HOME + GARDEN
NORTHFLEET NEW BUILD TRANSFORMATION
WITH SHUTTERSUP
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MARTIN EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY
Francesca and Callum moved into their first house in Northfleet, Kent, in 2024, just a week before their wedding, swapping their new-build flat for a bigger home they could truly make their own. With bare concrete floors downstairs and a blank canvas throughout, the couple have been transforming the property, from installing herringbone flooring to adding panelling and statement wallpaper. Shutters from ShuttersUp were one of the first additions, adding a touch of luxury and providing privacy without sacrificing any precious light.
Can you share how you began to transform your characterful new build? We always loved the idea of a new build being a ready-to-go blank canvas for us to make our own. We made a start with three things: herringbone flooring throughout downstairs, shutters to our living room and dressing room, and fitted wardrobes to two of our bedrooms. From there, we have been taking it slowly, adding panelling, paint, wallpaper and upgrading our furniture and accessories where budget has allowed.
Did you set a timeline for project completion- and did you manage to stick to it? I’ d love to have been able to update everything immediately but everything to do with homes is costly! We’ ve always been pretty good with managing our budget so we never had to set any timelines. We are into the habit of starting a project, getting it most of the way there and then moving on to a room that needs more help! For example, we want to update our bathroom radiator to a heated towel rail and add coving to the downstairs loo, but our priorities moved to the second bedroom instead.
Was your final vision mapped out from the get-go? Any style ideas that were set from the beginning, or did things change as the project progressed? I usually have a pretty clear vision from the beginning, which is why I find it difficult to take things slowly! We’ ve always loved neutral, modern style, but when it came to the guest bedroom we wanted to switch it up. Originally, Callum wanted a dark teal green, but we both decided we didn’ t love it. So, after hundreds of samples, we decided on a calming olive green, which I think is perfect for a bedroom. Adding dark brown furniture and accessories really elevated the space without being too harsh.
Who did you welcome on board to assist in completing the project? Why? We chose and bought everything that went into our home and mostly did everything that could be completed safely and to a high standard ourselves. We had an electrician for the lighting- CMS Building & Maintenance Limited, the floor was fitted by Pioneer Flooring Solutions, and the shutters were measured, made and fitted by ShuttersUp.
You opted for stunning plantation shutters fitted by West Wickham-based ShuttersUp; was this a design feature you were drawn to initially or a later addition? Having the shutters installed was one of the first things we did after moving in. I’ d always seen shutters in other people’ s homes and thought they looked so luxurious. Being in a new build, we’ re quite overlooked, so they’ ve made such a difference- they give us privacy without blocking the light. www. insidekent. co. uk • 163