Buying your own home can be such an exciting process, but it’s also expensive. It's not surprising that so many people are making use of the government schemes and looking into first-time buyer deals with some of the country’s leading developers. These days, you can get some really impressive and incredible homes for your money too. Because new builds are not what they once were, they’re a really great quality of home that can be built to your own specifications if you're lucky enough to be there from the off.
However there is a downside to new builds for some people, and that’s the lack of personality that they can often have. Although you do sometimes get to choose the furnishings and fittings that get put in when you buy your plot, in a lot of cases most of the homes are all the same and if you’re a big fan of character, this can put you off. There are lots of different ways you can add instant charm to a new build though, so if you want the reliability of a new home and the features of something older, here's a few things you can try to have the best of both worlds.
Dress The Front Door
First of all, you may want to think about creating a beautiful front door, an instant greeting to come home to or welcome guests, it's so important to feel happy with yours. If every house on your development has the same door, putting your own in will make it far more individual to you. Take a look at some front door designs, like these on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/explore/front-door-design/, and see which work best for you. By changing the door and dressing it up with plants and flowers, you’ll be making the first steps to making your new home have character. This is such a small change, but can truly transform that first impression to reflect your family style and taste.
Shape The Exterior
While you’re outside, another big impact change is to venture into a bit of landscaping too. Now, you may only need to do a little to make it feel like your own. But you may also want to redo the entire thing, especially if you’ve just got a simple lawn to work with. With a new front and back garden, you’ll start to add your own touch on things, making them stand out in the crowd and add a different feel to your home.
Change The Windows
Next, take a look at the windows, as this is definitely another area that you can look to add real character to. If all of your windows look the same, and feel a little too modern, treat them to a bit of sprucing with a little trim. Window trims can really add character and give a little country feel to your home too. With such a huge range of windows available now, choosing some with an older style could instantly transform the look of your home.
Install A Fireplace
If your new home comes with a fireplace, it’s likely to have a very modern feel to it. Mostly though, new builds don't tend to have a focal feature like this as they won't have open fires, but there is no reason you can't add your own. By adding a working fireplace, you’re going to get some instant character, even if you choose an electric fire of some kind, just having that focal point in the room will work wonders. If you can fit a proper log burner in, then even better!
Customise Your Textiles
You can also add character with the things that you actually add into the space too, such as your soft furnishings and colour scheme. When you’re looking at an empty, brand new home, it can feel a little cold and lifeless, so you could add in something custom of your own like these -https://www.montgomery.co.uk/shop/made-to-measure-curtains for the perfect fit. Designing something yourself will feel completely unique, 100% your choice in design and colour and perfect for your home and family.
Change The Details
Next, you’re going to want to make a change to what's already there. A great way to add character is to switch some of the handles and door knobs to something more vintage that you’ve picked out yourself. This can even work with the kitchen cabinets too, it's small changes like this that can often make the biggest difference.
Add To Your Walls
Just like you did with the windows, you could also think about customising your walls too. With a little bit of DIY, this is quite easy to achieve. Quaint homes with a lot of character always have mouldings and picture rails on the walls, and these can certainly add a lot of personality. Your new home may not have come with them, but you can certainly add them in yourself to make the space more to your taste.
Add On
And why not add on a little bit of extra space too? Here, you could think about extending the property, adding a conservatory, or even converting your garage or attic into an extra living space. Not only will this ensure that the new home feels a bit more unique to you, but it will allow you to add character when combined with any of the other seven ideas we’ve mentioned above too.
Do you have a new build? What's your biggest issue when it comes to adding character?
* This is a collaborative post.