Buy-To-Let Renovation In London: Refreshing The Living Room & Bedroom
We’re continuing with our series focusing on an ongoing renovation of a buy-to-let project in London, and we’re going to focus on the bedroom and living room of the property. We’ve worked closely with the client to understand more about exactly what they wanted to see from the updates to both rooms – find out more about our approach and the considerations we made.
Renovation brief for each space
Below, we’ve detailed some of the key aspects of our work across both rooms, as guided by our clients vision for the property.
Turning unused fireplaces into decorative focal points
In both the living room and the bedroom, there was an original fireplace, though they hadn’t been maintained so they weren’t bringing anything to the room in terms of aesthetics or functionality. Since this was a buy-to-let property, the client wanted us to strip out the fireplaces, avoiding any potential misuse by future tenants.
A full removal wasn’t our team’s agenda though, as this process can actually cause problems in the long run. Instead of removing them completely, we proposed a creative conversion of the fireplaces into decorative spaces, where books, artworks, vases, and various objects can be displayed. The interior of each fireplace was closed, reconstructed, and repainted in continuity with the rest of the walls. For the same reason of creating a cohesive space, we added skirting boards to the surrounding wall. Shelves were then installed inside the fireplaces to enhance their practical function, while the surrounds were removed to achieve a simpler and more minimal look.
Revamping the flooring
Our clients wanted to keep the existing floor in the corridor and staircase, as it was made of a very fine wood with a grain and quality that she really liked. Replacing the entire staircase would also have been extremely costly, both in terms of time and budget – while our client wasn’t in a rush to complete the work, they wanted it to be done in a timely manner Therefore our challenge became matching new flooring in the bedroom and living room with this existing wooden surface.
Our interior designers had to find a material as similar as possible to the original flooring, but given the difficulty of sourcing an identical match, we opted for unfinished wood. We managed to blend the two different types of flooring together by using a colour treatment, topping it with a strengthening coat applied across all floors.
Painting the ceilings and walls
Given the purpose of the property, our clients had the vision of creating a relatively blank canvas in terms of the colour scheme. By avoiding any overuse of bold, statement colours, we’d be able to boost the appeal of the property as tenants can bring their own touches and colour additions through soft furnishings and decor.
The walls and ceilings were treated and decorated in the same way to create clean and comfortable environments. The window frames were also redecorated, and new recessed spotlights were added to achieve a flush, simple, and clean effect. Pairing minimalistic paint choices with chic, simple fixtures kept the kind of clean slate that our clients felt their tenants would appreciate and take care of.
The value of our expertise at this stage
You’ll hear from our design team, but also from the wider network of professionals that might be involved. Depending on the complexity of the project, we’ll bring in specialist consultants early – this might be structural engineers, MEP experts, or planning consultants, helping to make sure we’re working with a complete picture. Their input is critical in avoiding any unwanted surprises down the line. This early integration of specialist knowledge helps us design with confidence – not just for aesthetics or function, but for compliance, performance, and longevity. The aim is to anticipate what the planners will want to see, what they might push back on, and how to present the strongest possible case.
Top things to consider when renovating a buy-to-let property in London
Renovating a buy-to-let property is a slightly different kind of challenge, as we’re not necessarily just thinking about what our clients want – we have to manage how the refreshed space will appeal to future tenants. We want these kinds of renovations to contribute to a maximised return on investment for those who own these properties, so here are a few things that we’d take into consideration:
Durable finishes and fixtures
Ideally, the fixtures and finishes in a buy-to-let-renovation should be long-lasting to give landlords as little input as possible – anything too high maintenance will just result in unwanted expense. We take this into account when renovating this type of property, and we’ll choose materials for flooring, furnishings, and fixtures that are durable, as tarnish-resistant as possible, without taking away from the aesthetic of the space.
Neutral, adaptable colour palettes
A bright, boldly decorated space might be to your preferences, and we have managed to make this kind of palette work on countless occasions – but it’s not necessarily the best choice for those with buy-to-let properties. Ideally, you’ll want a space where tenants can put their own touch on the space with decor and furniture, rather than having to make their items suit the space. The ‘blank canvas’ that we described for this project is exactly how you ensure that tenants aren’t put off a property, as it gives them the flexibility to customise.
Practical use of the space
In many buy-to-let properties, the usable square-footage isn’t massive, so your renovation needs to also serve as a means of making optimal use of the space. In the way we partially removed the existing fireplaces in this property, we were able to create an alternative kind of focal point in each room, without adding anything too obstructive to the space. This clever usage of the existing room is the perfect approach for a buy-to-let.
Choose We Love Build for your London buy-to-let renovation project
As a team of trusted general contractors in London, We Love Build has worked on countless buy-to-let renovation projects. We’ve refreshed properties throughout that go on to generate a higher rental income, showing our clients a clear return on investment. To find out more, or to book a free design consultation, simply contact us and we’ll be in touch. In the meantime, take a look at our latest residential renovation projects, including this spacious rear extension in Kentish Town, and an immaculate transformation with our South East London basement renovation.
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