Building character: how to give your new-build home its first personality

While a new-build home may not harness the history of an older building, it is a blank canvas ready to begin its journey. This guide will offer some advice to help add persona to your new build and start that story.

Paint

The plain walls of a new build are convenient for a show home; however, they can be underwhelming when trying to capture charisma and warmth after move-in day. Make sure to get paint on the walls early to help rooms take shape.

Why not try a feature wall? Feature walls are a great way to add emphasis to a room, assisting to echo the spirit and sentiment of the space. Don’t be restricted by the walls of the room either – painting block shapes behind key pieces of furniture, spread across multiple walls or the ceiling even, can create strong flow and interest in a room.

Wall decorations

We all want the “what’s that on your wall?” welcome – talking points that make a home seem stuffed with story and soul. As well as colour or pattern, it is paramount to utilise wall decorations. The pictures and posters you hang help to embed your personality, whether that be family portraits, film posters, or fine art; it is a representation of your identity.

Adding texture is key to the warmth of a home, and wall ornaments are an excellent way to do this. Consider using dimensional variety in wall decorations for eye-catching visuals.

Embed history

While new-build houses don’t have the story of a Victorian townhouse, for instance, there are ways to add antiquity for a contemporary-historic blend. By adding a piece of vintage furniture, or some decorative pieces like an old painting or dishevelled display books, you create a story, sculpting the sentiment of a timeless and lived-in space.

Additionally, changing some simple fixtures – such as door handles, light shades, and taps – can instantly add age and individuality to an interior.

Embed life

House plants are a simple and effective way to add life to a home. Whether it be a potted tree, some windowsill succulents, or a desk-top terrarium, fetching foliage through the front door can have wonderful benefits. Not only aesthetically appealing, but they also scrub indoor pollutants, cleaning the air – and they have proven psychological impact, reducing stress and sharpening focus.

Lighting

Achieving the requisite level of lighting can be the perfect effect to dim the harshness of a new build’s shiny finish. Choosing and positioning lamps can transform a room into a comfortable and relaxing setting, as well as signify focal points. Every aspect of this, including the bulbs, fixtures, and shades, can add history and character to a room.

It’s also essential to retain sunlight wherever it enters the house for the perfect natural lighting. Not only will it aid the new build ideologies of energy efficiency, sunlight supplies vitamin D and improves your mood.

Personal touch

Ultimately, what is vital to making a new-build house feel like home is to fill it with what you love. If every piece of furniture, every wall decoration, and every personal possession in the property is chosen with passion, then the house will consequently cry out with your identity, personality, and character.