REAL HOME

New-Build Makeover

A BLANK canvas

‘The large openplan kitchen diner was one of the selling points of this house for me, it’s a great space that has so many uses, and I can keep an eye on the kids when I’m cooking,’ says Jen.

By introducing colour through artwork, painting and furniture hacks, Jen has given her new-build home a vibrant look that’s full of personality

Jen found all her dining chairs on Ebay. ‘I love to shop online and decided to mix and match my chairs. I especially love my pink chair as it ties in with some of the wall prints.’

PROFILE

The owners Jen Watkins, a sales director in the beauty industry and an artist, lives here with her three children, Rowan, and twins Arthur and Oscar, their dog Dottie and cat Saffy. The property A five-bedroom detached new-build in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

‘I used some leftover hallway paint to paint an arch onto this wall and blend the radiator in,’ says Jen. ‘Fitted shelves make it look like a frame.’

Archway paint, Valspar. Velvet chair, Habitat

Below ‘I bought this drinks cabinet on Facebook and upcycled it, using leftover paint,’ says Jen. ‘Arcs and curves are very on-trend, so I was ahead of the game!’ Right ‘The cabinet was a bargain buy from a local charity shop – I love combining old and new items as I think it adds to a home’s character.’

Right ‘I love to display all my purchases, so I fitted wide shelving across the back wall and a low unit which houses the TV. The corner sofa creates a cosy corner when snuggling up with the boys.’

Left ‘This is my little reading corner. I’ve tons of design and reading books which help inspire my artwork. The library sign was from a local shop, which I love.’

Armchair, Made Above ‘I customised my office desk and spray-painted the table legs for that individual touch. I found the chair online.’

Metal wall rack, Sainsbury’s W hen Jen first moved into this house back in 2017, it was because she wanted a home that would grow with her family’s needs as they got older. She also loved that it offered lots of space, especially the open-plan layout downstairs and the walk-in wardrobe! ‘I work from home some days, so the house needed to offer enough rooms so that I could use one as an office and guest room, and be very versatile,’ says Jen. With a passion for interiors, and often finding inspiration through Pinterest and Instagram, Jen wasn’t put off by the prospect of a plain white canvas. ‘I’ve developed my own maximalist style and I’m not concerned about things clashing, so I was ready to get going.’

When you purchase a new build, you often pick everything from scratch before the house is even built. Thankfully for Jen, this wasn’t a problem. ‘I’m quite creative so I really enjoyed the process of going to the sales office at several stages to choose things like the kitchen, bathroom tiles and carpets. It’s my home and I needed to have the major things right from the start,’ she says. Although Jen is a huge fan of colour, she resisted the urge to have bold kitchen units, instead choosing a light grey with a white marble worktop, which she knew would work with any colours she eventually introduced. She chose hard-wearing natural wood flooring, and decided to pay extra to have underfloor heating installed – which is especially beneficial in an open-plan living space. She did the same in the bathroom as she wanted it to feel clean and natural, but just picked out some textured wave-effect white tiles to add some interest, then a natural faux wood vinyl flooring which looks as good as the real thing. ‘It was a strange feeling moving into a house I’d only ever seen off plan or half-finished, and when I got the keys it felt very white and empty,’ says Jen. After compiling several mood boards of how she saw the house looking, Jen knew exactly what would work where. She’d even ordered lots of new items and furniture months in advance, and luckily they arrived on the day she moved in. The living room was used for storage until everything was unpacked, but it meant that the rooms were quickly filled with furniture. It’s advised not to paint newly built walls for at least 12 months to help them settle and avoid cracking. However, after eight, Jen couldn’t wait any longer and painted her bedroom wall in Deep Green by Valspar. She then upcycled her old headboard with a few metres of fabric from her favourite designer, Kitty McCall. She knew she wanted to brighten up the kitchen-diner, so got creative and painted the arch and radiator on the narrow wall near the patio door. Jen is a huge fan of upcycling old furniture, as it means she can get great quality pieces for less. The drinks cabinet from Facebook Marketplace was upcycled with an arch design to echo the kitchen wall and tie the curvy theme together. ‘I’ve often made cushions from left-over fabrics or sprayed legs of furniture to add interest. The unit in my office was a dark mahogany shade, which I updated with furniture paint and new handles,’ she says.

Over the years, Jen has built up a huge collection of prints and pictures, which she’s used to create gallery walls all over the house. ‘I feel every image reflects me and my style and the things I love about my family,’ she says. In terms of her style, Jen tends to go for bright colours and then tone down each room with the odd item of neutral-coloured furniture. The sofa is a soft grey filled with an eclectic mix of cushions, while the white dining table has a mix of different coloured chairs. ‘I try to see the house as one whole room, so it flows from one space to another,’ she says.

‘I don’t think this house will ever be finished as I’m always changing or adding something new. For now, though, I’m happy living in a house that’s full of pattern, style and colour – even if it’s a little chaotic with three boys!’

Left ‘My sofa bed is ideal if guests stay. The room leads into my walk-in wardrobe, – a godsend for my shoe collection .’

Sofa bed, Ikea. Rug, La Redoute. Below ‘Using colour on one half of the wall has added impact on the staircase. I also removed the carpet and painted the stairs white to create a light, airy space.’

HAVE A DUVET DAY

Feed their imaginations and fuel their passions with these fun bed covers

Glow-in-the-dark planets duvet cover, from £25.99, Zara Wild jungle animals duvet set, £25, La Redoute Dinosaur duvet set, from £14, Marks &Spencer Enchanted Symmetry single floral duvet set, £13, Habitat

‘I added the vinyl letters and painted a triangle in the twin’s room, which I thought was a fun element,’ says Jen

‘Rather than bedside table lamps, I fitted the hanging ones to the wall – which are perfect and can’t be knocked off by the kids when they jump on my bed!’

‘Rowan’s room is full of “stuff”, so we agreed that a funky chest is a great way to keep it tidy.’