How to Style Your New-Build Home
From your property search to collecting your keys, there’s a lot to look forward to on your journey to buying a new build home. Arguably, one of the most exciting parts comes after you’ve moved in: decorating your new build.
Your new home is a blank canvas just waiting to be stamped with your personality. If you’re ready to spruce up your new home, be inspired by five top tips from interior designers for stylish spaces.
Can you decorate a new build?
Yes, if you’ve purchased a property from Berkeley Group, you’re more than welcome to redecorate your new build in a way that suits your preferences.
While our newly built apartments and houses already offer beautifully designed interiors to enjoy straightaway, some may choose to enhance their space with small personal touches. Hanging artwork or photographs are a great way to make your new property feel like home.
Should you prefer to overthrow the original colour scheme entirely, that’s also an option. Your property is yours to enjoy, meaning you can decorate your new build home as you please.
What’s more, if you buy an off-plan property that’s still being built, you may have the option to choose from various bathroom colour schemes in advance—giving you one less room to redecorate.
How to Decorate a New Build: Five Expert Tips
From small additions to large-scale changes, discover how to decorate your new build with expert advice from our interior designers.
1. Be Inspired in Advance
Even when you’re waiting to get your keys, there’s still lots of prep you can be getting on with. If you’re an art enthusiast, choosing works that are locally sourced or inspired by your location can be a great place to start. This also gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in what will be your new local area, so it’s a win-win.
“Purchasing a home in a particular part of town means we’re drawn to that area. Celebrating the location through locally sourced art is a really good way of personalising the space and rooting it in its locality.”
- Una Barac, Founder and Director of Atellior
To help you visualise your new build décor ideas altogether, consider creating a mood board. Pinterest boards, in particular, can be used to get an idea of how colours, fittings and fixtures will interact within a given setting.
“Take to Pinterest or Instagram to discover your likes and dislikes. Update yourself on current interior trends, look at show homes at your development to understand what can be achieved. And take inspiration from not only interiors but fashion, art, nature, architecture etc.”
- Frances Hanson, Head of Interior at Hunter Design
2. Find Your Furniture
A new home is a great excuse to treat yourself to new furniture. As well as being functional, key pieces of furniture, such as sofas and cabinets, can be an easy way to incorporate personality into your space.
For example, should you want to brighten your living area, a colourful sofa can provide a bold focal point within your home. Be mindful of how many colours you incorporate into your setting as too many can cause your room to feel cluttered.
“Don’t overwhelm a space with too much, one key item/feature is often enough for a room. For example in a living room, one unique chair could look great as a feature, or it could be a large oversized artwork. Commit to one bold feature.”
- Susan White, Founder and MD at Phoenix Interior Design
3. Experiment With Colour
The colour schemes used to decorate your new build home will be one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. While it can be tempting to remain neutral,
bold colours and patterns can add depth to the space, so try not to dismiss them straight away.
“It’s important to build on the foundations of the base scheme, ensuring that the colours we choose complement doors, joinery, kitchen and bathrooms. Colour trends are fun to follow.
On the other hand, combining neutral colours with accent colours in the smaller, decorative pieces is a solution for a purchaser looking to create a more timeless design approach.”
- Una Barac, Founder and Director of Atellior
If you’re still unsure, consider bright patterns and colours on a smaller scale, such as on cushions or headboards. You can always commit to bolder features later.
“If you’re just starting out on the colour journey, be playful. Start with smaller items of bold colours you love, perhaps in a throw or big cushions. Build up your confidence from there. Rugs are great to add colour to a space too.”
- Susan White, Founder and MD at Phoenix Interior Design
4. Create Ambience With Lighting
Large windows and open-plan living spaces mean your new build home will undoubtedly be lovely and bright. However, that’s no reason to dismiss the importance of the right lighting. Illuminating your space in certain areas can create an ambient setting for you to enjoy, day or night.
“How you light your spaces will highlight key design features in your home. Consider evening and day-time lighting. Use table lamps and floor lamps to bring in a lower level of light for cosy evenings.”
- Frances Hanson, Head of Interior at Hunter Design
As a place of relaxation, your new build home should be decorated to inspire comfort—and the right lighting can do just that. Table and floor-standing lamps are a great way to achieve a cosy ambience in your space while injecting style into the overall setting.
“From functional lighting to strategically placed lights that highlight features, lighting is a great design tool. Lamps are wonderful to add to a space – small, thin, chic standard lamps or fun colourful table lamps dotted around your room add colour and a soft, ambient light to a space.”
- Susan White, Founder and MD at Phoenix Interior Design
5. Add Your Finishing Touches
It’s often the little details that really bring everything together.
“Think about not just how the space looks but other senses like smell and touch – add diffusers to create atmosphere and give your home a welcoming scent. And don’t forget plants! These will not only look beautiful but also help to keep fresh air throughout your home.”
- Frances Hanson, Head of Interior at Hunter Design
House plants can be a constant reminder of nature’s calming properties to encourage relaxation in key areas of your home. Meanwhile, diffusers can ensure your property smells fresh and inviting to give you a sense of comfort every time you walk through the door.
Additionally, the right artwork is bound to capture your guest’s attention by creating intriguing focal points within your home.
“Don’t be afraid to go large. Whether that’s one very large artwork in a living room or a full gallery wall of small and medium pieces in a hallway.
We love to place art in innovative ways, for example, in a glass shelf under a glass dining table, so you dine above your artwork, or install video screens to show off your digital art.
We’re currently loving the bar cart and would definitely recommend that everyone buys one for their new home. They’re fun, glamorous and add a lot of personality to a space.”
- Susan White, Founder and MD at Phoenix Interior Design
Showcase Your Style With a New Home by Berkeley Group
Whether you’ve already bought your dream property or are still on your search for a new home, you can relax in the knowledge that Berkeley Group has got you covered. With a commitment to our customers, we’re here to support you on your journey to buying a new build—pre and post-purchase.
Those who buy a new home will also benefit from a 10-year warranty—with the first two years covered directly by Berkeley Group—to give you complete peace of mind now, and in years to come.
Browse our full range of development locations to find your perfect home or view our awards to find out why many choose to buy with Berkeley Group.