Build the HMO. Then design every room to earn maximum rent.
Wolsten builds your HMO conversion. Dreamcatcher Interiors designs each room for maximum yield — same project, two specialists, one timeline. With the ROI maths to back it up.
An overseas-investor apartment near M&S Arena — re-imagined into a quiet-luxury serviced let. 26% higher occupancy and 20% higher average nightly rate vs. the benchmark property in the same building.
Source: Dreamcatcher Interiors case study, 2024.
Most builders convert your HMO and walk. We don't.
Investors who scale HMOs know the problem: the build delivers a converted property, but every design decision — paint, lighting, flooring, FF&E — gets made in isolation, after the build, by whoever's free. Result: a converted HMO that could have been rented for 18%–26% more, sitting at average market rate.
The partnership offer, in one sentence
Wolsten brings 20+ years of HMO construction. Dreamcatcher Interiors brings a First-Class-Honours strategic design service built specifically for investors. Briefed in from day one. One coordinated package. One investor outcome: maximum rent from week one.
The ROI you're actually buying.
Both case studies below were measured against benchmark properties in the same building, managed by the same company — an honest comparison, not a promotional headline.
Quiet-luxury serviced accommodation in a fully refurbished development — 4 weeks concept to handover.
Period apartment with original beams — converted from a tired traditional let to a full Airbnb offering in 4 weeks.
Design ROI = (Additional Revenue − Design Investment) ÷ Design Investment × 100. Source: Dreamcatcher Interiors case studies, 2024.
One project. Two specialists. Briefed in from day one.
Most investors find a designer after the build is done. We do it the other way round — design and build briefed together, so every layout and finish decision is locked before the contractor quotes.
Site survey + design brief
We walk the property together — Wolsten's build team and Helen's design team — and capture the investor's goals, target tenant, and rent ceiling.
Concept + mood boards
Helen develops the design concept room-by-room: target tenant profile, finishes, FF&E spec, and the ROI story behind each choice.
Fixed-price build quote
With finishes locked, Wolsten quotes the full HMO conversion with cost certainty. No "what if you change the flooring" surprises mid-project.
Build phase
Wolsten delivers the HMO conversion to spec. Helen reviews mid-project to keep the design on track and field any contractor coordination calls.
Furnish, style, photograph
Helen procures and installs the FF&E, styles each room, and arranges professional photography. You hand keys to the letting agent with rooms market-ready.
Pick the tier that fits your project.
All tiers can be added to a Wolsten HMO conversion. The right pick depends on whether you're scoping a new project, refreshing an existing let, or want the post-build install handled.
Investor Consultation
- 60-minute strategic design session
- Bespoke mood board for your target tenant
- HMO or SA inventory list — clickable shopping list
- Email follow-up to answer remaining questions
- Best fit when you've got the deal but want a design view before contractor quotes
HMO Interior Design (E-Design)
- 60-minute design consultation
- Property drawing pack review
- Design concept developed per room
- 2D layout drawings + AI-powered design renders
- Interior design pack + decorator's pack + FF&E spec
- Standard room: £1,200 · Premium suite: £1,550
- Repeated room layouts: £350 template adapt fee
Stress Buster Package
- Takes over once the Wolsten build is complete
- Furniture purchasing and installation
- Final styling for guest- or tenant-ready handover
- Extended on-project support
- Optional professional photography for letting / Airbnb listings
- *Professional fee only — excludes FF&E cost and additional trades
Helen Griffith · Dreamcatcher Interiors
Helen Griffith.
Founder, Dreamcatcher Interiors. First-Class Honours interior designer. Investor specialist.
Helen left a corporate career at 43 to pursue an interior design degree, graduating with First-Class Honours. She founded Dreamcatcher Interiors to focus on what most designers won't: investor outcomes. Her work is measured in occupancy rates, nightly rates, and ROI — not Instagram likes.
Helen's strategic-design approach has lifted investor returns by 83% on a Manchester city-centre apartment and 278% on a Liverpool serviced let — both inside a 4-week design and install window. For Wolsten HMO investors, this is the design partner who quietly does the work to make your rooms outperform the building's average rent.
Investor-grade design, not a Pinterest board.
Every Wolsten + Dreamcatcher project gets a full strategic design pack — what Helen calls "build-ready, coordinated information" the Wolsten team uses to deliver to spec without late changes.
Strategic brief
Target tenant profile, rent ceiling, design goals — written, agreed, and used as the brief for the build.
Mood boards per room
Visual direction with the tenant outcome attached: why this finish, why this fitting, why this light fixture.
AI-powered renders
Photoreal renders of each finished room before any work starts — so investors know exactly what they're paying for.
2D layout drawings
Furniture layouts, socket positions, lighting plans — the kind of documentation that stops contractor disputes on site.
Decorator's pack
Paint codes, wall finishes, tile spec — handed to Wolsten's decorators directly, no translation needed.
FF&E shopping list
Every piece of furniture, fitting, and styling accessory — with a clickable purchase list and quantities.
Common investor questions.
Do I have to use Helen if I use Wolsten for my HMO?
No. The partnership is an offer, not a tie-in. You can use any designer you want — or none. We've partnered with Dreamcatcher because the maths work, but every Wolsten investor decides what's right for their project. If you bring your own designer, Wolsten works with them the same way.
What does this typically cost on a 6-room HMO?
Roughly: 6 × £1,200 design = £7,200 design fee, plus the optional Stress Buster install at £2,537+ professional fee (FF&E sourced separately). On a £150k–£200k HMO conversion, that's around 4–5% of project cost — for design choices that have historically lifted rents by 18–26% in benchmarked case studies.
When do I commit to Helen's design — before or after the build quote?
Before. That's the whole point of the partnership. Design is briefed in upfront so Wolsten can quote a fixed price with no "what about the flooring?" surprises later. The £497 investor consultation is the cheapest way to test the design direction without committing to the full E-Design tier.
Who owns the FF&E spend — Wolsten, Helen, or me?
You do, as the investor. Helen's Stress Buster fee covers the professional service of procuring and installing — the furniture and fittings themselves are your spend, on your accounts, and yours to claim against your investment cost basis.
Where does Helen work geographically?
Dreamcatcher Interiors has delivered case studies in Manchester and Liverpool. Wolsten's HMO catchment is the same patch — Bolton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire. For HMOs further afield, talk to us; we'll work out a plan.
I just want a quick view before committing — what's the lowest-risk first step?
Book the £497 investor consultation. 60 minutes with Helen, mood board, HMO inventory shopping list, and a clear view of whether the design ROI maths work for your specific deal. No commitment to the larger packages.
Make every HMO room earn its maximum rent — from week one.
Bring the deal. We'll bring the build, the design, and the maths to back it up. One coordinated package, one timeline, one investor outcome.
