Turn your new build ‘blank canvas’ into a home you'll love, with expert tips to make it truly yours

Not sure what's trending this summer? We've got you covered. We sat down with Nikki Jeffery, Founder and Director of The Staging Experts, who shared her top tips for making your new build home effortlessly stylish, whatever stage you're at.

Tell us a little more about what you do and what you enjoy most about your role.

I’m Nikki Jeffery, Founder and Director of The Staging Experts, an interior design and property staging business based in the Midlands and serving clients nationally.

We’re a female-led, family-run business and work across a wide variety of projects, from designing beautiful homes for clients to live in, through to staging properties for sale, while helping them stand out in the market and connect with buyers on an emotional level.

What we enjoy most, without a doubt, is the relationships we build with our clients along the way. Whether we’re helping someone prepare a property for sale, staging a show home for a developer or creating a home that truly reflects how someone wants to live, we genuinely love being part of that journey with them.

For us, great interiors are about so much more than how a space looks. It's about how it feels - welcoming, effortless, and personal. Homes that don't just look beautiful, but truly work for the people living in them.

What interior trends are defining homes this summer?

This summer, interiors are becoming softer, calmer and far more connected to nature. We’re seeing a real move towards calming greens, earthy neutrals, raw woods, stone textures and layered natural materials that create homes which feel grounded, relaxed and lived in rather than overly styled.

One of the biggest shifts is that people still want warmth and comfort, even during the summer months. Instead of stark minimalism, we’re seeing softer, more boutique-hotel-inspired spaces featuring fluid lines, textured linens, layered cushions and beautiful lighting that creates atmosphere. Amber-toned lighting and smoky glass finishes are particularly popular because they soften a room beautifully and create a calming glow as we move into the evenings.

We’re also seeing people embrace indoor/outdoor living much more intentionally. Homes are becoming an extension of the garden and vice versa, with styling that flows naturally between the two spaces.

What materials and textures are particularly popular right now?

Natural textures are everywhere this season, and rightly so because they instantly create warmth and character within a home.

We’re seeing lots of raw wood, natural stone, textured linens, boucle fabrics, woven finishes and layered textiles that make a space feel more tactile. Fluid lines are also very popular - softer curves in furniture and accessories that create a more relaxed and comforting feel.

One of the projects we’ve recently been styling internally became known as our “Ibiza project” because it perfectly captured that layered, organic aesthetic. It wasn’t about stark white minimalism, but about warmth, texture and creating a boutique-style atmosphere through beautiful linens, layered cushions, soft throws and natural materials.

At The Staging Experts, we often say the most successful interiors are the ones that feel effortless, and often it’s those layered details that truly elevate a home and make it feel lived in rather than simply designed.

How important is lighting in creating the right atmosphere at home?

Lighting completely transforms how a home feels. In many ways, it’s one of the most important elements of interior design because it changes the mood and emotional connection people have with a space.

The right lighting changes not only how a room looks, but how it feels. We’re moving away from harsh, bright lighting and towards softer, layered lighting schemes that feel warmer and more atmospheric. Amber-toned lighting, smoky glass pendants, lamps and wall lighting all help create a calmer and more refined feel within the home.

Particularly in the evenings, lighting is what creates that sense of sanctuary. A beautifully lit room feels inviting, calming and comfortable in a way that overhead lighting alone never can.

Are homeowners becoming more mindful about sustainability within interiors?

Absolutely, though for me, sustainability now feels much more connected to longevity and thoughtful purchasing than simply following trends.

People are becoming increasingly conscious about investing in timeless furniture pieces they truly love, and then refreshing their spaces more seasonally through styling, soft furnishings and accessories, rather than replacing everything constantly.

There's a real shift away from disposable interiors, and towards homes that evolve more thoughtfully over time.

And this approach often creates more personal and elevated spaces too. A timeless, neutral foundation gives homeowners the freedom to adapt their interiors beautifully as time goes on, without feeling the need to redesign an entire space every few years.

What do you think people want most from their homes now?

More than anything, I think people want their homes to feel like a sanctuary.

The world feels incredibly busy right now, and there's a growing desire for spaces that offer a sense of calm, grounding and emotional reassurance. We're seeing a huge desire for interiors that slow life down a little by adding layered textures, softer colours, natural materials, atmospheric lighting and thoughtful styling that creates genuine warmth and comfort.

People still want their homes to feel beautiful and aspirational, of course, but they also want them to feel personal, functional and easy to live in.

It's no longer just about how a home looks. It's about how it supports the way you actually live, from how you work and rest, to how you connect with the people around you.

Thinking about staging your new build home? Get in touch with us or with Nikki and the team at [email protected].

Browse new homes

MKT/CS/UKON/040626