Looks can be deceiving, as the saying goes. And from the road, this three-bedroom, semi-detached house in Rhyl, Wales, looks completely and utterly ordinary.
‘Nothing to see here,’ it might as well say.
Step inside and all that changes — whether for the better or the worse is for you to decide, because the décor within is anything but ordinary. This house is a bold, brave and unashamedly garish tribute to all-things Disney. The house is so wonderfully wacky even the ceilings have been given the star treatment.
The house went viral in September and notched up 219,000 views on property portal Zoopla, beating castles, cottages and celebrity pads to become the website's most-viewed property of 2024. So it seemed only proper to take a look, and ask some of the underlying questions.
The problem is that it's hard to know where to start.
We'll kick off by stepping into the spacious living/dining/kitchen area 'where the magic begins’, as the listing on Zoopla suggests. No stone is left unturned in this Aladdin-themed room, which comes with what appear to be hand-painted murals of all the key characters from the film. Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Genie, the Sultan... they're almost all there. But only almost, because the evil Grand Vizier Jafar has been banished to a separate room with Disney's villains:
Thus Jafar lives in an ominous, dark green room alongside Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent and, er, the magic mirror from Snow White. There's also a touch of Harry Potter in there, with a brick wall signposted Platform 9¾. Is there a subliminal message in this choice of décor?
The kitchen is quite understated by comparison, with cupboards inscribed by Disney catchphrases. 'Hakuna matata' may be just the carefree vibe you’re after when whipping up a feast, while one of the cupboards — presumably the one used for staples — is of course emblazoned with the words 'Bear Necessities'.
The hallway is awash with candy pink, with silhouettes of the London skyline inspired by Mary Poppins running up the stairs to the bedrooms, where there is no respite from the Walt onslaught. That said, the bedrooms have themes that are slightly more conducive to a good night’s sleep.
The main bedroom is ‘perfect for any sleeping beauty and is fitted with wardrobes which have plenty of hanging space for those princess gowns’, to quote the listing.
There’s a Lion King-esque room too, with a burnt orange colour scheme reminiscent of the African wilderness. And it’s packed with lions — of the cuddly toy sort, of course.
The cherry on the cake is the mural on the rear garden wall, where Disney takes a back seat to Elmo, He-Man, She-Ra and E.T. among others.
So is this harmless fun? A bonus for a potential buyer? Or something that will actually detract from the value of the house?
'I often advise clients to look past a seller’s personal décor choices,' says buying agent Jamie Freeman of Haringtons UK, 'but the reality is that overly-personalised interiors can limit a property’s appeal.'
That we can definitely imagine.
'Buyers want to imagine themselves living in a home, not navigating someone else’s bold colour schemes or quirky furnishings, which can distract from the space itself,’ adds Jamie.
‘That said, some buyers can see beyond décor and focus on a property’s potential, but this isn’t always the norm. By presenting a home as a well-staged blank canvas — inviting but adaptable — you’re increasing its chances of appealing to a wide audience. Ultimately, the goal is to create a setting where buyers can instantly picture their own lives unfolding, helping you to secure a quicker sale and potentially a better price.’
The good news for the Disney-mad sellers of this house is that they successfully managed to find a buyer. We've yet to discover whether the new owner is just as Disney-mad as the former residents, or just someone willing to look past the artwork to the house beneath the layers of paint.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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