Factfile
- Name: Claire Walker
- Instagram account: @No22.Interiors
- Housetype: Cleland
- Development: Kinnaird Lee, Larbert
- #CALApets?: Nala Bear the Chow Chow, who is only 10 months old
Q1: Hi Claire, we love your IG account so we’re thrilled to have you on our Spotlight series. We’d love to know why you chose a new-build home? And why the Cleland specifically?
Many people have a preference of buying a new-build over an older property, and this is us. We both love the feeling of everything being brand new. It really allows you to start with a blank canvas and put your own stamp on it.
This is also not our first Cala home so it was an easy decision for us. What sold the Cleland for us was the overall layout of the property, it ticked all our boxes. We especially love the combined open-plan kitchen, dining and family area.
It’s a detached four-bedroom home so it has plenty of space and all bedrooms allow for a double bed.
Q2: It seems like you’ve had a really positive home journey, tell us what you love about Cala Homes?
Having purchased with Cala before, we already knew what we were buying into. The finish in our home is 100%, the attention to detail is amazing as is the workmanship. We really can’t fault it.
Q3: How did you decide on the colour scheme and tiling of your kitchen and bathrooms?
Designing and styling the home is my favourite part of the journey and from the minute we reserved, I had a clear idea of what our new home would look like.
On reflection, our last home featured really cold colours so this time around we knew we wanted to lead with warm neutral colours.
Q4: Where do you look for home inspiration?
For inspiration, we love visiting showhomes. At Kinnaird Lee, there was a Cleland showhome so we were lucky we could easily envision how our home could look and what the layout might be. There might not be a showhome of your particular homestyle at the development you’re buying, but it doesn’t mean you can’t visit other location. We visited many Cala showhomes across different developments to get a glimpse of the different interior styles. It gave us lots of ideas.
I also spend a lot of time browsing Instagram as there is so much home and interior design inspiration there. Interior shops are also a good way to keep up with the latest trends and they always offer something a little different.
Q5: Do you have any current favourite trends?
This can change rather quickly but right now I am loving all of the different natural tones which I’ve definitely incorporated around my home in contrast of the cold grey tones I previously had. I’ve added in some lovely textures to create a cosier feel to the room and make it more interesting.
Q6: What features of your home do you love best? Or do you have a favourite room?
I’ve mentioned it already but my open-plan kitchen and dining room at the rear of my home is definitely my favourite. In particular I love the large kitchen island in the centre of the room and of course the bi-fold doors leading out to our garden. I’d say they are one of my favourite features within the entire house.
I’m excited for the better weather so I can start to make the most of this room again. You can’t beat a lovely summer’s day with the doors fully open extending onto our patio area.
Q7: What would be your best advice for those who have purchased a new home?
My honest advice for those thinking of buying a new home or are in the process of doing so, is to enjoy the whole journey. It can be overwhelming but once you get your keys, it will all be worth it. I’ll never forget the feeling of turning the key on the door of our forever home. We are forever grateful.
Interiors-wise, my top tip would be to shop around for your home interiors and furniture. I would also recommend planning each room and using a mood board so you can see all of your selections in one place – it makes life much easier and it’s a fun process.
For information on our developments across Scotland and England, visit our Homes for Sale page or to find a showhome near you, visit www.cala.co.uk/about-cala/find-a-showhome.
