All The World’s A Stage For Derbyshire Family’s Successful Business

A Derbyshire mum and her two daughters are taking centre stage in the world of luxury property design, after beating nationwide competition to land a major UK contract.

Ashbourne-based Nikki Jeffery, founder of The Staging Experts, together with her daughters Olivia (20) and Emilia (23), are now designing and styling luxury homes given away as part of the high-profile prize draws by 7 Days Performance – which offers entrants the chance to win luxury lifestyle packages, dream homes and top-end cars.

It marks a new chapter for the family business, which Nikki launched just over a year ago. The company has quickly grown from staging local properties for sale to designing some of the most talked-about homes in the UK.

The opportunity came about after Nikki responded to an enquiry for a Nottinghamshire home staging project. She didn’t realise at the time that it was linked to 7 Days Performance, but just a few weeks later she and her daughters were shortlisted to work on one of the company’s grand giveaways.

After landing the contract due to their experience, fantastic ideas and communication, the trio staged their first prize property in June this year – a £700,000 four-bedroom home in Wigsley, near Newark.

Complete with bronze and taupe soft furnishings layered against neutrals and black tones to create a “modern luxury” look, the home was offered alongside an Audi RS6 in the draw, and was won by Craig Shannon, who chose to take the life-changing cash alternative rather than the house and car.

Since then, The Staging Experts have gone on to stage a second prize home in Wymondham near Norwich, with two new properties now being prepared for the coming months.

Under their new contract, the trio will stage up to two homes a month for 7 Days Performance, all within fast turnarounds and strict staging guidelines.

Working from their Derbyshire base, where Nikki also holds a warehouse of furniture and décor, the pace of the new work has been an exciting challenge.

Staging for 7 Days is often completed in a single day, with professional photography taken immediately afterwards, and the team is not allowed to hang items on walls, meaning mirrors and artwork have to be cleverly leaned against the walls, and styled instead.

Nikki said: “This really is a dream contract for us, and the fact I get to share it with my daughters makes it even more special. We work brilliantly together as a team, each bringing different ideas and perspectives, but with the same goal of making a home feel irresistible."

“Home staging isn’t just an add-on, it’s a necessity. It’s an amazing marketing tool. Yes it’s an investment but whichever rung of the property ladder you are on - when selling your property, it is a cheaper option than the first price drop on Rightmove. It also transforms how buyers see a space. The UK is still catching up with other countries in embracing staging, so to be flying the flag through such a prestigious national platform feels like a huge achievement for us.”

The Staging Experts team has already staged an eclectic mix of spaces beyond prize homes – from a Manchester clinic to East Midlands community hubs, including a train station transformation in Boston which added a yoga studio, café and community area.

Nikki and the team are passionate about collaboration. They have a great network of contacts who they can draw upon to assist their clients. For their projects they are drawing on both new and existing supplier partnerships, including Ashbourne-based Prestons, ensuring that every prize home has a touch of Derbyshire design heritage.

The family business is in a period of growth, with the business recently hiring a removal/handyman to keep pace with the increased workload. The Staging Experts are also on the look out for a stager/designer to support this expansion.