If you’re reading this, chances are you love interiors as much as I do. Like many of us, I’ve spent years saving beautiful images from books, magazines, Instagram and Pinterest. But no matter how many inspirational images I saved, I could never recreate them in my new-build home.
But perhaps the issue wasn’t my efforts (or taste), but the inspiration itself. Much of what I gathered wasn’t coming from houses that looked like mine. It was large American homes, cottages, and older period properties with an abundance of space, architectural features, and character that don’t exist in most new-builds, and are often impossible to recreate without significant remodelling.
The Problem with Unachievable Inspiration
The interiors industry is filled with breathtaking homes, grand period properties and expansive American houses layered with architectural detail, generous proportions and built-in character.
But this kind of inspiration is impossible to copy in a new-build home. We often don’t have much space to work with. And the reality is, I could never recreate a Shea McGee “great room” in my open plan kitchen/diner, no matter how hard I tried.
New-build homes also tend to lack the architectural features these spaces rely on, such as fireplaces, alcoves, or small nooks that naturally create focal points and guide your eye around the space. The furniture they use often behaves differently, too. What feels considered and layered in one home can feel forced and out of place in another.
So, all this inspiration often has a negative effect, leaving us feeling stuck and unsure where to begin.
New-Build Homes Are Different, And That’s Okay
Ceiling heights, window placement, standard layouts, modern building regulations and builder-grade finishes all influence how a new-build home feels.
But this isn’t a disadvantage. In many ways, it’s one of a new-build’s greatest strengths. Rather than inheriting someone else’s character, you have the opportunity to create your own.
Where to find interior inspiration for new-build homes
New-build homes make up a significant proportion of housing across the UK, yet they are under-represented in the interiors space online and in print.
This is why we started The New Homebody. To share achievable inspiration from homes that look like ours, and to shine a spotlight on the new-build homeowners who have taken their blank canvas and turned it into something special.
How to use inspiration in a way that actually works
We’re not saying you should stop looking elsewhere for inspiration, but instead of trying to copy specific rooms, looks, and furnishings, look for inspiration in the feeling rather than the form.
Colour palettes, textures, balance and atmosphere translate far more successfully than scale or architecture. Rather than feeling disheartened when your space doesn’t match what you’ve saved, use that inspiration as a guide for mood, tone and materials instead.
When translated thoughtfully, rather than copied, new-build homes can feel just as warm, layered, and personal as any other property. They just need a different approach.