Q+A with the Founders of Styled Home Studios
We recently announced our exciting new partnership with boutique location platform Styled Home Studios – which helps content creators find the perfect styled homes and unique properties for their projects.
To help creatives and content creators learn more about Styled Home Studios, we asked the platform’s founders Helen Holt and Tamaryn Balleny to tell us more about their inspiration for developing the platform and how it all works.
To learn more and discover your dream location, visit: https://styledhomestudios.co.uk/
What inspired you to create Styled Home Studios, and what gap in the market did you aim to fill with this platform?
We were both self-employed creative professionals (Helen a photographer and Tamaryn an Interior Designer) and were hugely frustrated by the lack of transparency and flexibility in the location industry. Helen’s clients started hiring Tamaryn’s home at a set hourly rate and the idea for Styled Home Studios was born.
We set out to build the UK’s first curated marketplace that connects creative professionals and brands directly with the owners of the country's most intentional and uniquely styled location homes - all available to book by the hour, at a set rate and without the big agency fees.
Can you share the journey of bringing Styled Home Studios to life? What were some of the biggest challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
It has to be tech! Building the first iteration of the booking platform was a challenge. We’ve learned that a website is like an oil painting that never dries - but we’ve learned so much since our launch in 2022.
We’re now nearing the end of development for version 2.0 of the platform - it’s going to be amazing so watch this space!
Styled Home Studios connects content creators with unique locations. How do you curate the spaces available on your platform, and what makes a property a perfect fit?
We’re the perfect team in this regard. Tamaryn is an interior designer so is looking at the style and aesthetics whereas Helen’s focus is on the practicalities such as room dimensions and available light. We are not looking for a particular style as every client is looking for something different - all we’re looking for are intentional interiors with owners who are excited about opening their spaces for creative projects.
How has the demand for unique photo shoot locations evolved since you started, and what trends do you see shaping the future of content creation?
We’re seeing the industry democratise (which was our mission when we launched) with solopreneurs and small businesses, who would have previously assumed a location house was out of reach, booking the same locations as big brands. We’re also seeing more enquires from influencers who need to create “next level” social content.
What advice would you give to content creators who are looking to elevate their work through unique locations?
If you plan your shoot well, you’d be amazed at how much content you can create in a few hours in a location that is on-brand and ready for you to show up and shoot.
For other entrepreneurs looking to enter the creative industry, what key lessons have you learned from building Styled Home Studios that you think they should know?
You can figure anything and everything out! We’re creative professionals that run a tech company - we don’t stop learning and we’re never afraid to ask questions (and we hope our developers love us for it!)
Styled Home Studios is built on the idea of collaboration between property owners and creatives. How do you foster strong relationships with both parties?
As we’re a curated platform we are in direct contact with every location that joins our community. Helen’s focus is with our amazing Creators and Tamaryn’s experience as an Interior Designer (and a Host herself) sees her heading up our community of Hosts but we’re a team and we’re always available at the end of an email, DM or on the phone.
Can you share a success story or a memorable experience from your journey with Styled Home Studios that particularly stands out to you?
Probably when we had a call from one of the UK’s most iconic and in demand locations requesting to join us. We love how much location owners want to open their homes more flexibly to be able to welcome clients of every size and stage in their business. It’s about so much more than money!
What are your long-term goals for Styled Home Studios, and how do you see the platform evolving in the next few years
We have some exciting things coming up in 2025, including the launch of a professional directory. The Directory will showcase the most exciting and talented creative professionals across the country to help brands and other freelancers connect and build their teams.
In your opinion, what sets Styled Home Studios apart from other platforms in the industry, and how do you maintain a competitive edge?
It has to be our human touch and design led nature. We’re not a faceless platform, we’re a community with creativity at our core.
To stay up to date with Styled Home Studios, follow them on Instagram.
Written by
Luke Glassford
Marketing Director
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