How to make a new build less new build’ey

[GardenGladness23]

i will preface this with sorry if you have a new build and this offends you.

We are buying a new build - after years of renting (came back to uk just before Covid) and not being able to find anything we like/can afford/near DC’s school/not on a terrible road/a decent size.

I’ll be honest I do quite like interiors and the new build look is not my jive. How do I make it look less new buildey. We’ve always had period/older properties with character both here and abroad.

Paint the walls.
Put your own furniture and pictures in.
Make it 'yours'.

Get several cats. Job done for you.

@Alphabet1spaghetti2 🤣

Lots of planting outside, especially climbing plants to grow up those stark looking new fences.

I follow @thehousewiththepinkbed on Instagram. She has transformed a new build house with her bespoke interiors through diy and upcycling.

If you can bear to do it ( fiddly) or get it done, adding cornice to a room completely changing the feel, makes it somehow more ‘gracious’. Panelled doors : similar (you can add beading to give the same effect without changing the doors. ) If you don’t have the dreaded under window radiators, floor length curtains.

Paint the walls something less neutral. Compliment your existing furniture with a few colour explosions like cushions, rugs, some patterned curtains , treat yourself to an ostentatious light fitting. Buy a small greenhouse and go ‘plant rescuing’ this is where you buy all the 50p half dead things and feed and water them and go back to the greenhouse in spring to find you’ve got some nice healthy shrubs and flowers to set out.
add trellis and climbers to fences if you’re overlooked.
stick a bookcase on the landing with books and a pretty lamp (landings always look bleak in new houses).
just fill it really. Fill it with colour and homely things and plants, plants bloody everywhere.

My DF and DSM moved into a new-build after living in period houses all their lives. They personalised everything by putting up loads of interesting artwork (check out the Tate online or the national gallery online for reasonably priced prints), getting colourful rugs and curtains, plus their own quirky furniture. They planted trees and shrubs to soften the outside and put up a windcatcher, ornament thing to distinguish it from the other 50 identical homes on the street. It took a few years but it eventually had a lovely cosy feel with the bonus of being warm, dry and easily maintained.

Have a look at alicegraceinteriors on Instagram. She's had 2 new builds and added a lot of character.

I did a few things to make mine feel less like a new build showhome. We picked less modern fixtures and fittings, wooden floors and carpet/rugs instead of tiles, our furniture isn't modern (apart from the inevitable kids storage from Ikea) and painted some rooms in deep colours.

You could add coving or even higher skirting boards?

Bear in mind that they usually tell you not to repaint for the first year, to allow everything to dry out properly.

I just found this little DIY project which I think is gorgeous (nice video of it on her insta)

www.instagram.com/reel/C0SmroOxWap/?igshid=ZDE1MWVjZGVmZQ==

Stuff like that that just makes it a bit different. Follow loads of home pages and it will give you ideas!

Honestly you’ll love it! We moved from a Victorian terrace to a house built in 2018 (were the second people to live in it but I call it a new build still).

We never in a million thought we’d get a newer house but coming from a Victorian terrace where there was damp, roof leaks and constant anxiety every time it rained I’ve realised how much more practical our new house is and how easy it is to live in. Also heating costs are so low!!!

We are quite fortunate our house isn’t typical new build though in that we’re in a Georgian area so the house is built with a Georgian style to it with lower window sills and sash windows etc.

But in terms of decor the rooms it was just a white box when we moved in. Some bits we’ve done so far are:

• panelling on master bedroom
• put bold colours on the walls - I love a deep navy atm
• the kitchen is shaker style which I think helps add character rather than a modern style kitchen
• id try choose bathroom fittings that’s less modern - personally I think ours is too modern for my liking and would’ve preferred a more traditional Victorian vibe bathroom
• we have a fireplace in ours and we’d love to put a wood burner or electric wood burner in to add a bit more character
• the house came with shutters but I think they add character and also help keep the warms room

In the garden is try get lots of climbing plants as well to make it feel less bland and new. We plan to put a honeysuckle up on our garage wall as we currently look out to just a garage wall!

Paint, art on walls, rugs and cosy furnishings.

If the budget allows, obviously kitchen and bathrooms that suit your style, maybe wood to bring some life to it. New build skirting boards and doors and handles are always basic and boring-update them if possible.

Oooh thanks all yes @ChessieFL I know about that but I think we can choose however not idea what the options are as they have sent me the sheet to choose but not what I can choose from!!

@TravellingT yes the kitchen will have to go pretty sharpish! There’s a few options which are visually okay but they are very budget in construction and won’t last long, importantly after 6 years in rented we need something that works for our family in terms of layout/configuration

thanks @glencocoo do you know of any other nome standard new build instragram accs?

@ActDottie i am holding onto that we are renting an early 50’s property currently and it is bloody freezing!!!! Before going abroad we had the big ol Victorian semi and whilst we could get it toasty I dread to think what that would cost to do now 😨.

We have solar panels which is quite cool.

1st thing is dont go in instagram and make it look like those new houses. They are terrible, monotonous and bland.

Lots of planting, pops of colour.

I liked the approach this project took to this: https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/howark-design-london-townhouse

Probably expensive though!

We’re a year into our new build - things we have done is try and avoid anything to clinical - picked a stone coloured kitchen with a dark wood surface instead of the white / grey / navy the developer kept telling us was “super popular!” We’ve a lot of mixed furniture as we both owned own homes before living together, the eclectic look has sort of helped! The master bedroom still looks a bit bland and boring but that’s next year’s project. Agree with other posters about coving (especially in your living room) and trying not to be too matchy with your furniture and accessories!

You can make the garden seem more established by planting semi-mature trees, hedging & shrubs rather than the thin, very young plants that most people start with.
Yes, more expensive (by quite a margin) but it can make a considerable difference.

Ours isn't a new build - it was built in 1995 I think and was completely devoid of any character.
There are things we couldn't change, like the size and shape of the windows, but things that we could.
We wanted a more cottagey feel, without going overboard on the kitch and overly olde worlde stuff. We put up simple coving, changed the doors, both interior and exterior, changed the flooring, put in a fireplace and, of course, decorated everywhere to our own taste. If you have a mixture of old and new furniture that will help, rather than all new and shiny. It's just a case of making it lived in I think.

Agree with planting lots of shrubs etc particularly at the front if you're allowed to. One of the worst things about new builds is the rows and rows of houses with blank grass patches at the front where nobody bothers to do anything except reluctantly mow it. All you see is house, cars, house, cars. Compare with older estates where people were allowed walls and fences at the front to give a proper garden.

My sister moved into a new build a couple of years ago. At the same time my mum was downsizing and she took quite a few bits of older but very nice furniture which has added a lot of character and softened it hugely.

She is also a very go us gardener and her front garden looks amazing. Her back garden is still quite bland as her kids like kicking a ball and she doesn't want the plants wrecked.

I live in a much older house but would swap it for hers very fast because hers needs nothing doing to it, whereas ours needs loads of work.

Our new build living room is very spacious with a single (large) window and high ceiling but otherwise just a large rectangular room.
We wanted a real stone fireplace to house a (fairly realistic) electric fire but as we had plenty of space we opted to have a false chimney breast built which helps with the look and gives us two alcoves which help immensely with adding character to the room.
Yes we loose a bit of floor space but that is not a problem and the room now looks much more cosy and welcoming. One alcove houses a lovely oak cupboard with matching shelves above and the other alcove has the TV, a massive improvement on the room as it was.

Some people choose to make a media wall and while that may be the bees knees if you want a cinema experience, it is a particular dislike of ours.

I think you need to embrace it and go modern. Personally I find it jarring when people try and make a new build look like a period property (wood panelling is awful unless you have a stately home or similar!). Have a look at the Modern House for inspiration.