A summer update from Porter & Gold
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks here at Porter & Gold. This blog post is a quick (and hopefully entertaining) update on our recent staging and styling projects in Bristol, along with some moments that feel important to share.
It also feels like the world is turning very fast right now, with shocking events seemingly happening daily. Staying informed and active is vital (my mum was the greatest activist I’ve ever known), and many of us probably need a good break from social media, the news, and even work, to process it all. I took a break and spent last weekend camping in Wales on a farm where they have horses, and no phone signal. It was a beautiful way to restore my mind and spirit, and get a good chunk of time offline, and be in nature with the beautiful horses in the Welsh countryside, and for midsummers day too. Now, it’s back to work with Sara here at our headquarters (aka the kitchen table) and we are sorting out the diary and getting some back end business time work done for summer ahead.
The Talk at The House Directory Live
First up: My recent talk (May 7th) at The House Directory Live, in London, alongside my brilliant friend and colleague Alice Roberton (writer and stylist). Angel Tan from The House Directory invited us to speak at their live event at The Decorative Fair in Battersea. Although we were both pretty nervous beforehand, a bit of old-school preparation, some amazing support from our friends and family, and a bit of RTT hypnosis (not joking!) helped us pull it off.
Our talk at this amazing interior show focused on Styling for Photography with vintage and antique pieces. We styled a small set, live on stage, using stunning armchairs, rugs and artwork borrowed from the Decorative Fair’s sellers stands. We even had a microphone and a slideshow (my tech skills are improving no end), and discussed everything from photography ideas, ‘relaxed cushions’ (to chop or not to chop) to interior lighting, how to dress a chest of drawers and where to buy vintage outside of London.
Alice and I work in different ways. Alice styles and writes articles for titles like The Telegraph, Period Living, Country Living and Homes & Antiques, as well as creating marketing content for Fine & Country in Bath and Bristol. My styling work is mostly with estate agents, from fully staging empty homes to dressing surfaces for photography, and occasionally styling and prop hire for other interior designers looking to document finished projects for their portfolios and social media.
Styling for staging is another beast entirely, and I love being there when the estate agent’s photographer is in the house (especially Leighton James). When staging a home, a minimalist interior look can work beautifully for in person viewings - if it’s immaculate and furnished with care - however! In photos, a minimalist can look bare, boring and flat.
For shoots, I’ll often tweak things room by room to create more dynamic, appealing compositions and then set everything back in place for the viewings (with help from my amazing team). Alice’s editorial work, by contrast, involves weeks of planning followed by one or two full days on site, usually working with her photographer partner Tamsyn Morgans, capturing every detail for a magazine feature. Thank you to Angel Tan for having us at this incredible event, and if you want to attend in Autumn keep an eye on The Decorative Fair’s website.
Buying News & Vintage Sourcing Tips:
Some of the vintage finds I picked up in May and June might just be the best I’ve ever come across! Some of the pieces I found include: curved 1960s bamboo chairs and shelves, Italian leather 1980s sofas, 1900s oil paintings (nudes and florals), a huge 1800s tapestry, vintage Persian rugs, carved bowls, French garden chairs, gold-framed mirrors, the list goes on.
If you’re keen to source vintage and antique pieces for your own projects, I highly recommend Shepton Flea, the excellent A.S. Fairs, and local Bristol shops like Focus on the Past (Clifton Village), Bristol Reclamation (Beauly Road), and Dear Old Thing (North Street).
I make regular stops at auctions, antiques shops and flea markets wherever I travel, and since I work frequently in Penzance, Cornwall, I’ve built up quite the directory of spots down there too. (Drop me an email if you’d like some tips for Bristol or PZ).
Busy Staging Season in Bristol:
Our staging work has been full-on this spring, especially with our work for the brilliant team at Richard Harding estate agents. We've helped prepare everything from ex-rentals to large family homes in Clifton Village.
One four-bedroom house we fully staged for them went on the market in mid-May and had an incredible response, with over 12 viewings and an offer above guide price within 24 hours - here is a link to the listing on rightmove. We absolutely love this kind of result for our clients.
Not Every Project Is Straightforward:
Of course, not every project runs perfectly. In May, we had a client ask for several changes after the initial staging, feeling that it didn’t match her expectations. It was a first for us, and we did everything we could to accommodate her feedback, adjusting the styling and talking it through to reach a positive outcome.
Thankfully, the agent (Richard Harding) and photographer (Leighton James) were both really pleased with the final result. I’ll share the listing as soon as it’s live, fingers crossed for another quick sale!
A recent review for our staging work in Bristol:
And some more good news! Here is a testimonial (& 5 star google review, received on the 26th of June 2025), from an apartment that we staged for our lovely clients, which sold with agents Savills, in Bristol:
“We used Porter & Gold to "stage" our flat on the Downs in Bristol after our previous sale had fallen through. They aren't cheap by any means and their fee was quite a lot more than competitors. However we were won over by Samaya's obvious enthusiasm and clear understanding of how to present our flat to the best advantage. Her quote included a full specification of her vision. Samaya made arrangements to fully deck out the flat, even touching up and repainting where needed. The end result made our lovely flat even more desirable. We had an offer at full asking price within a week of going on the market. I am convinced that had we not used her services we would have struggled to sell at the price we did and that alone more than covered the expense of her services. Indeed I am sure that what she did to present the flat at its most flattering possibly added up to £25K to what we might otherwise have achieved. Samaya was most helpful throughout the process and I would have no hesitation in recommending her.”
Coming soon:
Last week we staged a truly stunning home for Rupert Oliver. It’s not live yet, and I am assisting on the photoshoot tomorrow! We’ll be sharing it soon on social media - and if you visit our instagram you will see some sneak peeks and a before and after of the living room.
Wishing you all a beautiful summer ahead,, and thank you for reading this blog post!
Samaya
(Director, Porter & Gold)
A few Home styling and staging statistics for you:
You may have heard of home staging and interior styling, and if so then you already know the benefits it can add! However, if you'd like more information, a few statistics and some examples, then this section is for you.
100% of property experts say that interior styling is an important marketing tool when selling homes (Knight Frank interiors LinkedIn article 23/8/23).
About 75% of home sellers receive a return on investment (ROI) of between 5 - 15% over the asking price when their homes are professionally staged before putting them on the market.
Staging can help increase the actual market sale price by 20% on average.
Investing early in staging avoids having to reduce the price of your house later in the process. (information from the Architectural Digest, August 2023)
Home staging makes it easier for up to 87% of people to visualise a property as their future home.
Staging increases the number of viewings, and the amount of time people spend viewing a property.
Home Stage & Styling consultation service with Samaya:
Introducing our home styling and staging service, designed to help homeowners maximise the sale value of their homes. Interior decor expert, Samaya Ling, known for her exceptional ability to craft living spaces that truly resonate with people. Samaya will personally guide you in creating an inviting, warm, and irresistibly appealing environment that will captivate potential buyers.
This service is perfect for homes that already have a solid foundation, are well decorated, and already furnished. Samaya can add her expertise to advise you on creating a statement area in your home for really adding a unique look to your property, as well as room layouts, shelf and wall displays, and art and object placement in just the right spots, alongside practical advice on clutter and minor decoration that may be needed.
When you come to the time to sell your property, please get in touch and we'll have a chat to see if this service is a good fit for you. If it seems like a good way to go, we'll set you up with a meeting with Samaya and she can then help you make the decor changes that will really catch the eye of potential buyers and make your house shine.
During the style and stage appointment, Samaya will work with you to create a clear plan of action for preparing your house for photography and viewings to make sure your property is looking its absolute best. It is important to note that the styling is not just for when the estate agents do the photos! It is for the in person viewings too, as this is when the real wow factor of styling and staging works its magic. After Samaya’s visit you will receive an email document with a list of the recommendations to use as a guide for getting your home ready to sell. We are confident that this staging and styling consultation service will enhance the appeal and boost the sale value of your home and you can read our testamonials here!
The Home style and staging consultation service costs from £650.00. Email us here to book in a time to chat about your property.
Contact us to make an inquiry and see if we are a good fit to help you sell your home! Love from the team at Porter & Gold
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