Welcome back to the 1st Option Locations blog. Today we’re showing you all our costumes from our Halloween fancy dress day, held in our London office. Get ready to be spooked and dazzled, as we’ve got a great mix of scary and stylish costumes in a variety of efforts! Stay tuned as we also reveal who won the Best Dressed prize.

In recent years it’s become more and more recognised that being surrounded by plants in your living and working environments can have real health benefits, two of the main ones being improved psychological well-being and improved human health.

It’s widely thought that bringing more plants into your life can help to improve your mood, reduce stress levels and improve your productivity. There is also some evidence that they can improve air quality too.

The return of retro is upon us; following years of ‘greige’ and ‘fast fashion’ design trends leading the race, ‘retro’ is currently having a massive revival. Offering a great alternative to the fast homeware trend, people are now appreciating original, retro and vintage pieces for their classic design and durability. Stick with us as we deep dive into the trend, its origins, key characteristics, why it’s currently so popular and how to get it right in your own home.  

n our sixth edition of the classic spot the difference, we bring you Tulum. As always, it’s all a bit of fun, but if you can find all ten differences, you could get a half-price booking fee on your next shoot in September! Top tip – most of them are pretty obvious…

It’s that time of the month again! When we give you our monthly round up of the best locations to register with us over the last month. This month, we decided to opt for five family homes that differ greatly from one to the next. Make sure you read on to check out the locations, ranging from grand designs style homes, to vast renovated period properties; as always, we have all bases covered for you here.  

Our second edition of the classic spot the difference comes from Hopton. As always, it’s all a bit of fun, but if you can find all ten differences by the end of April, we’ll give you a half price booking fee on your next shoot!

A new year often brings many changes with it, one change it can’t bring, however, is the amount of incredible new locations that flow through our doors on a monthly basis. Following on from the outstanding end to 2021, we have been incredibly lucky to welcome a multitude of amazing new locations. Check out our top five for February here.

In the first of our new series of videos introducing our latest and favourite new locations, we take a quick look at the rustic and shabby chic Brook Lodge.

Februarys shoot of the month is this month’s edition of British Vogue featuring Kate Moss and Stefano Pilati!

After a week which has felt like we may as well have been in the Maldives, we have started looking at some new interior trends to heat up our homes and get us in the mood for a (hopefully) hot spring…

Everyone loves some good food and what better place to be inspired than the BBC Good Food Show…

Welcome back to our blog as we delve into Part 2 of photographers we love! This next batch of interiors, lifestyle and still life specialists are coming in with even more inspiration for your personal projects and creative mind.

With the onslaught of Spring it’s also got us thinking about pastel shades, who makes the best ones and where we might like to paint them… So, we did a straw poll with everyone here and asked them to pick their favourites and tell us why they like them!

We’re back with our monthly instalment of top new locations for your perusal. As always, if you’re looking to be the first to shoot at some of the best new location homes that are entering the market, this is the place to be. Last month we saw two industry heavyweights return with their new shoot locations, as well as three differing family homes, all offering premium features, eclectic furnishings and bundles of space for unique and creative shooting opportunities. So, without giving too much away, let’s jump straight into it with our top five for September. 

We’re back with our monthly instalment, looking at our top five new locations to have registered with us over the last month. August was another cracking month, taking on a gorgeous array of differing family homes across the capital. If you’re after sleek or eclectic, colourful or contemporary, we have you covered this month. Read on for more…

The past two years have undoubtedly seen home decor Instagram accounts boom like never before. Lockdown had the world evaluating every inch of their homes; and where do you find inspiration in the 21st century? Instagram! Home decor accounts on Instagram are having their moment and for good reason – there are tens of thousands of accounts showcasing every style imaginable, all under the setting of someone’s real home. Not only do these accounts show how they style certain pieces, but many of them give you tips and tricks, ranging from how to style on a budget, to how to style in limited space and so much more. So check out our top 9 accounts to follow this year.

If you live in London, you’ll be well aware of the age-old debate; which is the trendiest part of London? East Londoners think it is them, South Londoners think they’re having their time in the sun and West Londoners will point to their wealth for status. Today, however, we’re going to check out North London and see if they the trendiest properties in London.

At the start of a new month, we like to rifle through the previous, to cherry-pick the best locations we had register with us for your perusal. October was an incredible month for new locations, with properties ranging from stately homes in Greater London, to classic architect-designed houses in the Surrey Hills. Read on as we break down our top five for October, giving you a wide selection of remarkable properties to shoot at. 

If you enjoyed the first round of our top tips for returning to work, then get ready for part 2! More quality info inside!

We got to catch up with one of our amazing location owners Elisabeth who owns Spratts Factory. Spratts Factory was once a dog treat factory and was a huge design project for Elisabeth. The results are simply fantastic! Find out more below! What was your design inspiration for Spratts Factory? We pulled inspiration from many different places …

Take a look at our new London location house Chamomile, full of simple, elegant style!

Flowers & colour brighten up the world and they can help with interior design too

Following our piece on interior stylists, we must acknowledge the people who skilfully capture the curated beauty – the photographers. Whether you’re passionate about interior design or simply have a craving for some good photographic work, we highly encourage you to check out each artist’s portfolio for that inspiration you’re secretly craving.

Our favourite locations taken on so far this year

Following on from our incredible house tour of Roma, with the fabulous owner Marta Vilella-Vila, looking at the the features that make her home unique, her favourite elements and the challenges she faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, areas and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

With spring’s dew and rain well and truly behind us and temperatures soaring into the high 30’s, there has never been a better time to get out into the garden! Ranging from London family homes with enchanting gardens, to country estates with the best views you’ll see this year, we just had to give a rundown of our best gardens to shoot at in 2022.

Following on from our incredible video tour of Nash, with the owner and outstanding interior designer Stephen Nash, looking at the the features that make his style unique, his favourite elements and the challenges he faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with him for a short interview to pick his brains about his favourite features, areas and places on earth.

The new location showcase is back and boy have we brought it back with a bang; our third location in the series is the modern-yet-retro Palm Springs.

In the second installment of ‘In Conversation with’ we caught up with Louise Hardy and Nick Barr of Dacres. This time we chatted about their jobs as musicians and artists and whether they had any impact on the overall design of their South East London Home – Dacres.

We always get asked what separates a shoot location from a regular property, what exactly is it you look for when taking on new locations? despite their not being a short answer if you are thinking of registering your property but have been unsure what companies might be looking for, then read on as we share our insights and break it down for you.

As quickly as summer came around this year, it was gone. However, following summers fleeting appearance in 2019 it has brought winter to our doorstep a lot quicker than we would have first thought. Although winter has its downsides with copious amounts of people longing for the sun to show its head again, what it …

East London – West London – when it comes to great locations, which one is best?

Giorgia Jones shooting at our fabulous location Mile End Road

Summer is fast approaching – even if it’s still a little chilly here in London. But while scorching summer days are feeling ever elusive, it’s super easy to bring a sense of Southern European coastal elegance into your home. Laid-back and timeless, Mediterranean-inspired interior design can create a touch of elegance and charm in any home. It’s been a popular interior design style for decades, and for good reason.

Following on from our incredible house tour of Spratts Factory, with the fabulous owner Elisabeth Ciarrocchi, looking at the design elements within her fantastic renovation of a disused dog biscuit factory; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, what it’s like to live in a factory building and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

As the name suggests, Japandi design refers to the blend of Scandinavian and Japanese interior styles. Why would you blend these two unlikely trends? Well, they’re both actually fairly similar and promote similar core tenets, in fact elevating each other. If you want to get to grips with this ever popular design trend, make sure you read on as we deep dive into the trend’s characteristics, why Scandi and Japanese blend so well together and how to get it right in your own home. 

Carrying on in the same vein as the rest of the year, June saw us take on a wealth of fantastic shoot locations. Ranging from industrial barn conversions in Warwickshire, to eclectic family homes in North West London, there’s something for everyone this month. Your next shoot location could be on this list, so make sure you stick with us as we jump into our top five for June. 

In the first episode of our new video series, ‘My Home My Haven’, the wonderful Stephen, who is an incredible interior designer and owns our fabulous location Nash, takes you on a tour of the house, highlighting the features that make his style unique, his favourite elements and the challenges faced throughout the renovation process. If you are interested in design, this is a must watch, with a wealth of insightful, interesting and truly fascinating tips, tricks and stories!

It’s that time of the month again; when we like to give you the lowdown on the top properties that came through our doors in March. With properties ranging from textile factory conversions to architect-designed new builds in South East London, as always we have a little something to cover all angles. So check out our top five for March here.

Long gone are the days when country design embodied dimly lit, dark farmhouses with ubiquitous amounts of knitted tea cosies, traditional florals and checkered prints. Country design has grown immeasurably over the last few decades, differing from the traditional interpretations, modern country design allows for playful and nuanced elements that are creating an idyllic classic.Read on as we explore the design style in more detail.

Discover 1st Options beachfront locations, now we just need the warmer weather!

Thinking of renovating your home and maybe making some money as a shoot location? If you’d like to get an idea of what’s involved then read on…

Check out our recent stylish shoot at London location 78 for Wormland…

Our lovely colourful shoot location Montagu hosted fashion brand Missguided this week

With the cost of living crisis firmly taking hold and many people looking to economise as a result, it seems that more and more of us are thinking outside the box when it comes to entertainment and creating our own ‘pub’ experiences at home. On many levels this actually makes sense – when we go out it’s usually to socialise with our friends, so why not invite them round instead and enjoy their company for a fraction of the cost of a big night out?

Following on from our incredible house tour of Celine, with the fabulous owner Celine Da Silva, looking at the design elements within her home, why it’s been styled in such a way and any challenges she faced during the process; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, areas and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

Following on from our incredible house tour of Honeycomb, with the owner and director Mark Dolan, looking at the the features that make his home unique, his favourite elements and the challenges he faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with him for a short interview to pick his brains about his favourite features, areas and why his home is the perfect shoot location

After what feels like a lifetime of ‘greige’ living rooms, paired with carefully positioned coffee table books, next to the same arrangement of Diptyque or Jo Malone candles, it’s a pleasant change of pace to see maximalist design entering the mainstream again. Read on if you’d like to leran about what this design style is, its key characteristics, design tips and unpack where it came from and why it’s so popular right now.

Our fourth property to feature in the new location showcase is one of the most eye-catching properties you’re likely to find, welcome to The Compound. 

Giving your home an update or refresh can be a daunting thought, let alone task, especially when you have a limited budget and even less time. However, breathing new life into your home doesn’t have to break the bank if you’re smart and savvy with your ideas. Luckily for you, we’ve done the research and have thought of 15 brilliant home decor ideas that don’t cost the earth to implement, so make sure you read on and check out our 15 design ideas to spruce up your space. 

This month we’ve taken on a whole host of new properties, resulting in one of the toughest top five’s we’ve ever had. This month expect to see properties ranging from farmhouses in Wales, to penthouses in London and converted barns in Kent, to Victorian Villas in South West London. If you have been keeping up with our top five series this year, you’ll certainly want to stay with us today, as we get into the top five for September. 

Continuing on our ‘In Conversation with..’ series is one of our amazing Location Owners Jane Cumberbatch of Palace Road. Jane is not only an Interior Stylist but has multiple books all about interior design, cooking and so much more.

Transforming your rooms needn’t be an expensive exercise, finding the right tricks and getting the lighting right is the key…

Take a peek behind the scenes at Lordship Park with Keira Knightley shooting for Harper’s Bazaar

Geri Halliwell shoots for You Mag at our location Birchland