Architectural details, color, and layered decorating can make even the newest house feel as though it has a history.
There is a particular kind of house I see quite often: beautifully built, with natural materials, expansive windows, and an open floor plan, but somehow it feels cold. It’s missing the warmth and character that make a home feel inviting.
Everything is new; everything matches. The finishes are pristine. And yet, the rooms can feel chilly and impersonal.
I think part of the problem is that we've spent years prioritizing openness, clean lines, and simplicity in residential architecture, sometimes at the expense of the smaller details that give a house its personality.
When I think about the older homes I love—English country houses, historic New England homes, and charming European cottages—it's rarely just the furniture that makes them special. It's the proportions, the woodwork, the transitions between rooms, the unexpected corners, and the sense that the house has evolved over time.
We can't manufacture history, of course. But we can borrow some of the principles that make historic homes so appealing.
Here are a few ways I approach bringing character into newer homes.
1. Introduce Architectural Details That Feel Like They Belong
One of the first things I consider in a new home is whether the architecture could benefit from another layer of detail.
Many newly built houses have beautiful bones and materials but relatively plain interiors: simple drywall openings, minimal trim, large uninterrupted walls, and little variation from room to room.
Thoughtfully designed moldings, vignettes, and millwork can change that considerably.
I'm particularly fond of paneled walls, built-in bookcases, traditional mantels, and substantial door casings. A simple picture rail or a beautifully proportioned baseboard can bring a sense of craftsmanship to a room.
But I think it's important that these details feel appropriate to the house. Adding elaborate moldings to every surface isn't necessarily the answer.
I prefer to begin with the architecture itself and consider what might have been there if the house had been built in another era. Would the living room have had a proper fireplace mantel? Might the dining room have included a built-in cupboard? Would a doorway have been framed with more substantial trim?
The goal isn't to make a new house look artificially old. Actually, I don’t think it’s necessarily the sense of history that appeals to me, although that is appealing, it’s more the human touch, the human scale, and the details that communicate the felt sense of a human’s care. Architectural consideration gives a room both a sense of permanence and a sense of artistry.
2. Reconsider the Open Floor Plan
Open-plan living can be great for making the most of beautiful views, enjoying generous sightlines, hosting, or for people who like to be around other people all the time, but it has never appealed to me personally.
Architect Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House, introduced the idea of “away spaces”—smaller, more intimate areas where we can retreat from the activity of the household. While open floor plans encourage togetherness, they often overlook our need for privacy, quiet, and a sense of enclosure. An away space might be a cozy reading nook, a small sitting room, or a window seat tucked away from the main living area. I love this approach because it recognizes that a well-designed home should offer both places to gather and places to retreat. These smaller spaces also create opportunities for more interesting architecture, distinct decorating schemes, and the kind of coziness that can be difficult to achieve in one enormous open room.
I also think we've lost something by removing so many of the boundaries between rooms.
Older homes often have a wonderful sense of progression. You move from an entry hall into a sitting room, through a doorway into a dining room, and perhaps into a smaller, more intimate space beyond.
Each room has its own identity.
In a completely open-plan home, it can be difficult to create that same sense of atmosphere. The kitchen, dining area, and living room may all occupy one enormous space, with very little to distinguish one from another.
Sometimes the solution is architectural: introducing a cased opening, a partial wall, or a pair of glazed doors to create a more defined room without sacrificing light.
Other times, it's a matter of decorating. A generous rug, carefully arranged seating, a substantial bookcase, or a change in wall color can help establish distinct areas.
I think homes benefit from having spaces that feel intimate and purposeful.
3. Use Color to Give the Architecture More Presence
One of the simplest ways to introduce character into a new home is through a more considered approach to paint.
Too often, newly built homes are painted a single neutral color throughout, with bright white trim and ceilings in every room. It's practical, but it can also make the architecture feel rather flat.
I use color, pattern, and texture to give different rooms their own identity and to draw attention to architectural details.
Painting the walls and trim in the same color, for example, can make a room feel more enveloping and intentional. A beautifully painted bookcase or a contrasting door can introduce depth. Even a subtle shift in color between adjoining rooms can create a sense of progression.
In spaces with particularly lovely woodwork, color can emphasize the proportions and craftsmanship rather than allowing everything to disappear into a sea of white.
And I don't believe that small or darker rooms must be painted white to make them feel larger. Sometimes leaning into their intimacy with a richer color produces a far more beautiful result.
The right color can make even relatively simple architecture feel special.
4. Bring in Generously Sized Rugs
One thing I notice in many newer homes is the sheer amount of exposed hard flooring.
Wood, stone, and tile are beautiful materials, but in large open spaces, they can make a room feel rather cold and cavernous.
A generously sized rug can make an enormous difference. My vendors do these rugs made to measure specific to the room so that it fits perfectly.
I almost always prefer a rug large enough to comfortably accommodate the furniture grouping, rather than a small rug floating in the middle of the room.
In a living room, for example, a large rug helps establish the boundaries of the seating area, particularly when the room opens into a kitchen or dining space.
I also love the warmth and character that a beautiful antique or handwoven rug can introduce. The variations in color, texture, and pattern often bring a welcome softness to otherwise pristine architecture.
Rugs aren't simply accessories. They're one of the foundational elements that make a room feel grounded and complete.
5. Introduce Pattern Where Everything Feels Too Perfect
New construction often has an abundance of smooth, uninterrupted surfaces.
Perfectly painted walls, uniform cabinetry, large expanses of glass, and beautifully finished floors can create a very clean backdrop. But without something to interrupt all that uniformity, a room may feel a little sterile.
Pattern is one of my favorite ways to bring life into these spaces.
A small-scale floral on an upholstered chair, a beautiful stripe at the window, or a patterned wallpaper in a powder room can introduce movement and personality.
I'm particularly drawn to the way traditional patterns can soften contemporary architecture. They provide an interesting contrast to clean lines without necessarily making the room feel traditional.
And you don't need pattern everywhere.
I often like to establish one stronger patterned element in a room and build the rest of the scheme around quieter textures and complementary colors.
The result is a room that feels layered and interesting rather than overly decorated.
6. Think About What Older Houses Had That New Ones Often Don't
When I visit historic homes, I'm always interested in the practical details that have gradually disappeared from modern construction.
Built-in cupboards. Window seats. Bookcases. Proper entry halls. Small alcoves. Places to display collections or tuck away everyday belongings.
These features weren't always grand or decorative. Often, they were simply useful.
But they also gave rooms individuality.
I love the idea of incorporating some of these elements into newer homes, particularly when they can solve a practical problem at the same time.
A built-in bookcase can give a large living room a focal point. A window seat can make an otherwise overlooked corner feel inviting. A traditional pantry cupboard or a freestanding armoire can introduce storage without another wall of standard cabinetry.
Even something as simple as creating a proper place for books can make a house feel more lived-in.
It's these smaller, thoughtful details that often distinguish a house with character from one that feels like a collection of beautiful finishes.
7. Choose Furniture That Creates Contrast
I don't think the furnishings in a new home should necessarily match the architecture.
In fact, I often prefer when they don't.
A contemporary house can be a wonderful setting for traditional upholstery, antique furniture, and collected artwork. The contrast gives the room depth and keeps everything from feeling too predictable.
One of the things I love about English country interiors is that they rarely appear to have been furnished all at once.
There might be an old wooden chest beside a beautifully upholstered sofa, a contemporary painting above an antique table, or a simple linen curtain alongside more formal furniture.
It's the combination of different periods, materials, and personalities that makes the room interesting.
And I think this approach is particularly effective in new construction, where the architecture provides a clean backdrop for pieces with a little history.
8. Make Sure the Decorating Budget Isn't an Afterthought
One of the biggest challenges I see with newly built homes is that so much attention—and investment—goes into the construction itself that relatively little is left for furnishing and decorating.
It's understandable. There are endless decisions to make during a build, and costs have a way of adding up.
But a house isn't finished simply because the construction is complete.
The rugs, upholstery, window treatments, lighting, artwork, and furniture are what make the rooms comfortable and enjoyable to live in.
I encourage homeowners to think about these elements early, ideally while the house is still being planned.
Knowing where furniture will sit can influence electrical placement, lighting, and even architectural decisions. Considering window treatments in advance can help ensure there is appropriate space for hardware and that the finished result looks intentional.
And establishing a realistic furnishing budget from the beginning allows the decorating to be part of the overall vision rather than something postponed indefinitely.
A Home With a Sense of History
We can learn a great deal from the houses that have remained beautiful and comfortable for generations. Their appeal often comes from thoughtful proportions, architectural detail, distinct rooms, beautiful materials, and furnishings that have been collected and layered over time.
By introducing some of these qualities into new construction, we can create homes that feel welcoming and individual from the very beginning.
Working Together
At Barad Interiors, we help homeowners throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina bring warmth, character, and individuality to their homes through thoughtful architectural details, furnishings, fabrics, and finishing touches.
Whether you're planning a new build or looking to make a recently completed home feel more personal, we would love to help you bring the rooms together.