We caught up with the interior design and home enthusiasts about their journey with Cala and how they’ve started transforming their brand new house into a beautiful family home.
Why did you choose a new build home?
The attraction of buying a new build home for us was the low maintenance. Modern life is so busy and we wanted to be able to start living in our new home straight away without having to undertake a huge renovation.
Whilst we didn’t want a project, we do love the idea of a new build being a blank canvas that you can really put your own stamp on and give it the character that you want. The ‘options’ stage was great as we got to choose exactly what kitchen cabinets and worktops we wanted, as well as the flooring and tiling throughout the house. There were so many options available - we truly were spoilt for choice!
Buying a new build also comes with the added peace of mind of the 10-year warranty on the property, as well as warranty on the appliances, which was a real selling point for us.
What did you love about Cala Homes?
We viewed a number of housebuilders in the area but we immediately fell in love with the flexible layout and unique features of Cala’s three-storey Oatvale housetype. We also noticed the quality of a Cala home in comparison to other builders because of the higher ceilings, deeper skirting and higher quality appliances. The overall standard of finish and attention to detail is incredible, and feels so luxurious.
The master bedroom’s vaulted ceiling and dressing area really stood out as being quite different from anything else we’d seen, and together these give the room such a spacious and high-end feel. It’s a beautiful room, and despite being here over two months now, we have to pinch ourselves every morning when we wake up to make sure it’s real.
We also loved the design and layout of the kitchen, with its social breakfast bar and family living space, as well as the optional extra of the Sonos speakers in the ceiling. These key features in this room made it feel sociable and a really lovely heart to our home – we can’t wait to welcome guests in soon!
When we viewed the Oatvale showhome at the development we immediately noticed the generous number of large windows, and the light this gives throughout the whole house makes it feel so airy and spacious. As soon as we walked in we appreciated the feeling of quality this offers and it’s clear this had been thought through in the design and build stage. Cala clearly understands that lighting is an essential part of a home and this is something that resonated with us.
When we first arrived at Cala at Kingsmere, we really appreciated the sales team’s knowledge and polite professional manner, which made the selling experience very easy for us. The Assisted Move service that was available made the whole process a lot simpler, straightforward and quicker – especially moving in just as we entered lockdown!
How did you decide on the kitchen and tiling?
The options stage is definitely the most exciting part of buying a new build. We had lived in a new build previously with a different builder and unfortunately didn’t get to choose the finishes for that home. So it was important for us to have the opportunity this time round.
We really had the feeling of ‘what you see is what you get’ in the Cala showhome, and what we saw was marvellous! Most other housebuilders will make you pay enormous figures for things that I see as necessities, like electricity to your garage or outside lights, or even to have a lovely sink like those featured in the showhomes. However, Cala really shone here as the showhome fittings were beautiful and these were all included as standard – it’s amazing how much a nice sink can really add a sense of style to a kitchen.
We spent a long time making sure the choices we made from the options available matched our taste and tried to imagine living in the home, taking into consideration our current furniture as well. With the amount of stylish samples available from Cala we found this relatively straight forward. Our choices were based not only on what was on trend, but also on longevity and what we felt would be a classic and timeless style.
We opted for grey, shaker style cupboard doors, with a marble-effect worktop and matching marble-effect Silestone splash back behind the hob and on the windowsill. We’ve complemented this room with a couple of grey faux leather breakfast bar stools and white and brushed steel counter-top appliances.
We are so happy with the look of each of our rooms and all of our choices.
Where do you look for home inspiration?
We get home inspiration from all over the place and our style is constantly evolving with this new home and having some more space to fill with new pieces. I love minimal, clean and classic – which is immediately delivered with a new build home - whilst keeping it feeling warm and welcoming with natural products like marble, leather, cotton, silk or wood. These materials are also where I find most of my colour palette comes from - greys, taupe, white and stone creams.
Our current style is slightly Skandi and minimal, with a modern Parisian look in places. I love taking inspiration from The White Company’s Instagram page for place settings and living styles. I have also been enjoying browsing the many home accounts that I’ve connected with and seeing so many wonderful ideas and styles, which has really helped me to discover my own tastes! I do love to visit a showhome – especially the Cala at Kingsmere showhomes - and mirror some of the really clever ideas in how to maximise space.
Are you following any trends?
I try to remain on-trend through buying classic furniture pieces that will be timeless and suit any era of interior design, but I do value longevity and quality above anything else. I have loved the minimal look for over 10 years, but I am feeling this gradually evolving, and I am excited about introducing more depth in the tones and textures for different rooms in our new home.
I also tend to buy furniture, accessories and décor that could be flexible in use and can be moved into other rooms. This is so I don’t get bored with the room’s look and can create brand new looks, without an expensive price tag.
Do you have any tips for those who have purchased a new home?
Buying a new home is so exciting, therefore use the build-up to think about which rooms are the most important to focus on decorating and furnishing. Consider your budget, remembering things like curtains and blinds, and then prioritise based on what you need to get done immediately and what can wait a little longer. Agreeing priorities with your family or partner is also key!
Try to style one room at a time where possible, however do remember that you can add things to each room or make changes as you go along – you don’t need to get it all perfect as soon as you move in. The journey to creating your dream home is what makes the process so enjoyable.
Remember, styling and decorating is not permanent so don’t be afraid to make mistakes or experiment. We’re still learning and finding our style. I’m sure this will change with time and the learning is ongoing, which I find so exciting!
For information on our homes for sale, visit cala.co.uk.
