Should I Stay or Should I Go

Moving to the country: what you need to know

The pandemic is driving an exodus from London as families search for more space and a new life in the countryside. It’s a huge decision, and one which you shouldn’t rush into, says Pringle & Pringle’s Creative Director, Sophie Pringle. Here, Sophie shares her advice for making the right move out of the city so you can create the perfect rural home for you

If you live in London, a popular conversation among you and your friends will no doubt be whether you’re considering a move to the country. The shift to home working has meant there is no longer the need to live a stone’s throw from the office (for now, at least). Parents who rarely saw their children during the week before the pandemic are reticent to return to their old life slogging away in the office. Then there’s the promise of more space, a big garden and wholesome country walks, and it’s easy to see the appeal.

But let’s face it, things will start returning to some semblance of normality soon and when they do, will that two-hour commute be so appealing (even if for only a couple of days a week)? Are you happy to say goodbye to your favourite restaurants and shops, and the ease of having so much on your doorstep? Should you stay or should you go? Before you call the estate agent, here’s what you need to think about, so you can have the home you really want – whether in the country or the city.

What is your motivation for moving?

This is a really important question to ask yourself. If it’s purely based on the events of the last year, don’t make any rash decisions. If moving to the country is something that you’ve always wanted to do but previously couldn’t make work, then you’re probably ready for it. I moved out of London to Surrey in 2015 when my first child was only four months old as my husband was already commuting out, but there was a part of me that didn’t feel ready to move.

Seek advice from the professionals

If you’ve found a location and a number of houses you feel have potential, ask the opinion of an interior designer or architect. As well as being experts, they can act as a more objective third party. Here at Pringle & Pringle, we are very happy to help clients see what their options could be from a design and planning point of view. You may think you need to build an expensive extension, but an interior designer will design from the inside out and may suggest other options. We can even help you find the right home. Pick Our Brains is also a really approachable architectural practice which has a consultancy service. You can show them your plans and they can tell you what you could or couldn’t do. Start the relationship early on – we are a real hand-holding industry. So what should you think about when choosing a location…

Consider your commute

It is absolutely key to your everyday life and wellbeing. When you’re looking for an area to move to, be realistic about how long your commute would be and how much it will cost, as well as how many days a week you’d have to do it when life returns to normal.

What are the schools like?

If you have children this will probably be top of your list of priorities, but even if you don’t have them yet and are planning to, it’s worth thinking about. When they’re babies school feels a long way off, but it’s important to think beyond primary school too. Once you’ve settled in an area and made friends it’s much harder to move. Have the confidence to have a look at the schools – don’t just assume that because it’s declared ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ by Ofsted that it’s right for your child.

Think about what gives you joy

Do you want to be able to walk into town and go to nice shops and restaurants? Or is your priority that you can easily get out to go cycling, sailing, to the beach or on long country walks? If you’re a creative person, choose somewhere where there are galleries, art courses and studios – if there are art studios there is likely to be a creative following. This will help you to narrow your search.

Think about how you (really) live

Can the house you’re considering do what you need it to do? Living in the country comes with muddy boots and wet coats – is there a back door so you can go straight into the muddy space before going into the house? Do you have three boys who are going to be playing rugby? If so, maybe think about having a downstairs shower room so that when they come home covered in mud you can put them straight in the shower. Will you have room for entertaining weekend guests?

Buy at the right budget

If you are someone who is interested in interiors and affected by their surroundings (and I assume if you’re reading this that you are), make sure you have enough money left to do the work you want to. If you buy at the right budget, you can replace that badly laid-out kitchen. Get quotes for fixing things – if the house needs a new roof, get a quote and work that in so you can see if you will have enough budget left to really make it your own. If, like us at Pringle & Pringle, you believe in the power of good design check out the estate agency Modern House to explore design-led homes in rural and urban locations.

Make a plan for your interiors

I’m a big believer in planning: it will help you to work out how to spend your budget and what the priorities are. Here at Pringle & Pringle, we can do a complete design for the whole house – from interior architecture right down to fittings and fabrics. It doesn’t all have to be done at once, but it’s good to have a plan for how and when you’ll be able to, otherwise you’ll be eternally frustrated.

And if you decide to stay put…

Invest in making your home work for you. If you decide that you’re staying put in London, now’s the time to really make your home somewhere you want to spend your time so it fulfils your aspirations. From designing the perfect basement or side return extension, to creating bespoke joinery to transform the use of a room, we can make your home really work for you. And if you’ve simply outgrown your home, there’s rarely been a better time to move within London.

Written in partnership with Studio Home Page