Carly Wise
This article has been taken from Equinox Spring 2026.
I’ve been an interior designer serving the UK property market for over 20 years and have seen how trends have evolved over time; I’ve also borne witness to the mistakes people make in their homes time and time again.
If you love where you live but not how you live, making considered changes can be transformative. Here are some ways to blow away the cobwebs and breathe fresh air into your home:
Evaluate your floorplan
Our lifestyles constantly evolve, yet many floorplans remain frozen in time. As routines shift and homes become fuller, layouts that once worked can begin to feel restrictive.
Put your paint brush away. Before you ‘re-decorate’ one room at a time consider the house as a whole. Continuous flooring and a cohesive colour palette opens up your home, creating beautiful flows from one space to the next.
Dig out your floor plan. Often easily accessible on Rightmove. Ask yourself, does the layout work for you? Open-plan living is often beneficial for younger families, but with growth comes change. Adding walls can create privacy for older children, home offices, or adult spaces like golf simulator rooms.
Are there any overlooked and unused areas? Large hallways with small WC’s? Reduce the size of the hallway and introduce a boot room. Corridors, corners, and nooks can become reading spots, wine ‘cellars’, saunas, or highly functional micro-spaces.
Flipping the swing of a door. A minor tweak that can free up wall space, improve circulation, and make rooms more functional, with no structural work.
Consider larger scale conversions. Utilising areas such as garages, lofts and basements and introducing garden buildings can provide endless possibilities; luxury spa areas, beautiful workspaces/ studios, cinema rooms and gyms etc.
Think smart
We install smart technology into almost every new build property, or large-scale renovation we work on. If you’re not ready for a large project, reimagining a room is the perfect opportunity to introduce this into your home little by little.
Plaster-in speakers. Flush speakers disappear into walls or ceilings, delivering high-quality audio without clutter allowing invisible tech to work in any style of room.
Integrated lighting systems. Scene lighting creates moods for work, relaxation, or entertaining resulting in instant layered lighting for every occasion. It can also enhance security by mimicking your daily life whilst you are absent from the property.
Motorised and recessed window treatments. Automated blinds or curtains are a fabulous solution for the elderly/ disabled or people who are away from home. Recessing them into a ceiling creates a seamless and modern feel.
Concealed media solutions. Recessed or mirrored TVs, like Samsung Frame TVs, double as art reducing the enormity of a large black screen dominating a room. Similarly, adding acoustic fabric to a media wall discreetly hides speakers, creating an extra layer of warmth.
A change is as good as a holiday
Even small décor updates can have an enormous impact on how you feel at home but always start with the basics.
Functional analysis. One of the most crucial steps in any home design. Where will coats, muddy shoes, or tall vases live? Is there a spot to hang towels and dry clothes near a shower? Planning for function upfront prevents small frustrations once the room is complete and ensures every detail has a solution.
Lighting and power. This is nearly always overlooked but so important. Create a lighting and power plan, do you have enough mood, functional and task lighting? Install 5 Amp sockets so lamps can be switched on and off at the wall and use faceplates from companies like Dowsing & Reynolds, offering beautiful alternatives to white plastic or chrome!
Inspiration and expertise. Instagram and Pinterest are excellent for ideas, and Pinterest’s mood board tool can help visualise your vision. If you’re struggling with time or confidence, guidance from a reputable interior designer may be beneficial. Check the BIID (British Institute of Interior Design) website to ensure professionalism and experience.
Light and orientation. Colours appear differently in north or south-facing rooms. Peel and-stick options from companies such as COAT Paint are a great way to see the effect before committing. They even section their range into North (S/E&W) facing ranges! Make sure to place your sample on each wall.
A well-designed home isn’t just somewhere to live, it’s a space that supports your lifestyle, uplifts your mood, and makes every day feel a little extraordinary.
Dove Interior Design Ltd
Based in Cheshire, our registered British Institute of Interior Design professionals create stylish, functional spaces across Cheshire, Knutsford, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Warrington, the North West, and throughout the UK.
