished one-bedroom flats in the NW1 postcode typically sell in the mid-£400k–£600k range, depending on size and location. This equates to roughly £850–£1,100 per sq ft in many cases. For example, in the Chalk Farm/Camden area of NW1 the average 1-bed flat is around £536 (often ~500–600 sq ft, i.e. ~£900–1,000/ft²). Prime new-build one-beds can reach higher (e.g. £750k+ for ~550 sq ft in Camden Goods Yard, ~£1,300+ per sq ft), but generally a modernised 1-bed in NW1 falls near £500k–£550k for ~500 sq ft (around the £990/ft² median for Camden)bhhslondonproperties.com.
2-Bedroom Flats: Fully refurbished two-bedroom flats in NW1 tend to sell in the high-six or low-seven figures. Many good-spec 2-beds (say ~700–800 sq ft) are marketed around £700k–£900k, which also typically falls in the £900–£1,200 per sq ft range. For instance, a high-standard 2-bed (703 sq ft) on Harmood Grove is listed at £650 (£925/ft²), and £675–£800k is common for modern 2-bed conversions in Camden. The average asking price for a 2-bed flat in Camden Town NW1 is about £980khousesforsaletorent.co.uk (though this mean is skewed by a few ultra-luxury listings up to £5M). In practice, a typical modern 2-bed in NW1 will often be in the £750k–£850k range (roughly in line with the overall median property price ~£822k in Camden. Prime areas (Regent’s Park/Primrose Hill) or new builds can command well above £1M for two bedrooms, but those are outliers.
The Financial
Purchase Price: £2,250,000
Development Cost: £750,000
Sale Price: £4,000,000
Project Profit: £1,000,000
The Outcome
The results were outstanding – all six units were under offer well before completion, allowing the developer to exit faster and save on carrying costs. The design’s impact on buyer enthusiasm also drove up values.
These figures indicate that 81 Bayham Street is achieving higher £/unit (and £/ft²) values than the average modernised flat in NW1. In particular, the 1-beds at ~£600k are perhaps £50k–£100k above what standard refurbished 1-beds might fetch in that locale, and the 2-beds at £800k are similarly at the high end of the local range (e.g. ~£50k+ above an average good 2-bed). This premium in sales price is likely attributable to the project’s design quality and finish, which helps differentiate it from typical refurbishments.
GDV Uplift & ROI
From a return-on-investment perspective, the £25,000 (+ VAT) design fee has yielded an extraordinary increase in GDV. Roughly £0.5M of added GDV can be attributed to the design (as calculated above), against a £25k cost. This equates to an ROI of ~20× on the design spend. In other words, every £1 spent on design generated approximately £20 of additional sales value for the project.
To put it in perspective, the design budget represented less than 1% of the original £3.25M total project cost (purchase + build), yet it boosted the eventual sales outcome by ~14% (from ~£3.5M baseline GDV to £4.0M achieved).
This leverage illustrates the true power of design as an investment rather than a cost. The project’s success shows that strategic, buyer-aligned design not only accelerated sales but also unlocked a significant price premium in Camden’s competitive NW1 market.
“Mar Design helped us sell out off-plan, at prices above our expectations. The finish and layout optimizations gave us a remarkable ROI – we wouldn’t do another project without this level of design input.”
Hussain Al-Najafi. Hayat Developments
Marwalmersley
We guided an investor developer through transforming a derelict building into four 1-bed studios and two 2-bed apartments in Camden, London. By focusing on smart space planning and high-end contemporary finishes, we aimed to appeal to young urban buyers in Camden’s competitive market. Outcome: The results were outstanding – all six units were under offer well before completion, allowing the developer to exit faster and save on carrying costs. The design’s impact on buyer enthusiasm also drove up values; the project achieved a 45% return on investment (ROI), significantly above initial pro forma projections. In short, every £1 spent on design translated to substantial ££ in sale price uplift.
The Market
Market Prices for Refurbished Flats in NW1
1-Bedroom Flats: Fully refurbished one-bedroom flats in the NW1 postcode typically sell in the mid-£400k–£600k range, depending on size and location. This equates to roughly £850–£1,100 per sq ft in many cases. For example, in the Chalk Farm/Camden area of NW1 the average 1-bed flat is around £536 (often ~500–600 sq ft, i.e. ~£900–1,000/ft²). Prime new-build one-beds can reach higher (e.g. £750k+ for ~550 sq ft in Camden Goods Yard, ~£1,300+ per sq ft), but generally a modernised 1-bed in NW1 falls near £500k–£550k for ~500 sq ft (around the £990/ft² median for Camden)bhhslondonproperties.com.
2-Bedroom Flats: Fully refurbished two-bedroom flats in NW1 tend to sell in the high-six or low-seven figures. Many good-spec 2-beds (say ~700–800 sq ft) are marketed around £700k–£900k, which also typically falls in the £900–£1,200 per sq ft range. For instance, a high-standard 2-bed (703 sq ft) on Harmood Grove is listed at £650 (£925/ft²), and £675–£800k is common for modern 2-bed conversions in Camden. The average asking price for a 2-bed flat in Camden Town NW1 is about £980khousesforsaletorent.co.uk (though this mean is skewed by a few ultra-luxury listings up to £5M). In practice, a typical modern 2-bed in NW1 will often be in the £750k–£850k range (roughly in line with the overall median property price ~£822k in Camden. Prime areas (Regent’s Park/Primrose Hill) or new builds can command well above £1M for two bedrooms, but those are outliers.
The Financial
Purchase Price: £2,250,000
Development Cost: £750,000
Sale Price: £4,000,000
Project Profit: £1,000,000
The Outcome
The results were outstanding – all six units were under offer well before completion, allowing the developer to exit faster and save on carrying costs. The design’s impact on buyer enthusiasm also drove up values.
These figures indicate that 81 Bayham Street is achieving higher £/unit (and £/ft²) values than the average modernised flat in NW1. In particular, the 1-beds at ~£600k are perhaps £50k–£100k above what standard refurbished 1-beds might fetch in that locale, and the 2-beds at £800k are similarly at the high end of the local range (e.g. ~£50k+ above an average good 2-bed). This premium in sales price is likely attributable to the project’s design quality and finish, which helps differentiate it from typical refurbishments.
GDV Uplift & ROI
From a return-on-investment perspective, the £25,000 (+ VAT) design fee has yielded an extraordinary increase in GDV. Roughly £0.5M of added GDV can be attributed to the design (as calculated above), against a £25k cost. This equates to an ROI of ~20× on the design spend. In other words, every £1 spent on design generated approximately £20 of additional sales value for the project.
To put it in perspective, the design budget represented less than 1% of the original £3.25M total project cost (purchase + build), yet it boosted the eventual sales outcome by ~14% (from ~£3.5M baseline GDV to £4.0M achieved).
This leverage illustrates the true power of design as an investment rather than a cost. The project’s success shows that strategic, buyer-aligned design not only accelerated sales but also unlocked a significant price premium in Camden’s competitive NW1 market.
“Raquel isn’t just an interior designer, she’s someone you can fully trust to take your vision and bring it to life at a level you didn’t think was possible.
Thanks to her design work, we’re now achieving a higher-end valuation on the property than we originally planned, and that’s all down to her incredible interior design.”
Ben & Gareth Taylor-Smith, Taylor-Smith Properties
Let’s Chat
I hope this gives you a clear sense of how we can add value to your development through intelligent design. Each development is unique, and we’re excited by the opportunity to tailor our approach to your project’s needs. The next step is simple: let’s have a conversation about your scheme, your challenges, and your vision. We offer a free design discovery call where we can discuss ideas and answer any questions you might have. This no-obligation call is a great way to explore how a design partnership could work for you.
Ultimately, our goal is to help you achieve a successful, high-performing development that realizes your ambitions – whether that’s selling quickly at peak price, attracting top-tier tenants, or building an iconic property you’re proud of. We’d love to bring our expertise to the table and see how we can assist.
Please feel free to reach out directly at @raquel@mar-design.co.uk or +44(0)795515 2616 or book a free introductory call to discuss your project in detail.