IF ever there was a warning about keeping a sense of proportion when it comes to creating your dream home, the mansion owned by footballer Phil Neville is it.
The six-bedroom property in Rawtenstall, where the ex-Manchester United star and his wife, Julie, lived, bears all the hallmarks of their personal taste — from P and J initials on the wrought-iron driveway, to the gold-finished bedroom.
On the market for seven months at a £4 million price tag, Sunnyside House has failed to find a buyer and now it has been dropped to £3.5 million.
Property experts blame not just the poor state of the housing market but also the personalised nature of its décor.
There’s a lesson here for all of us, and it’s just as relevant whether you go for Jack and Vera Duckworth’s favourite outside cladding or gold-leaf around your dining room.
If your home shrieks of you and your taste, then how can other people possibly imagine themselves in it?
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