How to add character to your new build home

So, you’ve just purchased your new build home and were totally wowed by the showhome, you were sold on the aspirational, clutter free and finished home but now you’ve arrived you’ve been hit in the face with that feeling of overwhelm. It’s a white box and completely blank canvas with no character and next to no storage and you have no clue what you can do, so you do one of two things; you jump in and start painting without much thought or you procrastinate the hell out of it. Whichever camp you’re in I’m there is help at hand and things you can do to turn it from boring, bland box to a home to be proud of.

1. Panelling

A firm favourite for most millenials this is a fantastic and realively easy way to add a blast of character to your space. There are a fair few options here and a style to suit all property types - I’m in the choose a style to suit the age of the property camp but that’s not to say I’ve not seen some excellent examples of period home panelling styles in new build homes. I spoke about panelling in more depth in a previous blog post so click here to see loads of examples of panelling in different homes and common FAQ’s for the DIYers among us.

2. Media Units

Searches for media unit inspiration have gone wild over the last year and it’s easy to see why. With more people living in new builds than ever they are the perfect solution to that long, boring lounge wall providing extra storage and, often, a dash of colour. Usually constructed from MDF they can be customised to suit your needs and painted in any colour adding that touch of personality whilst still being oh so functional. Imagine having cupboards or even drawers along the bottom so you can say bye bye to all the kiddie clutter of an evening and take the space back to one where you can relax and unwind.

This media unit was created for one of my clients to hide their radiator they were sick of looking at when watching TV. Constucted from MDF and painted in Farrow and Ball Card Room Green the perfect calming, grown up mid green, it oozes calm whilst ridding them of their unsightly view forever. For more of this room click here…

3. Faux fireplaces

Holly from @holly_homestyle has created this gorgeous faux chimney breast in her new build home complete with bio ethanol woodburner style stove and built ins. It’s hard to believe this is a new build and as she has expertly crafted a room which has all the hallmarks of a period property but it’s probably a lot warmer!

A faux chimney breast changes the shape of the room which adds interest and breaks up the wall bringing in areas of light and shadow across the walls. What new builds often lack is a focal point and the addition of large statement mirror or art in complimentary colours to your scheme above the fire surround will finish the space off beautifully.

4. Be clever with your use of paint.

Someone recently asked me about how best to get their new build home finished on a budget. They were sick of the bland white rooms that came as standard but couldn’t afford lots of paint so thought a feature wall in each room would be the answer as she’d inject some much needed colour but because she wasn’t doing full rooms she wouldn’t use as much paint and everything would feel better. Makes sense right???!!! Well no! Sadly, a feature wall is not the answer. They just look like you’ve forgotten to do the rest or were scared to and actually make a room feel very disjointed and not the relaxing haven you were hoping for.

A feature wall colour is VERY unlikely to go well with the brilliant white on the other walls and will create a horrible divide in the space and you will feel it even if you can’t work out what’s gone wrong. Colours so desperately need to be paired with a carefully selected shade that sits in harmony with it and brilliant white is never that colour.

My advice to her was to always paint the whole room the same colour and preferably the skirting boards too and if this means doing the house slower as you can afford more paint so be it. If you must have white skirting boards then please step away from the brilliant white default paint! Research your colour and find a suitable white to compliment it - brands like Farrow and Ball and Little Greene have this information readily available on their website and will be more than happy to advise on the right white.

5. Add a wall mural

There are an abundance of wall murals available now and they are sent out as rolls of wallpaper to fit a specific space creating a wonderful image or pattern across your walls. With this being a feature of sorts I’d advise picking a colour from the design to use on other walls - this will make it seem intentional and part of the space rather than an afterthought and keep the mural from seeming like a random add on with no connection to what’s going on in the rest of the room.

6. Change up the sockets.

Most new builds come with cheap white, plastic switches and sockets as a standard and changing these for something more luxury can be a game changer. Design really is all in the details and these small, jewels to a room can take a room to the next level on a subconscoius level and changing up touch points makes for a more tactile experience - design is about all the senses. My go to has to be Corston Archietectural Details for these antique brass beauties (other finishes are available!) or even these clear perspex delights where you can keep the wall colour or wallpaper going for a fully seemless look but I do wonder how good one’s eyesight needs to be so you can actually spot them in the wild. Another fantasic Instagram account is Becky over at @alittlecotswoldhome she changed up all her standard new build lightswitches to the Corston ones here taking her home to the next level. She’s one to watch for ALL the jazzing up your new build hints, tips and inspiration.

7. Don’t forget the window dressings

Lot’s of new builds come with stark white UPVC windows and whilst they provide great thermal efficiency they don’t look great. There are a few options - shutters could work well or blinds in the recess which can cover part of the frame but curtains are a good bet as they can be drawn to just before the edge of the window to conceal the plastic but still let the light in.

8. Choose furniture wisely.

Do consider that your property is brand new when you select furntiture but that doesn’t mean it all has to be brand new, in fact, this is something I wouldn’t advocate for in any home, new build or not. Adding antique furniture with lots of ornate detailing or heavy dark wood will probably be incongrous with your shiny new build so instead opt for slimline mid-century, scandinavian design. These will sit nicely with your newer furniture in the clean lines of your new contemporary home.

I hope I’ve managed to give you some hints and inspiration for your new build and that I’ve encouraged you to be able to have fun with it and push the boundaries. I get they can be big white, daunting spaces when you first arrive but adding some differing surfaces, textures and colours will quickly make it feel more homely and less overwhelming.

If you are still feeling that your new build is too overwhelming I can help - just click the book a call button at the top of this website and book a FREE 15 minute discovery call straight in to my calendar to discuss your project or hit the contact button and fill out a form with your details and a little about your project and I’ll get back to you.