It didn’t take long for the offers to roll in after interior designer Lauren Liess listed her Great Falls, Virginia, home for sale in early March. Known for her trademark earthy style, Leiss had the five-bedroom residence completely remodeled with natural wood flooring and exposed beam ceilings that infused the 5,600-square-foot home with a warm, inviting palette. After just one weekend of showings, the six-acre property overlooking a private pond had an accepted offer on its $2.5 million asking price.
“We had a ton of showings lined up, and then we were reviewing offers by Sunday,” says listing agent Daan De Raedt of Property Collective. “The owners picked the best one, and now we’re under contract.”
There’s little debate on the value of interior design when it comes to selling a home. It typically helps a property sell faster, and for a higher price, offering a larger return on the investment, housing experts say.
So what happens when an interior designer puts a home on the market that embodies their own personal style? Here’s a look at properties currently for sale owned by people who spend their days creating beautiful spaces for other people. The timing of their listings couldn’t be better: U.S. home prices are rising at the fastest pace in 15 years, reflecting how fiercely buyers are competing for a limited supply of homes in nearly every corner of the country.
Inside the grand dining room of Robert Couturier’s Kent home
Robert Couturier, Kent, Connecticut
Price: $5,900,000
Brokerage: William Pitt Sotheby’s
Architect and interior designer Robert Couturier has been translating detailed visions into masterful interiors for decades. So it’s little surprise that his own home would indulge in those same elegant, contemporary design traits. Set against the backdrop of North Spectacle Lake in South Kent, the four-bedroom home is surrounded by extensive, formal gardens created by Miranda Brooks. Couturier designed the classically-inspired 4,048 square foot residence in 2001 on a 14-acre property abutting a land trust. The grounds include a 1710 guesthouse, two-car garage, and Gunite pool. Each room of the residence enjoys either views of the private lake or gardens.
A horse stands tall outside of Dixon Trail, originally designed by legendary architect Paul Williams.
