“I found the space after speaking to some friends about struggling to find a house that wasn’t a full renovation task with my budget. It was them who mentioned the new build homes and the Help to Buy scheme the government was running. This meant I could put a smaller deposit down to buy my dream home! It’s a really great scheme if you’re looking to get onto the property ladder, and I’m so pleased they told me. The location is perfect for commuting to the office and is close to city life and family and friends.”

Delightfully, she says her new-found love for interior design surprised her, “it was something I’d never explored much as a renter but I think owning my own home made me braver in experimenting and finding what my style is! The beauty of a new build is that it’s a blank canvas, just you and some white walls to express your most colorful desires! However, this too is where the challenge lies.”

“Having a house that is completely white can feel quite daunting, like for me, I wasn’t sure where to start or what I even liked. I didn’t have a signature style so for me it was trying to find out what I liked. Not what was trending. She tried out a few different styles at first, like a minimalist monochrome look, but found it too cold. So she says she switched up her approach and began instead with how she wanted her home to feel. And she started with her bedroom.

“I knew I wanted to feel warmth, a cocooned space that felt calming. I knew I loved terracotta tones, and the sun sets just behind the bedroom, so I started with this. I ordered testers from different companies and had them on the walls for weeks. But as soon as I saw ‘Templeton Pink’ from Farrow and Ball I knew that was the one. It was a warm deep plaster pink, that absorbs and reflects light — so sometimes when I have an orange throw on, it reflects in the pigment. I drew out a few designs on my iPad, as I love to draw, and that then set me in good stead for the rest of the house. I could see what was in my head on paper, and play around with it.” 

Kate documents all of her interior design adventures on her Instagram account, @my_littlewood_home.

• Entrance — Dulux Heritage “Veranda Green”
• Kitchen — Dulux “Crumpled Linen 2” and Dulux “Amber Queen 3”
• Living Room (Sofa Side) — Dulux “Crumpled Linen 2”, “Amber Queen 3” and “Tuscan Terracotta”
• Living Room (Armchair Side) — Dulux “Crumpled Linen 2” and Dulux Heritage “Veranda Green”
• Staircase — Dulux “Crumpled Linen 2”
• Landing — Hovia “Botanist”, Dulux “Amber Queen 3”
• Primary Bedroom — Farrow and Ball “Templeton Pink” and  “Red Earth” (circle)
• Second Bedroom/Office — Lick “Green 05” and Crown “Avant white”
• Bathroom — Lick “Black 02” and Crown “Avant white”
• Downstairs WC — Hovia “Obliqua wall mural”,  B&Q Good Home Emulsion “Private Affair”, Annie Sloane “Athenian Black”

• Neon Light — Dunelm Mill 
• Upcycled Radiator Cover — Amazon
• Wall Hanging — IKEA
• Fin Wall Hooks — Sarus Originals 

• Elle Sofa — Sits (discontinued model)
• All Cushions — H&M Home
• Long Scaffold Shelf — Willow Grange Wood (EtsyUK) 
• Noo.ma Throw — Noo.ma 
• Knitted Pouffe — Wayfair 
• Vindum Rug — IKEA
• Prints — Artvsta 
• StickFit Stanton Blockout Blinds — Blinds by Post 
• Velvet Orange Ava Armchair — Stunning chairs
• Riff Raff Cushion — Next home 
• Shelving Unit — Willow Grange Wood (Etsy UK)
• TV Cabinet — Homebase (not found)
• Floor Lamp — Wayfair 
• Wicker Plant Stand — Søstrene Grene
• Herringbone LVT Flooring — Floorstore 
• Sheepskin Rug — Home Sense (not online)

• Oak and Metal Table — La Redoute 
• Dining Chairs — Dunelm Mill (no longer available)
• Flowers on Chair Print — Juniqe.co.uk

• Double Bedframe — Barker and Stonehouse
• Bedside Tables — Home Sense (not online)
• Fan — Joe Browns
• Wall Lights — Amazon
• Roman Blinds — Blinds2go 
• Orange Bedspread — Ownkoti
• Homemaker Polka Dot Circle Rug — George Asda   

• BESTA Wall Cabinet — IKEA

• Arcus in Gold — William Wood 
• Artwork (all) — Fy!

Thanks for sharing your home with us, Kate and Chris!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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