How to add character to a brand new home
New is good: The worst thing you can do to any home is try to make it look like something it’s not.
There’s plenty to love about a new home. Perhaps you bought off plans and had a chance to specify your preferred finishes. Maybe you built it yourself and it’s exactly how you wanted it. On top of which, everything is clean and shiny and works well. You’re not inheriting anyone’s insane wallpaper or dodgy pipework or scrubbing years of grime. The flipside is the newness of it all. Older homes come with existing character, but new ones need to have theirs developed, and it’s not always easy. Here are the best ways to lift the flatness and bring in some personality.
In my view, the worst thing you can do to any home is try to make it look like something it’s not. You need to work with the existing structure, style, and features. Consider the window styles, building materials, the shape of the roof, and any architectural details. If it’s super modern and sleek, it’s best to use that as the baseline for how you will develop the interior style. Don’t try to force cottage-core or Victorian details into it. Instead, find inspiration from similar style homes.
Colour matters, but it’s less important than texture in this instance. New homes are often handed over with everything set to the same finish. Matte walls, flat cabinetry, similar texture across carpets and curtains and couches. (Or worse - shiny everything.) The key to making a home feel more characterful and interesting is texture, and the key to texture is contrast. Layer rough fabrics over smooth, smooth finishes against matte, and soft against hard. This means cosy rugs on hard tile floors, wool throws on smooth microfibre couches, and soft curtains surrounding new blinds. Wall panelling (appropriate to the style of the home), tiles, and wallpaper are all excellent ways to bring additional texture to otherwise flat walls.
The easiest, most instant lift to any home is simple lighting changes. Change all lightbulbs to 2700 kelvin or lower for warm, cosy light. Buy lampshades and fixtures that provide diffuse light and avoid any cold, glaring, bare lightbulbs which instantly strip any home of personality.
I repeat this mantra often, because it is one of the simplest and most effective styling tips there is. It was coined by the fabulous Kate Watson-Smyth, author of Mad About the House. Her advice is to look around a room, and ask yourself: does it have something new, something old, something black, and something gold. It is a fool-proof way of bringing together a room that otherwise feels flat, lacking, or unfinished. It means you should add in old, antique, or vintage pieces to sit alongside your new joinery. You should add black as an accent to introduce contrast and depth. You should have gold (or another metallic accent) to complete the style.
If you weren’t able to specify the hardware or electrical finishes you wanted, it doesn’t mean you have to live with them forever. Door handles, cabinet knobs, taps, switch plates, and sockets are all relatively simple to swap out, and it is a fantastic way to bring in your own personality and character without huge cost. Solid brass, silver nickel, stainless steel, and ceramic finishes are elegant and timeless. Be consistent throughout the home, or at least within the same room, for a cohesive finish.
The risk, when moving into a new home, is that you rush out and buy everything in an effort to have it all finished quickly. This is a mistake you should avoid if you can, as you risk ending up with more flatness and same-ness. Spending time living in the home, getting to know the light, letting your preferences for that specific home develop and reveal themselves over time, is a better option if possible. Choose furniture, paint, and accessories over time and let the character of the home build gradually with more authenticity.
