To say that a new build home lacks character would be like saying a newborn baby is lacking in personality, both statements mean absolutely nothing because you haven’t given either a chance to develop into themselves yet. It’s easy for a three-hundred-year-old English home to have character, it quite literally has history dripping from every wooden beam in its construction. But a new build, necessary as it is, might look entirely the same and be constructed to the same spec as the house next door. Military families know this all too well of course, but as those homes are often temporary spaces to enjoy, this is hardly a drag.
But what if you’ve purchased a home and you want to add personality? How do you achieve that without tacky decisions implemented for the sake of it? In this post, we’ll offer a number of adornments or renovations you could make to help the space conform a little more to your unique characteristics and tastes:
Incorporate Unique Lighting Fixtures
No matter how good the natural light exposure is within your newly built property, you have to add artificial lights in there, too. This is a great opportunity for adding character and style. Now, you don’t need to implement a crystal chandelier costing tens of thousands of dollars for a home to look great, but it can be nice to implement a few unique fixtures.
That might involve lampshades, covers, inbuilt lighting such as embedded lighting in the ceiling of your bathroom, or even colored lighting such as gently spotlights on framed movie posts in your home office for that art deco feel. The best thing about this option is that lighting is very easy to chop and change around the household, so if you get bored of one idea, you can implement another reasonably pain-free.
Craft Your Furniture
When you’ve moved into a place, the last thing you’re going to have time for is building a woodworking shop in your garage and fashioning all your furniture from scratch. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with a statement piece. To begin with, reupholstering certain furniture items for a new environment can be a fantastic place to start, especially if it’s become a little banged up during transit.
On top of that, you might find some reclaimed wood, work with your local lumberyard, and head to a local carpenter to commission a piece to take pride of place in your home. This might be a custom-made crib for your newborn on the way, or even a shoe rack that provides a unique design to greet guests with confidence. Well-crafted furniture can not only provide you a piece that no one else has, but it shows your personality through and through, so don’t be afraid to implement it.
Beautiful Cladding
Cladding is relatively unobtrusive in its installation, while also protecting the home and adding a unique visual appeal that may not be matched on your street. For example, stack stone cladding not only looks incredible, it helps the home seem more grounded and rustic than it might be otherwise. If matching other elements of the household such as a large, rugged but well-maintained doorway, you’d be surprised just how the home immediately gains a structured sense of personality.
Of course, such cladding is easy to take care of and keeps your home robust, especially against storms, which means this is a good general investment in your property too. Not all new builds can boast such installations, so implementing your own is good sense.
Create A Signature Home Fragrance
It’s not all about what installations or furniture you’re decorating with, but how you create the ambiance of the property that counts. Perhaps you’ve implemented a nice speaker system that operates in multiple rooms, playing calming jazz music in your kitchen while you cook, or a gentle ambiance in your bedroom when waking up in the morning. All of this can serve as a wonderful investment.
But you may also be surprised just how much a home fragrance can help your home feel pleasant to occupy. Purchasing wholesale candles for the evenings helps flood the home with beautiful scents, while you might also have an incense area where you can enjoy multiple beautiful fragrances while meditating in the morning or enjoying your yoga practice.
Sometimes, odor eliminator sprays or automated socket dispensers can be enough, especially if you have pets that tend to smell a little if it’s been raining. A good smell can help any home feel more inviting, and that in itself is a form of personality.
Display Collections Or Hobbies
You can reinforce the personality of your house the same as your house can help inspire your personality. You don’t have to put up false wood beams if that’s not your taste or expose false brickwork if you think that’s a little much for your new household.
Just be authentic, and showcase what your tastes may be. For example, if you love fishing, then proudly displaying a deconstructed vintage fishing road above the fireplace might look fantastic, and add some unique charm that you can’t see elsewhere. A trophy case for your athletic child, or a photo arrangement in the hallway of everyone important to you, these little fixtures show who you are. It doesn’t matter if the exterior of your house is similar to other new builds, it’s what’s inside and the life contained within that matters most.
Flowers
Put simply, flowers add character. What could be more enticing than mother nature herself? You might line the garden pathway with flower beds, use window or hanging baskets, or even use a garden arch with a trellis that looks fantastic and brings the outside in.
Flowers are wonderful to care for, and they also provide personality to any space. Moreover, you get to rejuvenate an aesthetic anew each year. Never discount the benefit of a good flower arrangement, it can be a good stop-gap, and it also prevents any intrusive renovations you may otherwise make.
With this advice, you’re certain to add character to your new build.