How To Renovate

EP43 How To Add Character To Newer Properties

• Tash South • Season 1 • Episode 43

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If you are renovating a newer property that’s perhaps lacking some style and character, then this episode is for you. 
I’m  often asked how to add personality to newer properties, so in this episode I cover a few ideas -  showing that a home can feel more inviting and soulful through thoughtful renovation and design choices, and personal touches. 

There are so many ways to add interest to boring architecture to create something unique, so join me inside to learn more 
about how you can do this with window and door selections, lighting,  impactful floor and wall treatments, as well as the importance of styling.

I’ll also cover:
• Understanding character in homes  
• The role of architectural features in adding personality 
• Creative approaches for windows and doors 
• Choosing impactful flooring and wall treatments 
• Integrating lighting to add character and enhance the architecture 
• How taps and brassware can add character
• Extending character into outdoor spaces

I can’t wait to see you inside!

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Hi I'm your host, Tash South I'm an Interior Designer and Renovation Consultant.
Each episode of How To Renovate is short, but brimming with practical advice to help you manage your renovation project with confidence and success.

Grab some more renovation advice & free resources and become part of the South Place Studio Renovation Community at
https://www.southplacestudio.com/freebies

Everything I teach about renovation falls within my Five Pillar Process for A Successful Renovation, to learn more about the process, head to
https://www.southplacestudio.com/pillars


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Speaker 1:

Hello, hello everybody, and welcome back to how to Renovate. It's Tash here. I hope you're having a really good week so far. This week on the podcast, we are going to be talking about something that I get asked a lot as a renovation consultant and interior designer, and that is how to add some character into newer properties or new build properties. Now here in London, where I live, there is, you know, a wealth of these amazing older properties we have Victorian, we have Edwardian, we have 1930s, we have Art Deco, so there's just this wide range of gorgeous properties with gorgeous character. And I mean, sometimes people renovate and they strip that character out, but that's a topic for another podcast.

Speaker 1:

In this episode I want to talk about those kind of newer style buildings and how we can just make them a little less soulless and just add some character back in, but not only adding character, but something that's fitting with a property. I mean, personally I wouldn't go and take a modern building and start adding loads of Victorian features to it, because that would just feel odd. So you want to really consider it and do it in a way that feels right, that feels authentic, that doesn't feel pastiche or strange. So I think this is kind of where people struggle. It's because they want to add something back into that building because it just feels too bland and too soulless. But they don't quite know what because the building doesn't have any history to refer to. So in this episode I want to give you some ideas of things I've done, both in my London self-build, which is a new build, and also in a couple of client projects as well. So, without further ado, let's get into the episode. Let's get into the episode. So, as you know by now, everything I teach about renovations falls under my five pillar process, and the information in this episode falls under pillar one, planning. Let's get into it. Okay, so let's get started.

Speaker 1:

So adding character, I think, doesn't always mean adding a sense of history. It's adding personality in a way. It doesn't have to be Victorian Art, deco, edwardian, it can be texture, it could be layers, it could be various things of just adding things into your home that make it feel more interesting, that make it feel more personal, that give the property a bit more personality and some visual interest and a better actual feeling of when you're in the space. So think about it in that way. Character doesn't have to mean old, character means personality, and you can do this in so many different ways. So let's get started.

Speaker 1:

Number one architectural features. So you could cheat these. If you're doing a renovation from scratch or you're doing a huge renovation where you're going to be demolishing and breaking things down anyway, then think about how you can add character into your property this way and I always say on this point is for authenticity look at the wider area of where your property is, because you may not find history within your property itself. It may have been built in the 80s or 90s, for example but within your wider area you might find inspiration of you know what was in the area before? Was it known for a certain thing? Was it known for agriculture? Does it have a well-known museum? Does it have a town hall or a church or some kind of building that you could visit and get inspiration from? For these architectural features that you could possibly add into your home, because if you're renovating anyway and you want to bring some character into your property, you can plan for some architectural features to be either put back in or just inspired by something else. So examples of these is when you look at the ceiling, for example, could you add some beams.

Speaker 1:

Now, if you're watching on YouTube, you'll see the pictures here on screen of my London self-build. So this was, you know, a completely new build in 2018, but instead of this kind of modern box with flat surfaces everywhere, I really wanted to bring some character in. So, on the ceiling, we decided to leave all the beams exposed in the downstairs, so in the kitchen, diner, in the living room and then upstairs in the bedroom as well, and then the rest of the property did have flat ceilings, but in these two areas I just wanted to bring some character in, and I just feel it adds some interest to the ceiling. It some architectural integrity. I mean, it wasn't that easy because of all the fire regulations. We had to use particular paint, particular boards, particular insulation to be able to expose the beams like this, but I just think it was so worthwhile, because if the home just had flat ceilings throughout, it would just feel a little bit plain, and so I really love having these beams exposed in this way.

Speaker 1:

So, of course, you can look to your area and you could look to your property for some inspiration. If you're lucky enough to have a vaulted ceiling, you could perhaps expose that vaulted ceiling, open it up. You could add skylights, perhaps you could add an arch if that suited your property and brought some visual interest and some design interest. So there really are various ways you can do this and you could even choose mouldings. You could put modern mouldings on the wall. You could put traditional mouldings on the wall. You could even bring in that character into things like cornicing, skirting. Those are great for adding interest in a home and adding character where you're not just having flat walls but you're adding different layers, depths, shapes into the room, into the structure and the architecture of the room, so adding character into the actual bones of the building itself. So those are just a few ideas of how you can add architectural features into a planar home, but there really are many, many ways you could do this.

Speaker 1:

Let's move on to some more ideas. Okay, number two windows and doors. So these are a big one. So you can really add character with windows and doors, and not only external but internal as well. So some ideas for adding character with external doors you could go for something like a cradle style door. You could go for something like a picture window. You could go for something like a pivot door. All of these add some design elements and put some character into the building. And then, of course, you've got windows as well. You could add really interesting windows. You could play around with the colour of the frames to add character. There are so many finishing options right now, on both metal and wood. You can change the colours up. You can go for more striking shapes or sizes of windows that add character into your home and then also bring in more light as well.

Speaker 1:

And in terms of internal doors, again, if you just have these flat, standard doors in your home and you're wanting to add more character, think about mouldings. You could add to those. It doesn't mean you have to replace the doors completely, which is another thing you can do. If you want to, you can swap out the flat doors for something a bit more interesting, whether it's moulded, whether it's traditional, and these don't always have to be kind of the older style mouldings, cornicing and skirtings and so on. They could be modern versions. So if you feel uncomfortable, if your home doesn't suit bringing in the older style traditional elements, then you can do it in a more modern way which is still, which still suits the building and is perhaps a bit more authentic. So you could add more modern mouldings where they're perhaps not so ornate. The same, with cornicing and skirtings you get modern versions which still have interest to them, but they don't have to have that ornateness or that kind of reflect back that Victorian or Edwardian look.

Speaker 1:

There are other ways you can add character without having to go back in history and then moving on to number three floors and walls. So this is another great one. So you can see so far how we're talking about the structure of the building, so how it's actually bringing architectural elements into the fabric of the building itself, just to make the whole building a lot more interesting and bringing in that character that you may want to include. So for floors and walls, for floors, let's look at that first.

Speaker 1:

I love using wooden floors. I know not everybody loves wooden floors, but I just think if you're wanting to add character, then wood is a way to go. It's got depth, depth, it's got grain. You can get it in so many different colors, finishes, stains and so many different cuts and patterns. So I love a herringbone floor. It definitely adds character because you've got the pattern to it and again, it doesn't have to be a older, traditional version like parquet, for example. There are more modern herringbone patterns now in more modern colours. That again you can bring into your more modern property and make it feel a bit more authentic and intentional. And then in the wet areas like bathrooms and perhaps even your kitchen, you can bring in tile. So tile is something that has really really taken off. I mean the the options are endless on tile and you can just imagine the amount of character you can bring in by selecting the right kind of tile. Whether it be patterned, whether it be textured, whether it be scale, you can play with tile in so many different ways to bring character into your home. And then, of course, tile is not only for the floors, but that can be on the walls as well. A really interesting way to add character to your property is to play around with tile usage on the walls but on the floors.

Speaker 1:

I did a property in Angel Islington a good few years ago now. It was actually an art deco property, but when you walked into the property it had been modernized in the 80s and every single art deco element had been stripped out of it. And so the client still wanted the property to feel modern. They didn't want it to feel particularly art deco. So I approached this in a way of including these subtle art deco elements but then just reimagining them in a modern way. So this is an example of how perhaps you can take inspiration from the history of the area or the history from the building, but still suit it more to a modern property. So in this property I added these kind of rich mahogany coloured floors, but instead of the traditional Art Deco parquet flooring which would have been there in the 20s but which had been ripped out in the 80s, we installed this beautiful herringbone flooring, but in a similar colour, that would have been there in the 20s. So you can see how using some elements from the history and what had been there before, but then modernising it to be herringbone, still added the warmth to the property. It still added that texture of using wood and it was still a nod back to history but in a more modern way.

Speaker 1:

And then let's look at walls. So you can get really creative on the walls. I mean, obviously there's paint. You can always just paint it in a bold color that suits the room and suits the light, and playing around with color and having a scheme that works throughout your home really does add character and personality, but it doesn't always have to be paint. You can play around with other things as well. So something that I particularly love is bringing wooden finishes up onto the walls, so whether that's kind of a fluted wood or plywood. There are so many incredible laminates now which come in these really thin sheets, but they just look so authentic, like the real thing, really easy to install and it doesn't have to be expensive but really will add some personality to your space. And then the same as on the floors. The wood brings in a certain warmth and a texture and a kind of great effect to layer other things on top of or in front of. So if you're really looking to add some character, that is a great way to do it. And then a modern take on that would obviously be the kind of fluted versions which you can get now in panels, you can get in sheets, and they can just easily be stuck on the wall and you could use that as a background for a media wall, you could use it as a feature wall, you could go all out and put it on all the walls. So really the options are endless for bringing that character in when it comes to using your walls.

Speaker 1:

And then of course there's wallpaper. Now I know wallpaper is not for everybody. Not everybody wants the bright colors and patterns that come generally with using wallpaper, but there are so many options. Right now on the market there are these beautiful textured wallpapers where they could look like wood, they look like fabric, they've got a depth to them, or they are grass cloth or they feel like linen. Really the options are endless. So you could use wallpaper as a total covering effect in the whole room. It's very cocooning if it's these kind of textural types of wallpapers. It adds this kind of feeling of warmth, but definitely character. So I would say explore all the different kinds of wallpapers out there. Not only can they bring instant character, but also they're not that difficult to install. So even if you're not doing a large renovation and you're struggling a bit with just accepting your kind of new build and and perhaps how, how plain and soulless it feels, really go and explore wallpapers and look at what's out there. It can make a huge difference to your home. The technology is getting better and better all the time and it really will make a big difference if you're adding a really gorgeous wallpaper to your home.

Speaker 1:

Okay, moving on to the next one lighting. Now, lighting is a great way to bring character into your home. If you are renovating from scratch, if you're doing a big renovation and you're going to be installing new wiring anyway, then this is a great way to bring in that character. So you can then have the opportunity to do a lighting plan, which I always suggest doing right at the start of your renovation. Go and search for some information out there, or I've even got some episodes on lighting, I've got some master classes, so go and check those out.

Speaker 1:

Look at your lighting plan, think about where the lighting will best go, think about the use, think about the task lighting, think about the ambience. So there's a lot to think about when it comes to lighting. But if you're renovating from scratch, doing a big renovation, you can plan for this and you can think about where you can add your lighting. And then you can think about how to make those characterful as well by selecting interesting light fittings, whether that's pendants, wall lights and again, you can look back at the history. If that's what you like to do and that's what suits your property is, you can choose art deco lighting or you can choose perhaps traditional chandeliers, if that's suiting the home.

Speaker 1:

And then don't only think about lighting as fixtures. Think about lighting as part of the architecture as well, because if you're renovating from scratch, you've got the opportunity to really think about this and make it a bit special. You could add LED lighting in where it may highlight some of those new architectural features you're fitting in, whether that's an arch or some mouldings. Think about how you can integrate the lighting to make both of these things work really well, to add that character into your home. Lighting can work so beautifully with mouldings. If you think about kind of a moulding structure on a wall, perhaps you've got one frame of moulding in the centre for an artwork and then you've got two on either side of that in rectangular shapes. You could put wall lights in those rectangular shapes and then you could put your artwork in the center and to think even beyond that, you could then plan for artwork lighting. So on the ceiling perhaps you could have a single beam of light focusing on that artwork and all of those elements together, if you imagine it on a kind of darker evening, the atmosphere that would bring and the character that those two elements just the lighting and the molding would bring into that room. So it really is an opportunity at this early stage, before you start planning, to think about these things, think about how they can work together and how you can plan for them to add the character into your home.

Speaker 1:

And then, moving on to number five, taps, brassware and handles this is another one of my favourites because to me these little elements are like the jewellery of a home, the kind of metallic accents that you bring in, the shapes, the gorgeous details that you can choose. So if you're renovating a more modern build or a newer build, you're quite likely to just have kind of the standard chrome fixtures in there. So if you're renovating, this is your chance to kind of swap those out for something a lot more interesting. And again, you can make these elements work with everything else we've talked about so far. So if you've gone for a particular shape, if you've gone for a particular way of adding character whether that be more modern or more traditional you can then choose these elements to work well with what you've chosen. So if you've chosen something a little bit more traditional and you're going to go with some more traditional cornicing, let's say, perhaps then your handles and your taps can reflect that you could go for kind of more elegant shapes. You can reflect the shapes of those into the handles, into the taps that you choose.

Speaker 1:

And then of course, there are finishes. There are so many great finishes out there now, so choosing finishes with depth and texture will always add more character into your space. So look at things like brass or brush brass or something that kind of tarnishes a bit with time. There are some great kind of gunmetal matte blackford versions out there. Now there's brushed nickel, which I find I use when brass is maybe a bit too much, but stainless steel is a bit boring. I like to go for a brushed nickel. It's a little bit warmer than stainless steel and it still just looks a little bit different. It's just something a little bit more elegant. So I really love brushed nickel at the moment.

Speaker 1:

And then you could even go for something like ceramic. There are so many different materials out there now for handles. You don't have to go for metal, you could go for ceramic, you could go for glass, you could go for wood. There are so many options. So have a look around, don't be tempted to go with standard. Really explore what's out there, because there is a lot out there. It just needs some time and it needs some consideration.

Speaker 1:

And then, number six, we're moving on to stylings. So once you've incorporated these more architectural and permanent elements into the bones of your home to make it more characterful, never forget the styling. I always say that the styling it's all those finishing touches that just bring everything together. So don't neglect this phase. Not only does it bring personality and character to your home, but it's also really fun to do. It's one of my most favorite parts of renovating is adding those finishing touches, whether it be in my own home or helping clients to find what they want and what reflects their personality into their homes as well. So I really would say don't neglect this. It might seem a little bit frivolous and a little bit fancy, but I really believe that this is what makes your home yours and you can use it to add that character. So ways you can do this is by adding further layers onto what you've just done. So adding things like artwork, gallery walls, you know, curate and mix to add that personal touch. Mix up some frames with some artwork.

Speaker 1:

Bring in some of those elements that we've discussed so far, whether it be colours or metals or textures or materials. Bring those into these styling elements and that brings everything together. Then, of course, there's soft furnishings cushions, throws, the sofa you choose the cushions for those sofas the different fabrics and then, of course, rugs. If you've gone for some more characterful wooden flooring, you might wanna warm those up with some rugs that bring in the other colours of your scheme and also some softness. And then never forget those personal touches.

Speaker 1:

Bring in things from your heritage, bring in things from your culture, from your history, from your travels, and, you know, add those little things from your travels, those little handmade things or those special things you found or things your children have made. I think all of these things, giving these things a home, is what makes a home, giving them a special place in your home. So don't forget to to do that, to make space for those special things, and not only do they bring joy and lovely memories when you walk past them every day, but they will also add to that feeling of characterfulness and that this home belongs to you, that it's warm, that it's cozy, that it's yours. So I really suggest thinking about your styling, taking time to do it, taking time to find the things that mean something to you and and giving them a place to be displayed and to be seen. And then, lastly, let's not forget the outdoor spaces. So number seven let's talk a little bit about outdoor spaces and how those can, in addition, add character to your home. So let's start at the front. So the obvious thing to do to add some character is to look at how people coming up to your home see your property and are welcomed into your property. So think about your front garden, if you're lucky to have one, or if you're in an apartment, think about perhaps the colour of your front door. Or adding a potted plant or some other planting if you have a front garden, and just creating that kind of more welcoming entrance into your home. Sometimes I find that newer build homes they don't really pay so much attention to this. So it's nice to kind of look outside as well and consider the space as a whole the front garden, the back garden and the internal of the property and how that all flows together, and it's a really lovely experience to walk through from front door all the way through into your back garden. So, talking of the back garden, there are some really lovely ways you can add some more character into your back garden.

Speaker 1:

I did a garden design in London a few years ago and when we started it was just a blank space. It was basically just lawn and nothing else, and I think there was a shed in the back and we transformed the garden by doing a few simple things. We added some planters, some building planters along both fences of the garden. Here in London lots of gardens are long and narrow, which this garden was, so we added these planters and then I also added some planters going across the garden to break up the spaces. But then, in addition to that, the character came by, just thinking a little bit outside the box, and so I had some of these planters tiled in these colourful tiles, so like yellow and grey and white, and to add almost a kind of Mediterranean feel. And then, in addition to that, we also painted the planters, so we didn't just leave the walls plain white, we went for like a deeper grey, and these colours reflected what we used inside the home as well, so it made the whole space feel continuous, from the front door all the way out through into the garden, and because now everybody wants to have these big glass doors from the kitchen diner onto the garden, which this property did have.

Speaker 1:

So if you think about it that way from looking inside your home, out into the garden, you want to look at something that's a little bit more interesting, that has character as well and that ties the two spaces together. So don't neglect the outside. Think about ways you can bring some interest and some character to your garden space. It could be trellises or pergolas or planters, or just large potted plants or trees in groups. There are so many ways you could do this. So go and find some inspiration for your garden and for adding character into your garden as well, and from start to finish, from front door to back garden, you can make your newer property feel so much more welcoming, so much more characterful and just so much more joyful.

Speaker 1:

But that brings us to the episode. Everybody, I really hope you enjoyed it. This is a question I get asked a lot, so I hope it's going to help a few of you out there. If it does, I would love if you just subscribe to the podcast, gave me a little like or left me a comment. If you found it helpful. I really would appreciate that so much. But that's it for now and until the next episode. I hope you have a good week and I will see you then. Bye for now.

Speaker 1:

For more information on my five pillar process for successful renovation, you can go directly to southplacestudiocom forward slash pillars, where you'll find an introduction to the process which covers each of the pillars and what they cover. We also have a number of other free renovation resources. Go now to southplacestudiocom forward slash freebies. I have created some amazing freebies for you there. There is one on the process, like we just said. There is one on planning permission. There is one on the process, like we just said. There is one on planning permission. There is one on kitchen design. There is another one on lighting planning. Go and check those out. There's so much free information there to help you with your renovation.