Real estate agents love this look. But it won’t make a house a home

Whether it is a new house or a new apartment, transforming an otherwise soulless space into an expression of who we are and what we value is complicated.

When it is the biggest asset many of us own, it can feel risky just to put a nail in the wall, let alone change the colour or alter the design to suit ourselves. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many baulk at personalising spaces.

“People in Sydney are very scared to take a risk because there is always the spectre of resale,” says interior designer Gillian Khaw of Handelsmann + Khaw. “They don’t want to cause offence.”

Sydney interior designer Karen Akers says the desire to fit the real estate mould of all-white interiors only further discourages many home owners from defining their own sense of home, even when it’s a blank canvas.

“Real estate agents have a lot to answer for,” she says. “They tell owners [white walls] are what will get them the most money and that is what people want to hear.”

White is still the most popular interior wall colour, chosen in the belief it will make spaces feel larger and lighter. And when moving into a newly constructed home, the desire for a completely fresh start, with neutral walls and new furniture and furnishings is tempting.

If that’s you, no problem. But for those wanting to make a new build feel like home, read on.

Most of us don’t have the budget to toss everything out and completely start over when we move house. Khaw says that may be a blessing in disguise.

“People spend a lot of money on their renovations and homes and there is not that culture [in Australia] of inheriting something they will hold on to,” says Khaw. “A lot of things are bought new.”

However, she says choosing to retain your grandmother’s dining table or an elderly aunt’s sideboard with its history and age automatically grounds a new space.

“It’s the genuine character and personality of the person who owns it coming through,” she says.

In new spaces, adding something old can be surprisingly invigorating, as years of built-up patina meets brand-new surfaces.

“I was called to an apartment by clients who had purchased an apartment that was pretty bold in both colour and wallpaper,” says Akers.

“They were coming from Lindfield with heritage furniture, and they put it in the [new] space. They would never have done it otherwise, but they loved the contrast.”

Sonia Warner from interior design firm Woods & Warner says layering materials of different ages creates a sense of attachment and belonging to a space. “Mixing a sleek modern sofa with a vintage rug or an antique side table cre