The key to styling when character is at stake

Because they can easily let themselves down, and because they deserve to be loved, character homes need to be presented in the best possible light. Recently we staged a lovely character villa, which consisted of four bedrooms and two living spaces, organised in typical fashion with a hallway through centre. We would love to take you through the home and the process of transforming it.

Entrances and outlooks

With all homes, spaces need to make sense, their functionality optimised. Which of course goes for the entrance to a home. With a large sunny deck overlooking established gardens, we wanted to capitalise on the home’s potential for indoor-outdoor living. As it was, the front door came off this deck. It made more sense to shift the main entrance to the back of the house, which also meant we could reclaim the deck area as a beautiful, social outdoor living space.

First impressions

First impressions matter, and we wanted the entrance to be harmonious and welcoming. We didn’t want the sage wall to the left of the entrance to be the focus, so placed a large, neutral piece of art between two wall lights opposite the entrance to encourage the eye to land there first. Then we added textures and patterns in the soft furnishings to make the space harmonious and inviting.

Characterful and crisp

It’s crucial that the character of homes is allowed to shine – after all, people viewing such homes are looking for it! This home featured beautiful wooden floors, bay windows, French doors and rimu cabinets and bookcases. To showcase and complement these features, we introduced natural materials like rattan rugs and other rimu pieces, while opting for a cool and sophisticated palette of blues in the soft furnishings. We placed plants and greenery throughout the living spaces for a crisp and elegant finish.

Harmonious bedrooms

The master bedroom had a large whale mural facing the bed – captivating, but not everyone’s choice of companion at bedtime. We introduced subtle blue bedding to play down the impact of the mural and create a more restful space. Working with the in-built headboard, we installed a super king bed. In another bedroom, we advised the owners to paint out bright polarising walls. Once again, the objective was to create an inviting, harmonious space, which didn’t give any place for doubt.

Stamping out potential doubt with top-notch presentation

It’s natural for prospective buyers to have more doubts when it comes to character homes. At The Finishing Touches we love transforming interiors into fresh and inspiring spaces, and we know how important it is to stamp out doubt straight away. Sensitive and sophisticated styling shines a light of a home’s character and puts buyers on the path to falling in love.