Two-bedroom homes and flats
Two-bedroom homes are the most common size in the town, at about 42% of households, and flats account for 27.8% of homes. Smaller rooms show every flaw in the walls, so we spend the time on filling and sanding rather than relying on paint to hide them. In a flat we also plan access: stairwells, parking and where to mix without crowding a shared hallway.
For landlords, Little Greene Intelligent Matt Emulsion is a good choice because it's washable and touches up well between tenancies. Nicotine and water marks get a Zinsser stain block first, the way we treated a nicotine-stained listed studio flat in Cambridge.
Owner-occupiers and older houses
Just under half of households own their home. For them, the work is usually whole rooms or a full house, with colour choices to make, and we paint tester pots in several places so you can see each shade in morning and evening light. Around one home in five here predates 1919, and older walls may need lining paper before they're painted.
Our guide to getting ready for a decorator covers what to move and what to leave.
Newmarket at a glance
- 15 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 21 minutesOSRM routing
- 8,178householdsCensus 2021
- 48%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
- 31%of homes are privately rentedCensus 2021
- 20%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 28%are flatsCensus 2021
How we approach interior decorating
In a rented terrace we'd make good fixing holes and tenant marks, stain-block where needed and repaint walls, ceilings and woodwork in washable finishes. In an owner's period house we'd check the plaster, line soft walls and allow more time for preparing the woodwork. Mirka dust-free sanders keep the rest of the home clean. The full method, products and FAQs are on our interior decorating page.