10 New Home Interior Design Tips

If you intend to add personal touches to your soon-to-be home, the process may involve more than just simply adding furniture. However, visualising and styling your new build can be tricky—especially when you haven’t moved in yet.

Fortunately, our Interior Designer, John Cotzee is here to help. We asked John to share expert advice for planning your soon-to-be home and how you can prepare. Keep reading to uncover ten new home interior design considerations, along with tips from our expert.

10 Expert Tips to Inspire Your New Home Design

From selecting the right furniture to designing the layout, preparation is key. Here are John’s tips for decorating your new home.

1. Create a Lookbook

Creating a lookbook can help you visualise themes, colour schemes and styles altogether.

“This could be a page on Pinterest or Instagram or a collection of pages from interior magazines you like. Think of furniture items, colours, and styles.

This will help define what you like and what you should look for. There are so many different suppliers of furniture to source from, so even the most expensive look can be recreated from the high street.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

Putting all of these into a mood board-style display can help you understand what works within the scheme and what doesn’t, without committing to purchases in advance.

2. Plan With Purpose

Before buying any new furniture, think about how you want to use each area. Consider factors such as what the space will be used for and how many seats will be needed
when friends and family visit.

Once you’ve decided on this, you can then start to think about layouts.

“What will be the focal point of each room and work from that. If the focal point of your living room is the TV then place the sofa opposite and feature chairs can be added.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

3. Take Measurements

It’s important to measure everything, including room dimensions, window sizes and ceiling heights. If you’re moving into a new home, make use of your floorplans to help with this. They will help you visualise room layouts before you move in.

If you can get into the property, take as many measurements as you can. Knowing the lengths, heights and depths of spaces will help when buying items like appliances, rugs, curtains and furniture.

4. Use Technology to Bring Your Vision to Life

There are plenty of apps that can help you bring your vision to life and see what your new home could look like.

For example, if you want a feature wall in the bedroom but are unsure of how it will look, The Dulux Visualizer app lets you try wall colours virtually. Simply upload a photo of a room or wall and try out hundreds of colours in just a few taps.

Or, if you’ve forgotten to bring your tape measure to the new house, the Apple Measure app turns your phone into a tape measure using augmented reality (AR) technology.

5. Don't Be Too Impulsive

Another important tip for decorating your home is to avoid impulse purchases. It’s easy to get carried away in the excitement of decorating your new home, but it’s important to think practically too.

Let’s say you’ve found a stunning one-off side table in an antique shop that you can’t resist. Before heading to the till ask yourself:

• Will it fit into the new space?
• Will it work with the rest of the furniture going into that room?
• Where will I store it until the move?

6. Take Your Time With Art

Buying artwork for a home you haven’t moved into yet isn’t the easiest, but you could start looking for styles and themes you like.

“Artwork can be very expensive,so think about getting some interesting prints until you are ready to invest. Try online shops such as Desenio.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

Desenio offers an affordable selection of prints, canvas prints and even custom prints for artwork that can beautifully complement your new home interior design.

Once you’ve fully settled into your style and space, you can start to invest in more artwork.

7. Select the Right Sofa

Your sofa is often the centrepiece of the living room, so choose wisely.

“If you’re unsure what colour palette you want to go for, the safest option is to use a neutral backdrop on the sofa.

Patterns and colours can be added through accessories, such as cushions, throws and rugs. If you like to put your feet up while watching TV, consider an L-shaped sofa. You can get ones that switch the L-shape from the left to the right which gives a bit of flexibility in the room.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

If you don’t have space for this, consider an upholstered ottoman that you can put your feet on.

“A tray can sit on the ottoman if you want to use it as a table. Upholstered stools that fit under a coffee table can also provide extra seats for guests without cluttering up the room.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

8. Choose a Dining Table That Fits

Dining tables need to balance style and practicality. Choosing the right size will depend on the space and style of your home, but remember to consider:

• The table size: Think about table size and whether it is large enough to accommodate your needs.
• The table shape: Consider alternative table shapes to maximise space in your setting.
• Hosting: Ensure your table can comfortably seat guests, should you need it.

“Don’t oversize the table.

A general four-seat table will also seat six, adding two at either end. A 150cm x 80cm table will work for this. Folding chairs can be stored in a cupboard for when you have more guests. If you entertain a lot, consider an extending table.

A circular table is often easier to fit into a space for seating for four.

A glass table will make the space feel lighter and more open. You can dress it with a tablecloth when entertaining.”

- John Cozee, Berkeley Group Interior Designer

9. Order Furniture Early

Large furniture pieces like sofas and beds often have long delivery times, sometimes up to 12-20 weeks. With this in mind, it’s important to plan ahead and order big-ticket items well in advance so that they arrive shortly after your move-in date.

To help you stay organised and manage your time effectively, make sure to keep a delivery schedule. This way, you’ll know when you need to be home to accept the deliveries.

10. Opt For Flexible Delivery Options

Ask the companies you’re purchasing items from for flexible delivery dates. Ideally, you’ll be able to amend delivery dates closer to your move-in date—you don’t want a large wardrobe or dining table arriving at your new home before you do.

Many companies offer specific delivery dates you can select. This option might cost a little more but is worth doing to ensure everything arrives at the best time for you.

Design Your Dream Home With Berkeley Group

With these home interior decorating tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating beautiful spaces in your soon-to-be home.

If you’re looking for the perfect blank canvas for your interior design dreams, explore our range of luxurious new homes for sale. Or, for more ideas and expert advice, visit Berkeley Inspiration and discover a world of possibilities for your new home.

Find out more about Berkeley Group or get in touch for help with your next move.