by Kristjan Byfield
Shoreditch sub-penthouse reset: why “paint and discount” is expensive advice
We took a Shoreditch sub-penthouse to market in August 2025. Viewings happened. Offers didn’t.
At the time, demand from tenants was already starting to soften. In a market like that, a lot of landlords get told the same two things:
• repaint it and relaunch
• reduce the price until it bites
We don’t work like that.
Because when a premium rental stalls, the question usually isn’t “how low do we go?”
It’s “what is the market seeing that we’re ignoring?”
So I visited the property in person to understand the friction.
The diagnosis: not bad, just tired
This home has been let and managed by base since 2010. Completed in 2003, much of the original specification was still in place: kitchen, fittings, and the bespoke en suite installed at the time.
It wasn’t “wrong”. It was simply of its era. And in Shoreditch’s upper tier, that matters. Tenants who pay top-of-market rent are buying a feeling as much as a floorplan.
The home needed a reset.
The decision: refresh vs full refurb
We presented the owner with two routes:
Option 1: Refresh (c. £40k)
A strategic tidy-up: selective upgrades, repainting, and a few improvements to sharpen it up.
Option 2: Full refurb (c. £60k)
A full reset: new kitchen, new bathroom and en suite, updated lighting, hardware, and a cohesive design approach that would perform for years.
There was a meaningful cost gap of around £20,000, so the refresh was tempting. Our recommendation was still the full refurb.
Why? Because partial upgrades often backfire. You modernise one element and the older elements suddenly look even older. You end up with a property that feels mid-journey, and mid-journey does not command top-tier rent.
The owner agreed. It turned out to be the right call for a second reason too.
The hidden win: what a rip-out reveals
During the strip-out we uncovered two small leaks (kitchen and bathroom) that had gone unnoticed for years. The subfloor had taken a battering and needed replacing.
This is the part landlords rarely see when they are offered “just paint it” advice. Cosmetic work can hide risk. Proper refurbishment finds it, fixes it, and prevents the future nightmare.
A refresh would likely have left that damage concealed, ready to resurface later as an expensive emergency at exactly the wrong moment.
Magnolia doesn’t perform (and Shoreditch proves it)
We’ve always taken a strong stance: magnolia homes don’t perform.
The idea of creating a “safe” aesthetic so it doesn’t put anyone off is flawed. Why? Because for the same reason, no one falls in love with it.
The best outcomes in lettings (and sales, and short lets) are driven by emotion. People commit with the heart, then justify with the head.
So we designed this home to win hearts. And we made sure the design was practical enough to keep winning for years.
Design brief: Shoreditch, not generic London
Shoreditch has always had a tight connection to architecture, interiors, and art. It is a place where design literacy is normal, not niche. In recent years, the local ecosystem has only strengthened with more premium interior and design brands in the area.
Our target resident was clear: creatively inspired, time-poor professionals who want a home that feels intentional and works hard.
So we led the design end-to-end:
• cohesive colour strategy
• lighting and hardware choices
• kitchen redesign to improve function and flow
• bathrooms that feel boutique-hotel, not developer-default
The design that performs (what we changed)
This is what “design-led but landlord-smart” looks like.
Kitchen: functional, bold, built for real life
We moved away from the old “safe” look and delivered a kitchen with impact: deep green cabinetry, clean lines, black detailing, and a cohesive terrazzo-effect finish that wraps the space.
It looks premium because it is. It also works:
• better flow and usability
• strong storage without cluttering the walls
• a layout that suits people who actually cook, not just people who reheat
Bathrooms: boutique-hotel energy without the fragility
The bathrooms are where renters decide whether a home feels expensive. We created spaces that feel calm, grown-up and high-end, with a design language that runs throughout: terrazzo-effect surfaces, matte black detailing, modern vanity solutions and lighting that actually flatters humans, not just tiles.
Colour drenching: calm, confident, memorable
We chose a colour palette that gives the home identity. Not loud for the sake of it. Intentional. The kind of calm confidence that attracts the right resident.
Lifestyle: the terrace and the light finally get their moment
The property always had great bones: volume, glazing, and natural light. The refurbishment and staging made the lifestyle legible. You don’t rent square footage. You rent a feeling.
Marketing with impact: dressed to impress
We wanted the home to hit the market with maximum clarity and desire, so we brought in Lemon & Lime Interiors to stage it.
Staging isn’t about pretending a property comes furnished. It is about helping residents see themselves living there. That one shift reduces friction, increases perceived value, and changes the way people talk about a home after a viewing.
Programme: fast, controlled, deliberate
From start of works to dressed and ready, the full transformation took around 4.5 weeks, delivered in close collaboration with one of our most trusted contractors.
The outcome: the record this home was built to achieve
The property has now achieved over £4,000 pcm, the highest rent it has ever achieved.
We secured a high-end couple who work nearby, love the Shoreditch lifestyle, and have a very comfortable income-to-rent ratio. From a landlord perspective, that is what “secure let” actually looks like.
And from the owner, Robin:
• “Couldn’t agree more, Kristjan. In my opinion, the thoughtful work you and your team have done both inside and outside my flat has elevated the entire building.”
• “It looks awesome! Wow. I wish I was there to see it in person.”
The landlord takeaway: this is what “diamond standard” looks like
A lot of the industry is still set up to optimise for speed. Get someone in, get paid, move on.
We optimise for outcomes:
• long-term performance
• reduced maintenance risk
• compliance readiness
• tenant quality
• and homes people genuinely want to live in
If your rental is “fine” but not flying, that is usually a signal. Not to discount. To reset.
Want us to assess your property like an asset, not just a listing?
Book a base Asset Reset Review and we’ll show you the refresh vs refurb options, where the market is moving, and what will deliver the strongest long-term return.
