6 Ways We Added Character And Charm to our New Build and How Much It All Costed!

6 Feb

New construction homes have a reputation for being bland white boxes. Beauty is often forgone for practicality. In an effort to make sure their homes are appealing to as many buyers as possible, developers expect homeowners to put a stamp on the property themselves. This is why many of these homes are designed to such a basic level and a big reason why we bought one!

This past year we purchased and got to work renovating our new build. Our home was built and lived in since 2017, and it was still a bland box by the time we bought it.

While a new build does not need stripping back, much of what we completed was considered a full on renovation. Our new build home needed it. We began ripping up carpets, installing new floors, tearing out the kitchen, breaking into walls, refinishing the staircase, moving appliances, replacing skirting boards, rebuilding architraves, overhauling a bathroom. To name a few!

While some might renovate a home to modernise it, much of what we renovated was in an effort to give our home an older feel.

Here is what we did to add character to our builder basic home.

1.We bid all downstairs carpets and vinyl flooring farewell and replaced them with wide plank engineered wood floors.

Our engineered wood floors carry throughout our downstairs.

After painting all walls and ceilings, engineered wood floors were installed in all rooms downstairs (except our utility). The flooring is “character grade” so it has texture that makes the flooring appear more natural. Replacing all flooring with wood floor adds character while also improving flow and cohesion between rooms. It is a costly investment to install wood floors but it makes a huge impact on the overall design of a space.

Total Cost: £5,166 ( £3, 800 for the flooring itself)

What are engineered wood floors?

Engineered wood is a hardy option for floors while still giving the look of real solid wood. This is because the top layer of the planks are real wood, and underneath is a hard wearing composite material. Using alternatives to solid or engineered wood like luxury vinyl plank flooring, or laminate flooring can also be used to create the same effect within a lower budget.

Why do wood floors help give character to a space?

Wood floors with area rugs are a hallmark in traditional homes. Depending on the type of hardwood or tone, it can warm a space up, add that natural element into the design, and give a historical feel to a space.

2. We replaced all skirting boards with taller skirting boards.

Older homes and interiors often feature taller skirting boards. We ripped up all existing skirting boards to install the wood floors and took the opportunity to replace the skirting boards with something taller and inkeeping with character homes. We installed the skirting boards ourselves using our mitre saw, adhesive, and nail gun.

These are the skirting boards we installed from Skirting World. The skirting boards are 170mm tall and 25mm thick. We opted for the long 4200mm boards, however in hindsight could have opted for a shorter board to make storage of the boards and moving the boards around easier during the installation.

Total Cost: £580 (for just the skirting boards)

How easy or difficult is it to replace skirting board?

Replacing skirting boards is a labour intensive process. The most difficult part is right at the beginning- removing the existing skirting board without damaging the walls. Some skirting boards can be more difficult to remove than others. Measuring, accurately cutting mitred corners, and then installing can be a tedious process. Skirting boards are also long and can be quite heavy to lug around as well.

If you are not replacing floors and just skirting boards, Skirting World has skirting board covers that can be installed over existing skirting. This removes one of the most challenging steps- the demolition! It also reduces waste and debris.

3. We replaced and built architraves and window casing around all wall openings, doors, and windows.

We replaced all architraves and window casing in our downstairs with a Craftsman style. The process was long and not without its obstacles. However, giving our home unique and unexpected details like this has changed the entire feel of our home. The door and window details also tie in perfectly with the taller skirting board.

Total Cost: £1200

If you are interested in replicating the architraves and window casing in our home, you can access a full tutorial here!

Our Craftsman architraves add height to doorways and another layer of character throughout our home.

4. We added panelling to various spaces.

Panelling a wall is a simple way to infuse character into a space. Some styles are timeless and give a space that added layer of interest and warmth that is so needed in a new build home. I installed wall panelling in multiple rooms.

The wall panelling I used in our entryway, lootility, and kitchen was Georgian wall panelling with standard spaced grooves from the English Panelling Company. I painted the panels with Sunday Soul by Coat Paints. It was easy to install with adhesive and a nail gun, though cutting for sockets and light switches can be tricky.

Total Cost: £461 (for all downstairs paneling)

The wall panelling in our guest room was a cost effective and simple way to create the look of panelling using MDF strips. I used 100mm wide strips, 9mm thick standard MDF strips which I ordered from CutMy. The installation was very simple with minimal cuts. I calculated the installation of each strip so I would not need tricky cuts around outlets. I also used the full length of the MDF strips to complete the project quickly.

Total Cost: £80 (for guest room panelling)

Our simple and budget friendly guest room panelling.

Panelling is a simple and practical upgrade and I am eager to complete even more panelling projects throughout our home. I will be releasing a tutorial for the paneling in our guest room soon, be sure to subscribe for updates!

5. We remodeled our kitchen with in-frame shaker style cabinetry and a Belfast sink.

Remodeling our kitchen was one of the larger projects in the renovation of our new build. While the kitchen was originally a shaker style kitchen which is my preference, I did not love the colouring of the cream cabinetry and the ill thought out placement of some of the appliances and cabinets. In addition, I yearned for a large American style fridge/freezer and an island- both of these items were non-existant in the original kitchen. This eventually led to the realisation that an entirely new kitchen would be needed.

Remodeling a kitchen can be one of the most expensive projects to complete over the course of a home renovation. I kept costs down by designing the kitchen myself with DIY Kitchen’s online design tool. I then ordered the cabinetry from DIY Kitchens and organised ordering worktops, appliances, fixtures, and other items through various vendors myself.

The in-frame cabinetry with the belfast sink brings tradition and nostalgia into the space, inspired by historical kitchen features.

The previous kitchen with frameless cupboard doors.

The L-shaped kitchen layout I designed was more natural in the rectangular space than its previous design. The new design with a central island works well on a practical level, with the conversational island anchoring the kitchen. The appliances (including my coveted fridge!) could also be better located.

In keeping with my effort to infuse old world character, I selected an in-frame cabinet style. An in-frame kitchen means the cupboard doors are hinged and reside within the framing of the carcasses. This is contrary to frameless designs where the doors are installed over the top of the front of the carcass.

In-frame kitchens are modelled off historical kitchens which often featured freestanding cabinetry with in-frame doors. It is a small detail that gives our brand new kitchen some soul and character.

I love the brand of kitchen and style of cabinetry we opted for. We selected the Helmsley range of cabinets from DIY Kitchens. Using DIY kitchens and managing the entire process of installing the kitchen meant costs were conserved.

In-frame kitchens can be quite pricey as they require a higher grade of craftsmanship due to the nature of the doors. The Helmsley range at DIY Kitchens was the most budget friendly style of in-frame kitchen that I could source.

Total Cost: Just under £19,500 (for the entire kitchen, worktops, appliances, etc., plus labour for fitting)

I will be sharing more about the process of designing my own kitchen and an update on our feelings about the kitchen six months after we had it remodelled. Be sure to subscribe below!

6. We added a chimney breast and vintage fireplace surround in our living room.

Many older homes feature fireplaces, which was something our new build lacked. Often chimney breasts are installed within the room, rather than flat on the wall with the chimney breast built on the exterior of the house.

For our fireplace, we did not need a functional chimney breast as we planned to use a bioethanol fireplace insert (which does not require any installation). Therefore, our chimney breast would be purely for looks, not function. Adding a faux chimney breast to our living room space has completely transformed it. Not only does it bring character, it also adds some dimension to the flat, new build space in our living room.

We used timber to build the frame of the breast, and then installed plasterboard in order to close it in. In order to add a character feature to our living room, I sourced a vintage fireplace surround on Ebay and refurbished it.

I then tiled the fireplace interior using brick slips. The brick slips are variable in colour and texture, which gives the illusion that our fireplace is actually built of brick. The brick slips are Blend 10 from the Brick Tile Company.

The process of building a faux chimney breast.

Our vintage, brick fireplace in a faux chimney breast.

The added layer of the brick tiles, faux chimney breast, and the vintage surround gives our long, rectangular living room a traditional focal point. Just before Christmas, we added the bioethanol fireplace burner which is one of our favourite bargain home purchases so far.

Total Cost: £1000

The above list is not exhaustive of all the character we added, but it covers most of our major projects so far! There were a few other little additions we made and I’m eager to get started on countless more projects this year- all with the central theme of adding in that character our new build so needs.

Sara Milner