Rightmove chats to George Clarke plus 241 tickets to the Ideal Home Show

To celebrate this month’s Ideal Home Show in London, Rightmove sat down with architect and TV presenter (and Rightmove addict!) George Clarke to discuss his dream home and his top tips to make a space amazing.

Don’t miss our 241 offer code below for tickets to the Ideal Home Show at Earls Court 14th-30th March.

What makes a space an amazing space?

This is difficult to qualify. It is something that takes your breath away, a space that you find unique, clever, creative and beautiful at the same time. It’s a cliché phrase but it is a space with a real ‘wow factor’.

“My Dream Home” is…

My dream home is an ocean view contemporary home in a warm part of the States.

What is the most common oversight when planning of an amazing space?

The most common oversight tends to be people not spending enough time drawing all the options imaginable at the design stage. Drawing with a pencil and working out ideas is cheaper than making major mistakes in the actual build.

What are your top tips for living in a small space?

Plan the space properly

Use every square inch of available space, even space at high level

Clever integrated storage design is everything otherwise your small space with be a mess

Use any architectural tricks you can with light, colours, mirrors and artwork to make the space feel bigger

Only buy the furniture you actually need and buy the smallest functional size possible

Think about how multifunctional the space and your furniture can be; a room can be reconfigured to perform more than one function

How important is practicality over design?

For me, good design is something that is stunningly beautiful but practical at the same time. Saying that I love follies in the landscape which serve no practical function whatsoever other than enhancing the landscape so maybe enhancing the landscape is a function…now I’m confused.

What’s your favourite ‘amazing space’ you discovered whilst filming the last series of ‘Amazing Spaces’ and why?

The restoration of Bertie Blue who was an abandoned 1950’s ambulance that a family converted in a mobile holiday home. This was a project packed with character, style and some great British history thrown in for good measure. It was also a genius multi-functional space created by a lovely family who had never done anything like it before in their lives.

Have you ever used Rightmove for research, if so how?

I’m addicted to Rightmove. It’s important that I keep my finger on the pulse of the entire property market so I’m always doing searches on Rightmove.

What are your tips for finding an ideal home in London?

In London it is all about finding an ideal home you can afford. My top tip would be to find something that is tired, you can hopefully get a good deal on and then add value to the proper by doing it up, ideally by yourself to keep the refurbishment costs down.

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Whether you have a substantial home project or want to add those finishing touches to your dream home, the Ideal Home Show sponsored by Quiet Mark has everything you need. From 14^th – 30^th March 2014, this iconic British Home Show will return to Earls Court, London for its 106^th Year!

Book your tickets now and take advantage of our great 2 for 1 ticket offer. Get 2 Weekday tickets for £16.50 or 2 Weekend tickets for £18.50. To book visit www.idealhomeshow.co.uk or call 0844 858 6763 and quote RM241*.

*Book before 13 March 2014. Offer valid on Adult On the Door ticket prices only, (£16.50 weekday, £18.50 Weekend). Concessions not included. £1.70 transaction fee applies. Children aged 15 and under go FREE when accompanied by a paying adult (Maximum 2).