Furniture, flooring and lighting are the three key areas to focus on when decorating your first home, according to interior designer Eileen Kesson.
Fresh from designing the The Cleland showhome and apartment at Southbank by CALA in Aberdeen, Eileen, of Envision, is keen to share her top tips for first-time home owners.
Flooring
Firstly, focus on flooring, as that will create a natural flow from one room to the next.
“The flooring you choose for your home is literally the base of your design. This should be your very first consideration,” said Eileen.
“If you can use the same flooring throughout your apartment or home, it’s a great way to connect the rooms and create a natural flow from one to the next.”
Furniture
It can be hard to visualise what furniture would work best in a new home but many websites have online virtual design tools for inspiration.
“A handy tip when deciding on furniture is to always use room visualisers to double check sizes and scale to make sure the pieces are right for your home and you don’t get an unexpected surprise when something turns out to be too big or small for the space,” said Eileen.
“Some furniture companies such as Made.com have a room visualiser tool on their website.”
Home floor plans can also act as a handy guide to decide where furniture is best placed.
“You can also use your home floorplan to plot out where furniture should go and try out different layouts before you decide,” said Eileen.
“For example, when kitting out an apartment, you might wish to consider a single large statement sofa paired with smaller occasional chairs to create different seating options.
“It is also important to try to match up smaller details to create a look that is more considered and thought out.”
Lighting
Lighting choices can make or break a room’s design and mood.
“It’s always best if your reading and mood lighting comes from lamps rather than overhead lights,” said Eileen.
“Floor lamps are a great option to keep spaces clear and free of clutter.
“Remember your TV is also a big source of light, so when it is switched on, the rest of the lighting in the room can be more ambient and soft.”
Showhome inspiration
Taking a look around showhomes is also a great way to source home decor ideas.
Located just minutes from the city centre, the contemporary one-bedroom show apartment at the Southbank by CALA development which was created by Eileen has a stylish aluminium kitchen with stunning white stone and grey worktop and splashback.
These accents of steel and white can be found throughout the apartment with subtle hints of powder blush and rich blackberry, creating a clean, cosmopolitan vibe.
Meanwhile, the main bedroom features double aspect windows dressed with full-length charcoal and white drapes as well as a luxurious envelope headboard.
The spacious bathroom includes contrast metallic glaze faceted tiles, creating the perfect space to relax and unwind.
For more information about the Southbank by CALA development, which features one and two-bedroom apartments as well as three-bedroom homes available from £139,950, visit CALA Homes online.