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Celebrities Olivia and Alex Bowen are famous for coming second on Love Island in 2016, tying the knot two years later, and combining their fame to build a multi-million-pound property empire.
Having sold their luxury Essex mansion which they spent four years renovating, the couple moved into their four bedroom, self-build home in June this year, which they bought as a Golden Brick plot.
“We built the house from scratch, alongside a project manager and team,” says Olivia, who studied interior design during the pandemic. She describes her design aesthetic as: “Quite country, tonal, but I really like dark, deep colours as well… homely, cosy and lots of texture.”
Looking back on what they thought was their dream home in the Essex countryside, Olivia says it needed a complete renovation. “It was quite an old style and we built extensions, a new kitchen, we moved rooms around. So that was our first taster at, like a really big renovation.
“But then, sadly, the location was just not ideal, especially after we had our baby boy, who is now two-and-a-half.”
“Yeah, so we decided to move purely for location reasons,” says the 30 year-old. “And now we live in a town, we get to walk in the park… there are restaurants and pubs, all our friends live here.” She continues. “So it’s been a really lovely move for the family.”
Nowadays, their investments include two rental homes, a couple more properties they’ve bought this year and are in the process of finalising, and a house in Spain. “It’s going to be a holiday home at first,” says the 33-year-old ex-scaffolder, Alex. “We’ll use it for a few years, and let friends and family stay there whenever they want.
“Maybe in the future we’ll start renting it out, but at the moment it’s just something for us to enjoy with Abel before he goes to school,” adds Alex.
Moreover, Olivia says: “We’re absolutely loving property and investing in property, and that’s kind of where our careers have taken us, especially me. It’s just something that I love, love doing.”
But their projects haven’t been without pitfalls, reveals Olivia. “Two weeks before moving into this home, that we’re in now, we had a burst pipe underneath concrete, brand new tiles and wood flooring!”
Consequently, she says they had to rip the whole floor up. “So when we heard about joining Affinity Water and working with them, we were really like, we’ve been there basically.”
A campaign close to their hearts, the water supplier are rolling out a Look & Listen Test, which basically means to keep an eye on your home, explains Olivia.
“As a country, we lose £700 million a year on leaks, so in this cost of living crisis, it’s something I think everyone should be looking into – and making sure they complete this little MOT on their home.”
“From personal experience, when we had that absolutely horrendous leak which cost us a lot of money, [I’d advise you to] make sure you check your water bills and all sorts, because it can really save the day,” she urges.
Here, the Bowens share their five top tips for home enthusiasts…
1. Don’t rush into anything
“If you can, if it’s possible, live in a space before you make any big decisions like colour wise or moving things around,” advises Olivia. “How you live and how your house flows, how everyone wants to feel… you find those things out as you go along, especially if it’s a new house.
“So definitely give it time and space if you can, if you have the luxury to do that. You’re spending a lot of money and time, and heartache can be caused if you make the wrong decision.
“All it takes is just sitting on some decisions and not rushing into things.”
2. Make the most of hanging art and photos
This is how you personalise your home, says Olivia. “Pictures of you, pictures of your family and friends, or even nice artwork that you love. And always go for a command strip, they’re really good, rather than nailing the wall; especially if you’re in a rental, that’s really important.”
3. Make a mood board
“Use Pinterest and stuff like that and make mood boards, and just sit with them for a little while before you actually go ahead and make a purchase,” says Alex. “Because you might get everything and then not like it.”
Inspiration wise, Olivia says to have a look wherever you go. “Whether you visit a hotel, go to a restaurant, or in a nice bathroom at a restaurant, there’s so much inspiration everywhere – so always keep your eye out for special bits in places that you visit.”
4. Leave the big jobs to the pros
“You can take on and tackle challenges if you’ve got no experience in DIY, but I would leave the really big jobs up to the professionals and seek advice,” says Olivia. “Because you don’t want to end up with a problem bigger than what you’ve already got.”
Alex agrees: “Tackle the big jobs first, if there are any. Obviously, when you’re buying a property, you want to buy one with the least amount as possible really.”
“For little DIYs, there are so many tutorials on YouTube, it’s a hub of so much information,” says Olivia. “So yeah, anything you want to have a go at, you can pretty much find any tutorial on YouTube.”
5. Make lists and be organised
“I’ve always been quite an organised person,” says Olivia. “I’m a list writer. I make a list for absolutely everything. So definitely keep your notes, even have a dedicated notebook or section on your laptop; make folders, keep a list of things and a record of everything.
“And you know, have a budget. Sometimes the budget will go out the window for unexpected items, but at least if you’re looking at it – and you’re writing everything down – you can sort of control that.”
Affinity Water are working on a comprehensive demand management plan to reduce water usage, which includes cutting leaks in half by 2050. For more details on the Look & Listen Test, visit Affinity Water to learn more.
