Olivia Bowen has spoken about her journey towards starting a new career in interior design and building a multi-million pound property portfolio.
The reality star, 30, rose to fame as the runner-up on the second series of Love Island in 2016 with her now-husband Alex, 32, before tying the knot in September 2018 and welcoming two-year-old son Abel.
After leaving the show, the couple earned thousands through brand deals and even had their own TV show, Olivia and Alex Said Yes, on TLC in 2018.
But Olivia has explained she is aware of the fleeting nature of Love Island fame, and has decided to start investing in property, while pursuing her dream of a career in interior design.
In a new interview with The Sunday TimesShe said: ‘I know Love Island won’t last forever. I have my career (as an influencer), which I absolutely adore, but I know things are going to change. Interior design has become something I want to do with my life.
Olivia Bowen has spoken openly about her career path in interior design and building a multi-million pound property portfolio (pictured with Alex and Abel)
The reality star, 30, rose to fame as the runner-up on the second series of Love Island in 2016 with her now-husband Alex, 32, before tying the knot in September 2018 and welcoming two-year-old son Abel (pictured together on the show).
But Olivia has explained she is aware of the fleeting nature of Love Island fame, and has decided to start investing in property, while pursuing her dream of a career in interior design.
‘My father always instilled in me the importance of property and I kept that in mind.’
Alex and Olivia spent around £800,000 in 2017 to buy their first home in Chelmsford, Essex, before purchasing Olivia’s dream home in 2020 for just over £1 million.
That same year they also invested £128,000 in a one-bedroom flat in Birmingham, to renovate and then rent it out.
Continuing to expand their rental property portfolio, the following year they purchased a three-bedroom rental property for £175,000.
Last year, they sold their Essex home for £500,000 more than they paid for it and bought a plot of land in Essex for £250,000 in June 2023.
And Olivia revealed the couple are planning to buy four more two-bedroom properties in Manchester over the next two months.
She explained that her passion for property investment lies in interior design and she is budgeting around £15,000 per home to make them perfect for tenants.
But the mum-of-one admitted she had a lot to learn when she bought her first home, saying she was “absolutely terrible” at interior design at first and “made a lot of interiors mistakes”.
Alex and Olivia spent around £800,000 in 2017 to buy their first home in Chelmsford, Essex, before purchasing Olivia’s dream home in 2020 for just over £1 million.
And Olivia revealed the couple are planning to buy four more two-bedroom properties in Manchester over the next two months.
But the mother-of-one admitted she had a lot to learn when she bought her first home, saying she was “absolutely terrible” at interior design at first and “made a lot of interior design mistakes”.
She created an Instagram account to document her dream home renovation, almost from scratch, allowing fans a glimpse of the process from start to finish.
Finally moving into their luxurious home last month, the couple proudly showed off the final results of their chic apartment, which features a “beachfront room” for their toddler and even a sweet nod to the Love Island villa in Mallorca where they met.
She revealed that her childhood dream home was a ‘complete renovation job’ that needed a lot of work and she didn’t want to make the same mistakes.
Determined to master the craft, Olivia took the opportunity to learn about interior design while in quarantine, completing her online diploma in three months.
She created an Instagram account to document her dream home renovation, almost from scratch, allowing fans to see the process from start to finish.
As they finally moved into their luxurious home last month, the couple proudly showed off the final results of their chic apartment, which features an “ocean view room” for their toddler and even a sweet nod to the Love Island villa in Mallorca where they met.
Olivia admitted she was proud to see everything come together and develop her skills, saying it was a sign of the importance of not writing off former reality stars.
She said: “When you go on Love Island you get put in a box but I don’t want that. I want to invest in property and I want to be an interior designer so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Olivia admitted her pride in seeing it all come together and developing her skills, saying it was a sign of the importance of not writing off former reality stars (pictured in Love Island)
Photos and videos of the couple’s stunning home show a luxurious en-suite bedroom with a sleek style featuring his-and-hers white and gold sinks and marble countertops, with matching mirrors and a large glass shower.
The kitchen was designed with cream and wood tones enhancing an elegant yet minimalist style, completed with wooden stools.
The couple particularly liked the result for little Abel’s room, which featured an entire wall of ocean artwork with designs of various creatures that live in ocean waters.
And Olivia couldn’t stop praising her outdoor entertaining space, which she described as “a little Italian paradise” with an outdoor spot perfect for a barbecue, nestled beneath a wooden pergola.
Photos and videos of the couple’s stunning home show a luxurious en-suite bedroom with a sleek style, featuring his-and-hers white and gold sinks and marble countertops, with matching mirrors and a large glass shower.
Olivia made sure to give her new apartment a visible touch of Mediterranean style, and even admitted that they went all the way to Lake Como to buy the right items for her outdoor area.
The couple particularly liked the result of little Abel’s room, which they called the ocean room.
The space featured an oceanic artwork that spanned an entire wall with designs of various creatures that live in ocean waters.
The kitchen was designed with cream and wood tones enhancing an elegant yet minimalist style, completed with wooden stools.
And Olivia couldn’t stop praising her outdoor entertaining space, which she described as “a little Italian paradise”.
It featured cream-colored countertops and a large outdoor oven with a rustic blue and red design on terra cotta tiles that served as a rustic backsplash.
The beautiful outdoor spot looked perfect for a summer barbecue, all nestled under a wooden pergola to enjoy some sunshine.
The couple even gave a sweet nod to their time on Love Island, as the outdoor kitchen looked a lot like the famous villa’s al fresco dining area.
