At home with a real ESPC buyer: Liz Engelsen

Back in 2014, chief marketing officer and interiors entrepreneur Liz Engelsen relocated from New York to Edinburgh’s leafy Stockbridge. After a difficult search, Liz, along with her husband Tony and their son Oliver, found the perfect Victorian flat to call home using ESPC.

Since moving in back in December 2016, Liz has created a stylish space, sharing the progress online along the way, and creating a name for herself as an interior design guru with a penchant for print, bold colours and a sleek finish. 

Here, Liz shows ESPC around her perfect property and tells us more about how she made it her own.

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What was your experience like of buying a flat in Edinburgh?

We were looking from the moment we moved to Edinburgh in 2014, but it took us two years to conquer the market. It took me a bit of time to understand how the Scottish market works – I had never come across the concept of ‘offers over’, and I’d owned three previous properties.

I think we bid on eight places before we landed our flat. It’s super competitive in Stockbridge, especially if you want a main door property. We scanned the ESPC website literally every night – it was a huge time saver as we didn’t need to go to individual agents’ websites.

I quickly learned that we couldn’t wait for an open house to be announced, as properties in Stockbridge were selling in three days! We even took a cue from Kirstie and Phil, and wrote letters to homeowners on the streets we really liked.

It sounds like a competitive search! Were you very specific in what you were looking for?

We had our ‘dream list’, which was completely unrealistic for our budget – after a few weeks of viewings, we had a reality check. Like most buyers, we had a long list of requirements that ultimately got narrowed down to two items: Victorian charm, and a main door property.

So tell us, did you find what you wanted in the end?

We missed out on two other properties on our street, so we were already familiar with the style. When this one came up, I knew it was ‘the one’ instantly – it had so much potential and unlike the others, it had a third bedroom and second bathroom. I think I screamed to my husband “We need to win this one!”. It did stretch our budget, but it was worth it.

I just adore all of the original character features of Georgian and Victorian properties. We rented a large Georgian property, but unfortunately our budget wouldn’t stretch far enough, so Victorian it is. It’s still full of charm, just smaller room sizes!

How different is living in Edinburgh to New York?

Edinburgh is full of character and charm, and New York is full of energy and grit. It’s one of those cities that everyone dreams of living in (I think), so you have a lot of people moving in and out on a regular basis. It makes for a huge, competitive rental market, but there is also an appetite to buy.

Our home in Edinburgh is a complete contrast to my previous apartment in NYC, which was open plan and contemporary. What they do have in common is colourful décor and a vibrant neighbourhood full of independent shops, cafes, bars and galleries.

Did you always want to renovate, or did your passion for interiors come after putting your own stamp on this place?

I’ve renovated a couple of times before and always enjoyed designing, finding the best flow and function and then creating a space that makes me smile. Studying Interior Design had always been a dream of mine – I considered a career change many time during my time in NYC.

Can you talk us through the work you've done to the property?

We completely renovated every inch of the property! There were some big jobs, like moving the kitchen, changing bathroom layouts, knocking down walls, closing up doorways and updating the electrical wiring and heating system. The initial renovation focused on making the space functional and safe, then we ran out of budget and have been slowly decorating room by room.

Our front door and entryway was my lockdown project and inspired me to launch a design service focused exclusively on the most ignored yet important room of people’s homes: the entrance and hallway.

How would you describe the look of your home?

I create spaces that make my family smile. It’s really important to feel happy, comfortable and inspired at home, and for me, that means using colour in unexpected ways and a modern twist on Victorian features.

My favourite thing about our home is definitely my colourful, pattern-clashing en suite bathroom – everything about it just makes me smile, from the delicate tropical wallpaper to the bold, graphic upcycled vanity unit and the black industrial accents. It’s truly one of a kind, and I’m proud to say it’s even won a national award.

What would be your advice for those who are also thinking of renovating?

Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks or says – it’s your home, so design it in a way that makes you happy. Make sure you have a healthy contingency budget, because things will go wrong.

And for those who are still holding out for their dream home, what’s your top tip for wannabe buyers?

Don’t give up. Buying can be an exhilarating and exhausting process. If you think a property is ‘the one’, then go for it, don’t hold back!

You can view more of Liz’s interiors and design inspiration on Instagram @liznylon.

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This article originally appeared in the January 2022 issue of the ESPC magazine. Find out more about the ESPC magazine and read the latest issue.