The Coach House
Clifton Village, Bristol
Staging and styling this incredible coach house for Richard Harding’s client was a superb experience for Porter & Gold. It is an incredible building, with 3 gardens (two of them roof terraces), and huge windows letting in natural light throughout the property. The developer, Frank McGoldrick, built this a few years ago, and he added long lasting functional and beautiful elements throughout, and a very modern design that has aged well. Concrete flooring in the kitchen, open oak staircases, stainless steel worktops, Velux windows everywhere! Coincidently, when I was 18 and living in Clifton Wood, I used to work for Frank McGoldrick in his antique interiors shop opposite York Cafe (once a greasy spoon, no longer!). He stocked crazy mid century furniture, art and amazing old wooden antique pieces and that job has become part of my lifelong education in antiques and vintage in interiors.
The property: A striking four-bedroom period coach house in the heart of Clifton Village
Set across approx. 2,900 sq.ft., this beautifully reimagined coach house went on to the market at £1,795,000 in late February. This imaginative home pairs generous proportions with state of the art design details and a calm palette of natural materials including wood floors, metal and stone. High ceilings, large windows and glass ceiling panels flood the space with light, creating a sense of volume and ease throughout. There’s ample outdoor space too, with a private courtyard on the ground floor, with huge sliding doors from the open plan dining area, and two roof terraces, with the added benefit (rare as hen's teeth in Clifton!) of a (huge) spacious garage/studio (with EV charging), offering real flexibility for future development ideas too. Tucked away in the heart of Clifton Village, the local cafés, restaurants and independent (antique & art) shops, and the short walk to The Downs and Clifton Suspension Bridge, makes this location as special as the home itself.
Our client & the objective:
Richard Harding estate agents in Clifton invited us to stage this remarkable four bedroom coach house in Clifton, ahead of its launch onto the market. With the owners already moved out, the goal was to create a warm, aspirational atmosphere that matched the property’s architectural quality and price point.
Our Role:
Porter & Gold’s role at this property was to work with the furniture and built-in cabinetry was already in place. As the owners had already moved out, it felt bare and needed some soulful elements to enhance the large open space. We went to work on this by dressing it with antiques, textiles, accessories, vintage rugs and art on the huge blank walls. We sourced low bamboo garden furniture and huge 120 x 120 art pieces by Jane
Kell to dress the walls. We also used a collection of 1960s abstract paintings in our archive and a lot of antique rugs - one made by Samaya’s grandparents.
The Challenges:
The scale of the property!
This was a very large and bare space to dress, so finding art, rugs and pieces of furniture large enough not to ‘disappear’ once in the rooms / on the walls was one of the biggest challenges we faced. With several large rooms spread over three floors, and a huge open-plan ground floor, another key challenge was creating flow and cohesion in the styling, while maximising light (and always that large scale). We also had an issue with the cleaners not finishing their work as agreed (we since have found an amazing cleaning team). Another challenge was getting the vast windows, glass doors and ceiling panels cleaned, luckily we have an amazing window cleaner, James, who came and worked for hours, inside and out, to get all the glass shining ready for launch day.
Creative Approach
Porter & Gold interpreted the property as a perfect home for entertaining, relaxing and a peaceful retreat for creatives. Each room was dressed to give a purpose and soul, from the large kitchen and dining area to the cosy New York style loft style bedrooms.
● We tailored our interior design for the buyer that would enjoy a large space like this, with the stainless steel and concrete kitchen, abstract modern art on the walls, antiques, entertaining friends and deep creative work.
● We included 7 large pieces of modern art, antique rugs, and mid century classic pieces such as Vitra Panton chairs.
● Key aesthetic elements: Those large abstract paintings! The many pieces of antique wood furniture, and rare objects such as the striped African masks and gilded carved Godolphin.
● As per usual practice for Porter & Gold, we used our bespoke pieces, vintage finds and sustainable materials throughout this staging project.
Process & Timeline
After Richard Harding introduced us to the homeowner, Samaya visited the property to consult on what would be needed to bring this home to life. After the proposal was accepted, we got to work on our design, sourcing and project managing the installation. We collaborated with trades, cleaners and delivery drivers and the project moved from concept to installation in under three weeks, with our team managing everything from furniture sourcing to final styling on the day of the photography, which was done by Leighton James, The Property Photographer.
The results
Richard Harding reported several successful viewings in the first couple of weeks with lots of interest, followed by an offer within 5 weeks of going on the market. This incredible home is now sold! The power of staging for visual impact and transformation is magnetic for property buyers. This project was a joy to work on, not only because of the architectural beauty of the coach house, but because of the collaborative atmosphere between us, Richard Harding and the photographer working together for the client. It reinforced just how powerful thoughtful staging can be in helping buyers fall in love with a home, including strikingly different ones like this!
What our clients are saying:
Show home design:
“We had the pleasure of working with Samaya at Porter and Gold for our latest development, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Samaya’s eye for detail and ability to transform spaces is unmatched! From the moment the Porter and Gold team stepped in, they understood our vision and elevated each home with beautiful, on-trend furnishings and thoughtful design touches that brought every room to life. Their work undoubtedly contributed to the quick and successful sales of our properties. If you are looking for a home stager who blends creativity, professionalism, expertise and fun, Samaya at Porter and Gold is the one to choose!“
- Richard McCluskey / YTL / Nest Homes
Interior design for show home:
“Porter & Gold provided us with interior design and staging services at our conversion project in South Gloucestershire. Samaya was superb to work with throughout and the staged show home looked beautiful. She has great energy, passion and a fantastic eye for detail. We're very glad we made the appointment and will certainly be using Porter & Gold again! Thank you!”
- James Adams , Fairholm Estates
Home staging:
“We have worked with Samaya on helping us present several Bristol homes for sale. She always does a fantastic job, has an amazing eye for detail, a style which sets Porter and Gold apart and an infectious enthusiasm which makes her a pleasure to work with. The results have always been hugely positive and our clients are extremely grateful for her involvement. Keep doing what you're doing Samaya“
- Nick Stopard, Director of Boardwalk estate agents
Home staging, Bristol:
"Within one week of (Samaya) staging my flat I had 10 + viewings and 3 OFFERS - one of which is over the ORIGINAL asking price (it had been lowered by 5%) in a tough market! It's magic, you did a great job - thank you!."
- Nish Patel (home owner, Bristol)
Sourcing for design, New York:
"I get so much inspiration working with Samaya's curated pieces for our work in New York. A wide universe, full of history and patina is always opening for me in her spaces, and in her presence"
- Daniela Kamiliotis, Artist and Creative Director at Ralph Lauren.
Sourcing for interiors, Frome:
"I have been a loyal customer of Samaya’s for several years and have purchased some exquisite pieces from her collection. She has the ability to source truly remarkable items, and her taste is impeccable!"
- Pearl Lowe, designer, writer, singer
Editorial & living spaces:
“For over a decade I have watched in admiration as Samaya has created considered and soulful interiors which exude a familiar feeling of comfort, yet are refreshingly new”.
- Alice Roberton, writer and stylist at The Sunday Telegraph, Period Living, Homes & Antiques, Country Living, and other interior publications.
Sourcing & Staging Project, Plymouth:
"I love working with Porter and Gold and will be again! They’ve successfully turned around two properties for me: a home stage property that sold immediately, and a fully booked airbnb. Porter and Gold’s eye for detail and sourcing knowledge, coupled with their fun and professional work ethic, makes it a joy to work with them - the end results were above and beyond my expectations."
- Rob Brown, Fitzgerald Property Services LTD, Intelligent solutions for landlords
Home staging in Montpelier, Bristol:
‘When I first saw the house Samaya had styled I was blown away. The owners choice of colours and sympathetic changes also worked sensitively with the building to show it off in the best possible light. It felt instantly like a place you wanted to live in.’