Chances are, no matter how much you love your new house, the interior just isn’t to your taste. Making your own personal mark can mean doing anything from paintwork and plastering to buying the right decorations and furnishings – everything that goes into making your house a home.
With all this to think about, it’s no wonder one of the most daunting – and time consuming – things for new homeowners can be ensuring that you get a coherent look and feel throughout the house.
Decisions, decisions...
Zoe Springbett, one of our home experts, knows how important it is to get the look of your abode just right. ‘A home is like an extension of your personality,’ she says. ‘Peeking into someone’s house can provide an insight into what they’re really like. And although some people dream about what their home will look like for their entire lives, others need a little more assistance in deciding just what their perfect interior actually is.’
Whichever category you fall into, you’ll want to get in touch with us: if you’re certain of what you’re looking for, we can help you select the precise items that you need to make your dream a reality, saving your hours of searching time and significant amounts of money.
If you’re not sure about what you want, our home experts will be delighted to guide you through the decision-making process. ‘First of all, think about some of these questions before taking the plunge and deciding on which style is really you,’ Zoe says:
What kind of person are you?
Do you loathe clutter, and prefer to live with clean lines in sparsely decorated rooms? Or do you thrive in a busy environment, packed with your belongings? The way you prefer to live has a potential impact on the interior style decisions that will affect the entire house.
What about your furniture? Do you have an attic full of heirlooms, for which you will require matching pieces? Or will you be ordering entirely new, bespoke suite sets?
Are you a person who is in love with a particular palette – do you love pastels, for example? Or do you prefer keeping things a simple white – or even black? If you have space limitations, wall colour (and intelligent use of mirrors) can be one of the simplest ways of creating the illusion of more space. Don’t forget to take into account the opinions of other household members if you’re cohabiting. ‘If your partner and you have dramatically different tastes, don’t worry,’ Zoe says. ‘Our experts have often helped members to compromise on interior decisions, even when it comes to combining contrasting elements in one space.’
Are you in love with a particular historical period, or a certain part of the world? In order to really feel at home, will you need to recreate the Taj Mahal or a Tudor manor house in your front room? And if so, where will you source all your furnishings and accessories from? ‘Don’t forget, of course, that what looks magnificent in one home could look out of place in another,’ Zoe cautions. ‘Ask a lifestyle manager to arrange for samples of decorating materials and furnishings to be sent over to your new home so that you can be certain they fit in.’
In your opinion, should a home be filled with ornate furnishings? Or should the furniture be practical before presentable? Do you have children or pets? If so, you’ll want to ensure that your decorative touches – from paintwork to furniture to carpets – are easy to clean.
Consider the practicalities
As well as bringing a certain amount of your own creative flair to the project, there are also practical things you will need to consider, such as budget constraints, space limitations, or seasonal factors.
‘When thinking about interior decorating, for example, it’s better to undertake large projects such as painting rooms or plastering ceilings in the summer, when you can leave windows open to dry the work and air the house,’ says Zoe.
Above all, don’t get overwhelmed by the prospect of pulling together a coherent interior design for your new home. That’s why our experts are on hand to offer any guidance that you might need, or find a reputable designer in your area to take on your project. If you’d rather take a more hands-on approach, we can still offer guidance or information. Whether you are sourcing vintage Turkish wallpaper or need some help in choosing a colour scheme for your bathroom, we’ll help make sure the home of your dreams becomes a reality.
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