There are so many benefits to choosing a new build house, from them being energy efficient, usually low maintenance (when done well), you can move straight in, you can customise different elements before you move in and they have lovely modern designs. However, there are downsides, one of which is usually a new build home is quite a blank canvas that you need to make your own. However, this is also an opportunity to make it into exactly what you want it to be, which we’re here to help with! Our tips to help you make your new build house feel like a home include lots of options to suit different budgets, so we’ve got you covered.
Add Colour and Art To The Walls
The first thing you should do to make your new build house feel like a home is to add colour and art to the walls. Most new builds come with all white walls, which can make the rooms feel like they don’t have much character. So, pick out a colour palette for each room, then start getting creative with paint, wallpaper and wall art. The brightness of the white can be quite nice, so keeping some of it can help to create a balance of character whilst keeping the rooms feeling bright and fresh. As everything will be in good condition when you move in, then you could always take your time with this, getting one room perfect before you move onto the next.
Focus On Your Lighting
Another good tip to make your house feel more homely is to focus on your lighting. New builds will come with a singular main light and maybe some wall lights in the living room, however it’ll be limited. So, focus on secondary lighting, like lamps, a light feature hanging over your dining table and mood lighting features, all of which should be in a warm yellow lighting to really bring the space to life and to avoid any stark and bright lighting. This can instantly transform the appearance of any room and is so worth it.
Improve The Garden
One of the downfalls of a new build is that the gardens usually don’t come with anything at all, even soil or grass. So, making this a space you can spend time in and enjoy will make a big difference with a good garden revamp. Start with the grass, choosing which areas you want to be the lawn, perhaps all of it or just some sections, then get yourself soil and turf. Then decide which areas you want to have other features, like patio or decking. Make sure you do this right the first time to get your lawn right, considering dumper hire if you need it or working with a local landscaping company if you’re not experienced.
Finally, you can start adding the finishing touches, like wild and local plants, greenery, bushes, decorations and also thinking about painting your fence. Even if you start with getting the lawn sorted, looking out the window and seeing the greenery can really help you to feel at home, then you can spend more time later down the line sorting everything else out!
Get House Plants
Something else that can instantly bring your home to life are house plants! House plants are bright and just bring a freshness to any space. They can also help to improve the air quality and generally improve your mood, as well as effortlessly adding something stylish to your home. Even if you’re not very green fingered, you can get low maintenance plants that just need watering once every few days in the summer or once every few weeks in the winter.
In the larger rooms in your home you could go for bigger statement plants in the corners, then in things like your bedrooms, smaller succulents. In rooms that are quite humid, like your kitchen and bathroom, just make sure you choose plants that can cope with that humidity, like a peace lily, a snake plant, a spider plant or monstera. If you get smaller plants, it’s also quite nice to see them grow over time in your new home!
Add Personal Touches To The Kitchen
With new builds, often you’re able to pick out the design features you want for your kitchen, like the worktops, cupboards, flooring etc. This will make it look stunning, but sometimes it can still lack some character, so that’s where the personal touches come in.
Think wall art, family photos, cute place mats, a colourful kettle and toaster, a nice tray by the sink with handwash and hand cream, a lovely fruit bowl, and so on. One of our favourite things to do is to get some open kitchen shelving, perhaps wooden to warm up the space, then you can store decorative jars with tea, coffee, dried goods like pasta, rice and oats, then also some of your favourite plates or glasses that look stunning on display. When you have blank surfaces it can feel quite sterile, however with these few additions it can completely transform the space.