Bungalow Blog

Back in July of this year when we launched the marketing campaign for the private sale of our bungalow, we were thrilled and flattered to be approached by Tabitha and Tom, Editor and Aficionado behind Midcentury Magazine — the only UK-based publication for fans and followers of the midcentury movement. It was a real honour when they asked if they could run a feature on our ranch-style, Renway 'Type 60a' bungalow… and of course, we agreed like a shot!

It wasn’t long before they came to interview us at home, seeing the bungalow for themselves, taking a leisurely stroll around the tree-lined roads in Edgcumbe Park, and hearing some of the anecdotes about the estate’s eclectic residents, past and present — not to mention the parties of the ‘swinging sixties’ in the early days of the development!

The issue's launch coincided with this November's Modern Show in Dulwich where we caught up with Tabitha & Tom busily subscribing new readers on their stand. We were delighted to see a generous nine full pages had been given over to featuring the bungalow, illustrated by David's lovely photographs, along with a separate focus on the Renway Construction Company's vision behind Edgcumbe Park co-authored by Scott. In addition, there’s a useful ‘get the look’ section with information on where we obtained our key pieces. In all, a very special memento of our time at the property, and hopefully something to inspire others to remodel their homes, midcentury-style!

Why not subscribe and read all about it?!

Each issue is packed with interesting and information-rich articles all with a midcentury flavour; the current issue no exception with some fascinating reads about furniture designers & manufacturers past and present; where to source the best midcentury finds (and what to look for —great article by Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill), and the best in midcentury media & arts (including author David Christopher's appreciation of midcentury hi-fi equipment, and a lovely background insight into Hergé and his Tintin by Charlotte Luxford).

If you can't wait for your copy to arrive in the post, click to see a preview of ‘Single Storey: An American Ranch Home in Berkshire’.

Once again, big thanks to Tabitha & Tom at Midcentury Magazine!

Website development and SEO specialists Sugarcoat came to us late 2011 having observed our work for some time. They said they'd tried to craft their own identity countless times and failed, and came to the conclusion that if you want the job done properly, you call in the experts. We met, talked, and presented our options… the main one being a bitter pill to swallow: change the name. Sugarcoat underwent a rebranding proces with Bungalow Industries to become: netmatter.

We took their brief and crafted a new identity plus visual and language styles. We dissected their field and competitive landscape and devised a device that in one combined their name, their approach and their methodologies. We created a 5-colour double helix, cannily intertwining the 'n' and 'm' of the name (and the initials of the company's directors) and representing the DNA of the businesses that their approach targeted: the longer strand set in four Google-inspired colours for their 4-fold skillset (Consultancy, Design, Marketing, Reporting) and the other strand in a corporate grey for the SEO service underpinning every aspect of their approach. Simple, elegant, evocative and effective... 'genetic engineering for your business,' you might say!  

We didn't spare any thinking on the typeface either: Delta Jaeger is a little-known typeface crafted by Gustav Jäger in 1983 for Berthold. Jäger sadly died last July, but his legacy also includes the font Catull – most famously used as Google’s typeface – and his work used here gives a subliminal tie-in for those in-the-know.

Netmatter were delighted and thrilled to at last have an identity encapsulating who they are and what they do so completely; one that also reflects their capability in this competitive – and fast evolving – marketplace.

An identity is more than just a logo; and from there, the roll-out commenced. We brought out the 'net' theme in their name, and the tile-able nature of their logo – both into long strands (like DNA of course) and into a net-like pattern vertically for their twitter background and stationery suite. We then designed a holding page, presenting the new name and identity whilst we designed the main site. The DNA strand was used to good effect moving across the screen presenting each of netmatter's key competencies. We coined friendly, approachable language, and a Diagnostic WebCheck service and visual as a hook to catch inquisitive visitors.

We designed and copywrote the entire site, covering a customer-focused approach to each of their business areas and provided them with all the artwork necessary to build the site, being SEO-savvy developers themselves. Meanwhile, business has been so good for them that they've not had time to complete the build, though it's being developed in the wings as time allows. 

Business has indeed been good for netmatter as they've subsequently commissioned us to provide front-end artwork and brand treatments to a number of their projects. Confident in their coding abilities, and enjoying the refreshing change of digital communication and website design without having to get stuck into coding, the opportunities have been a welcome change!

www.netmatter.co.uk

This is just a quick change-of-address blog post to let you all know that we've moved! Our own property marketing campaign has proved a resounding success and we’ve sold our bungalow privately!

We're still amazed at how the bungalow and its online marketing have been tweeted about, shared on Facebook and featured on property, design and style blogs around the world — and look out for it in the next issue of Midcentury Magazine too! It's particularly rewarding that our combined talents have not only brought deserved attention to the Edgcumbe Park Development... but also saved us over £10,000 in Estate Agency fees.

December 2011: ISSUU, the world's leading online publishing platform, has just awarded us the accolade of best application of their product and we'll soon be featured on their blog! (Very chuffed!)

Once we're settled in we'll be blogging properly about how we put our property know-how and marketing expertise into practise to achieve this thrilling result.

Although sad to leave the bungalow, our super neighbours and the lovely locality behind, we were in need of more space — and the next challenge...

...We’re now settling in to an even quirkier property by the sea near Whitstable, Kent! Keep an eye here on our new journal to see more about our new home: an architect-designed, 1970's curiosity called ‘Cambria’, and our ongoing explorations of the local area — famed for its oysters and creative pursuits. We're very excited and are looking forward to sharing it with you!

Meanwhile, do please update your address books with our new details:

click to download our vCard

Bungalow Industries
Cambria
47 Hazlemere Road
Seasalter
Whitstable
Kent CT5 4AW

If you’d like our help in expertly presenting your property for sale to achieve the best possible price — perhaps even selling privately like us, you know where we are, or call us on 0845 601 1470.

With house-warmed wishes,

David & Scott

P.S. Even though our new home has an upstairs, we’ll always be ‘Bungalow’ ;-)