Experts in creating beautiful and practical living spaces, Mink Home specialise in styling homes to sell. Having left their mark on a number of properties for sale across Brisbane, we sat down with director Deborah Linder to learn more about how the business was born.
“In 2007 I decided to take my love-affair with property to another level. I was going to be a property flipper! After completing a 12 month property mentoring program, I took on my very first renovation project. I bought one of the ugliest homes I could find - it was in Wavell Heights, and I was so excited!
My excitement soon turned to despair as the GFC hit big time and the market spectacularly crashed. So my plans for a big renovation had to quickly change – and I needed to sell as fast as possible to avoid losing money.
So, I quickly painted, re-carpeted and remodelled the kitchen and bathroom. I had to cancel my plans for the big deck upstairs and the beautiful landscaping. When it was time to sell, I decided to invest $1500 on rental furniture and I styled every room of the property.
I really didn’t even know what property styling was back then or the difference it could make. I just knew I wanted to turn my ‘reno-deal’ into an irresistible home and lifestyle.
The result? The property sold for $530,000 ($35,000 over the listing price) in just 12 days, to the second group of buyers through.
I was amazed! That was the exact moment I decided to create my company, Mink Home.
In the beginning it was tough. No one was doing it, and it was considered a little weird. People just didn’t get it, and I had to explain the concept over and over again, to both sellers and agents.
Fast forward 10 years and I still get to create beautiful interiors every day - and I never stop buying furniture and looking for the perfect accessory or cushion…
Sometimes I think it’s time for a change, but the problem is I can’t imagine anything else I would rather be doing - well, apart from sitting on a white, sandy beach with a fresh coconut in my hand… but that’s not really a long-term option!”
While Mink Home may have started from humble beginnings, their expertise in interior styling is evidenced through the dedication of Deborah and her team. Kudos to them for growing the company to what it is today!