Written by Rebecca Connolly

Have you ever wondered why we are called The Living House? When we first started our business we began by thinking about our homes and what they mean to us. We believe that homes should reflect the people who live in them and suit the way they live. Our homes evolve and grow as we spend more time in them and they are never really finished or complete. They are ‘living’. A new build home is at the beginning of its life, it’s box fresh! And this can be a great thing, and it can present some challenges. Here we are going to show you how you can add personality and life to your new build to make it a home.

For many people the draw of a new build property is strong and we can see why! Depending on the developer and how early it is in the build,  you may be able to have a say in the design and choose extras for your new house such as the look of the kitchen, flooring, placement of fixtures and fittings and whether you would like a fully landscaped garden. After making a few decisions you are able to move straight into a home which has everything you could possibly need, brand new and unused. Amazing!!

Whilst all these things are true, new builds can also feel a bit soulless and can be tricky to design. New build homes tend to be pristine white box rooms, often lacking the features of older homes. This presents a problem when designing the space as typically a room would have a feature to draw the eye - a beautiful fireplace, a chimney breast, wood beams, panelling to name a few examples. A room without a feature can feel clinical and the opposite of cosy. Windows can be a little smaller, and ceilings a little lower than in older houses - the showhome that looked so spacious can feel a little cramped with your own furniture.

Read our blog on why a focal point doesn’t always have to be a fireplace here

If you have a new build you will have to work a bit harder to give the house a personality - it is very young after all and less worldly than its grown up predecessors! However, do not lose hope. We can show you how you can instantly add personality to your new home.

Is your room a blank canvas and you’re not sure where to start? Click here - our Midi Living package is perfect for you!

Paint & wallpaper 

New builds are often painted bright white and the flooring is grey carpet or LVT as the developer wants to create something timeless that appeals to all. White is used so much as it goes with almost everything, it is light and bright and versatile - and of course, cheap! White however is not very cosy, and this is the number one requirement from every customer we have ever helped. For an instant injection of personality look to change the walls from white to a warmer colour. Even if you're not wanting to go for a bold colour you should still consider a soft neutral tone or even light greens or pinks. We suggest painting every wall in the same colour. If you want the space to be extra cosy and cocooning you could even paint the ceiling in a lighter shade of the same colour. This has the effect of softening the lines between walls and ceiling and is far less harsh than white. 

If you want to try something a little different consider colour blocking on one or two of the walls. Colour blocking is when we use different paint colours to create shapes on the walls. The shapes often overlap and define an area, and adding artwork or shelves on top can work really well. Colour blocking is a great way to make your own feature in a featureless room.

Of course there is wallpaper too. Wallpaper does much of the heavy lifting for you. You can quickly transform a space within a day with a bold print on one wall or even a ceiling. Top tip; look at your wallpaper carefully and try to identify complementary colours in the paper that could be used for paint colours on the other walls and decorative accessories.

@our.olivetree.home

@happy.newbuildhomemaking

Always have something old in a room

This is a great way to achieve a ‘lived in’ look in your brand new home. Mixing some vintage pieces with your modern pieces will give the impression that you have collected items over time and this tells more about your story and personality. 

Having something old could also be cost effective as you may not be able to afford to buy everything brand new. Charity shops and vintage fairs could be the best place to start - especially if you are loving the mid century style that is so popular right now!

Have a chat with us and find out how we can help you. Book a free discovery call with us today!

Window treatments

Window treatments tend to be something people don’t think too much about until they realise how important they are when lying in bed with the sun in their eye and a wonky bed sheet pinned to the window! 

Firstly, consider the function - you need something to keep the light out in the mornings and provide privacy. Secondly the window treatments can really change the look of a room and provide an opportunity to add colour, pattern or texture. 

Take some time to think about how you use the room. If it is a living room that isn’t overlooked you may not need full coverage. Instead you can opt for some soft voiles to simply dress the window and bring in another texture. If it is a room such as a bedroom, you will need to select blackout or light stop fabrics. Look at doubling up your window treatments to offer solutions for both daytime use and night time use. At night you can pull down the blackout roller blind in the recess, and then close the curtains which look lovely and add pattern or colour. During the day the roller blind can be pulled all the way to the top and you can flood the room with morning sunshine!

@something.homey

@something.homey

Lighting, lighting, lighting

Lighting can really make or break a mood in your room. Often rooms need to be both cosy and relaxing for the evening, and bright and stimulating for the daytime. The easiest way to achieve this is to aim for at least two layers of light. Your first layer should be the practical, which is typically brighter, overhead lighting, great for cleaning or getting things done. The second layer of light is your table and floor lamps. This layer is softer, warmer and more flattering and relies on the opaqueness of the bulb and shade. If your light is coming from clear, bare bulbs and glass shades (which are trendy right now but unflattering), think about swapping some of the bulbs for a more inviting light. And don’t forget about the temperature of the bulbs you use too - it’s an easy fix to swap your cool bulbs for warmer ones to instantly change the feel of the room.

@my_midcenturyboho_newbuild

Artwork and photos

Artwork is so personal and really tells a story. In recent years gallery walls have become so popular as they are a collection of pictures that bring us joy, add colour, or say something about us. You are aiming for a thrown together casual look - although this is easier said than done! The important thing to remember here is to plan your gallery wall or art placement. Try laying all your pieces on the floor first and mix up the frames sizes and finishes for a really eclectic look.

To inject even more personality, intermingle photos of friends, family and pets into your gallery wall. To elevate the look further print the photos in black and white as this will give a uniformed appearance. 

We can shop from anywhere to suit your style and budget. Click here to get started

Rugs and plants 

If you have just moved into your new home you might be hesitant to cover your new floors or carpet with a rug but rugs are so important. They do so much. They give you an opportunity to add colour, texture and pattern and they can also make a statement in a room. 

Rugs help to zone areas of rooms really well. For example if you have a large living room you might be able to have the main sofa seating and then a smaller reading nook. In this type of room we would recommend two rugs as this helps to show there are two areas in the one space. This will increase the cosy feel and have everyone fighting over the reading nook! 

@home_with_candy_sky

@home_with_candy_sky

If you need help injecting some personality in your new build home we have the solution for you. We offer interior design advice to suit any budget and can help you transform your space to suit your lifestyle. Get in touch today to learn about our packages and get started!