Factfile:
- Name: Jen and Ryan
- Instagram account: @westcoastcala
- Housetype: The Bryce
- Development: Florence Wynd
- #CALAPet: Maple, the Mini Dachshund
Q1. We love your Instagram account so are excited to pick your brains on your home buying journey. Can you tell us what made you pick a new build Cala home?
We’d been looking for the perfect fit for our first home for a while, and location was extremely important to us. Ryan and I both grew up in Ayr, so we wanted to remain close to the sea. When we heard Cala were building in Doonfoot, the timing was perfect, and we were the very first to reserve a plot.
As first-time buyers, we were so excited about buying a brand-new home that we could put our own stamp on. We loved the idea of moving without the hassle of renovations and simply unpacking and making our home our own. Along with energy efficiency of new builds, our home ticked all the boxes. Ultimately, a new build felt like a safe, secure and exciting step onto the property ladder, and gave us a chance to create the home of our dreams.
Q2. It really seems like it was meant to be. How simple was the process of buying your Cala home?
The sales team at Cala were lovely, and always happy to answer our questions. As soon as we expressed interest, they were happy to help us secure the plot we wanted. We reserved over the phone on release day and let the sales team guide us through the whole process. We couldn’t be happier with our home!
Q3. Can you tell us what you love most about your Cala home?
Oh, it’s so hard to pick just one part of our home - The Bryce is the perfect housetype for us! Overall, I think the open plan kitchen and living space is really hard to beat, and it’s where we spend most of our time. It’s just so spacious and serene. I love how the bifold doors open out onto our garden, it lets in so much light, and we even have a glimpse of sea views!
It’s also been amazing having a utility room so we can hide away clutter and tackle tasks like doing the washing without disrupting the calm of the kitchen. Most recently though, it’s been overtaken by puppy essentials, and we now call it “Maple’s room”!
Q4. How did you decide on the colour scheme and tile option for your kitchen?
Being so close to the sea, we really wanted the interior of the house to have a really neutral, ‘beachy’ vibe and the kitchen is such a calming space.
We spent many hours with the Cala sales team comparing and debating over the different options that were on offer. We also visited Cala’s recommended supplier who spent time helping us find the right match for our flooring.
I will never forget when we first viewed it on demo day, seeing all of our choices come together was such a wow moment, we couldn’t have been happier with our selections.
Q5. Where do you find your interior inspiration?
The good thing about buying a new build is you have lots of time to plan and daydream about your new home. I remember being so excited finding other Cala Instagrammers with the same housetype as us and it gave me so much inspo!
I think once you have an idea of what you like, it’s so easy to find a community of like-minded home accounts on social media. I’m constantly scrolling through Instagram and TikTok and saving/liking everything I see. My whole camera roll is screenshots of home ideas.
Q6. Do you have any current favourite trends?
As you’ll see from our account, we love neutrals. We really feel that neutral colours catch the natural light and make our rooms look bright and homely. We take a lot of inspiration from Scandinavian design, and we are obsessed with clean, simple lines and minimalism. We’ve also started experimenting with contrasting pops of black throughout our home, which gives it a really modern feel.
Q7. What advice would you give to prospective buyers of a new Cala home?
Do your research. Make sure you know all of the specifications and options available to you. We were really fortunate to already live in the area and knew it was the right location for us but if you’re new to the area then it can be helpful to see local amenities and get a feel for the place. If you can, visit completed sites to see what the finished product will look like. Visiting the showhomes will also help to solidify your vision of what you’re looking for. If, like us, a showhome isn’t available for your housetype, then we found the virtual tours online really helpful.
Don’t be scared to ask questions, especially if you are a first-time buyer. We found lots of helpful guides online, with suggested questions on what to ask, and the sales team at Florence Wynd were so willing to help and support us through the whole process.
Most of all, just enjoy the journey! Celebrate your milestones and savour the anticipation of creating your own dream home.
To feature on a future Social Spotlight blog and our Instagram, tag us @calahomes.
For further information on homes for sale across UK, please visit our Homes for Sale page. We offer tailored incentives to help you make the move to your dream home.
