Now on call - the house doctor (From Gazette & Herald)

Now on call - the house doctor

HOUSE sellers in North Yorkshire who are looking for inspiration to make their homes look good now have their very own "house doctor".

She is Julie Cowdy, former head of art at Norton College, who has launched Styling Spaces with the help of Business Link services through Malton Business Advice Centre. Julie, who also has a diploma in interior decorative design, was so impressed by Ann Maurice, the house doctor who has had a regular slot on Channel Five, that she took two courses with her on how to put the Californian's ideas into practice.

The course inspired Julie to launch her own business, combining her experience of fashion design and textiles with decorative techniques and interior design.

But first she sought help from Business Link York and North Yorkshire, who steered her towards the Malton Business Advice Centre.

She said: "Although I had plenty of expertise in the creative side of the business, I lacked the knowledge of financial and marketing issues."

Brian Law, adviser at Malton Business Advice Centre, who coached her on bookkeeping, sales forecasts and how to draw up a business plan, said: "You might think that the experiences Ann Maurice has on her TV programmes are extreme cases, but feedback Julie had from estate agents suggests that when it comes to presenting their home to potential buyers, a lot of people simply don't know where to start."

Updated: 15:41 Wednesday, April 12, 2006