Early 90s semi.. Help me decorate please

[OrgasmicScalp]

I love houses with beautiful original features and yet I'm the owner of a 90s box with not one exciting feature in the whole house! Over the next year I'm going to redecorate the whole house.. including new doors and skirting etc
How can I bridge the gap between the houses I love and the one I have? I can't make the house into a beautiful victorian terrace but I feel like there must be some things I can do to make it look it's best.
I love where we live and will never move so no need to suggest that. We are very lucky to live where we do, just want to make this house look great! Thanks

Have you seen a blog called the-edited.com?

She took a modern house and has made it really rather stylish. Even if you don’t like her style there are some lovely ideas in there (and I have a serious thing about her stair runner).

How exciting to be planning a big project!

Thanks I'll have a look at that
Yes it's exciting and daunting as want to get it right!

Bumping for more ideas

I've got a 70's weather board square house, and like you wish it was something with more history to it, its hard to fake.
We've only done some minor things, but we plan to keep the house itself quite plain and bring history in through decor and furniture.

I.e. we're about to make a new linen cupboard which will be very plain, practical and boring, but I've bought a craftsman (kind of?) wooden door with leadlight/stained glass (it was the front door saved from a house that was demolished). We are going to put it on some runners and turn it into sliding barn style door for our linen cupboard.

I think a modern house can feel characterful inside with things like pp suggested such as interesting reclaimed doors used sparingly against neutrals. I would say avoid contemporary trends like grey and navy with accents, will just make it feel modern and then quite soon dated when the next trend comes.

I had a modern semi that lacked character and really warmed it up character wise with lots wood and books everywhere. Also warm cosy lighting from lamps not bright main lights or spotlights.

If you put a new bathroom in you can choose classic styles of taps, and enamel bath, traditionally shaped toilet and pedestal sink.

Yes that's what I'm thinking. Want to avoid going too modern but equally trying to get the balance right

I.think you could do subtle detail with coving and dado rail. Some terracotta or monochrome tiles in hall with old furniture, rugs and muted tiffany style lamps.

Absolutely you can give your 90’s house character, often new builds are built with a very traditional look any way, Victorian style etc and I notice a lot of Arts and Crafts style are being built at the moment as well, these new builds can certainly lend themselves to more traditional and characterful interiors, I think you need to get the basics right first starting with the front door, if it’s a PVC job it has to go, you need a wooden front door, either painted or natural not a composite, then your bog standard new build doors will need to be changed for solid wood, again either painted or natural, this will make a massive difference, it will literally feel better as the doors will feel heavy and give the house some gravitas. You then need to look at quality wood or tiled floors in a traditional style but perhaps with a contemporary twist to keep it current. Anything ‘builders grade’ has to go, skinny skirting boards, cheap light fittings, artex, plastic light switches, white basic radiators, all of these things make a subtle difference to the feel of the house. Once you get these basics right you can then look at decor and furnishings, if you don’t get the basics right first adding character/traditional furnishings will just jar.

A really good website for this type of make over is ‘The Lettered Cottage’ I love these kitchen make overs from their site

And this one

Thank you BettyBoo!! Really good tips

Orgasmicscalp I have just come here to ask exactly the same question! For reasons beyond our control we are living in a 90's Barratt style home for the next few years. I want to make it ours but all my design loves are Georgian and Edwardian homes.....and I cant make this place into that!
I still want to make it ours but don't like the thought of spending money on something I don't love!!

Moogly.. Hope some of the tips here help you. It's tricky isn't it when the house ou have is nothing like the style you love. Where I live there is a house that has been fashioned into a mini stately home.. I swing between thinking WTF and good on you for doing what you want! It does look a bit odd being that it's on a main road in a run of townhouses on a council estate but hey ho, each to their own