The most important part of designing your forever home is creating a space that reflects your personality, supports the way you live, and feels welcoming every time you walk through the door.
Our Interior Designer, Paula, worked with homeowners who were building what they planned to be their forever home. Having previously lived in a home that never quite felt like them, their goal was simple: to create a space that reflected who they were and how they wanted to live. Paula shares how a collaborative design process, built on trust and understanding, helped bring that vision to life.
How did this project begin, and what were the homeowners hoping to achieve?
This was a new-build home for clients transitioning from a larger country property into something more compact. They had previously worked with a designer on their former home, but the result hadn't truly resonated with them.
I began getting a sense of how they lived by looking at the pieces they already owned. By that stage, the flooring and paint colours had already been selected, so my role was focused on furniture, curtains and blinds, and accessories.
We worked together to find a scheme that resonated with them. It featured rich, warm tones that felt much more aligned with their taste. From there, we refined the scheme together over several meetings, simplifying and editing where needed. Some of the final decisions, particularly around sofas and cushions, were made once they had moved in and could properly experience the space.
What guided your selection of furnishings, materials and finishes?
For me, it was all about communication and ensuring the client felt confident in every decision. Given their previous experience, it was important that they never felt locked into something they didn't completely love. Whenever I came across a fabric, furnishing, or detail that I thought would suit the scheme, I would share it with them and get their thoughts first. It took time to arrive at the final combinations, but that collaborative approach ensured the home felt authentic to them rather than driven by trends.
Functionality was equally important. With young grandchildren visiting regularly, we focused on materials that were durable, practical, and easy to care for. The goal was to create a home that could be enjoyed without feeling precious or high maintenance.
Were there any standout pieces that helped define the scheme?
The Belle Interiors Collection sofas were definitely key pieces for me. These were long-term sofas, so comfort and quality were essential. They've worked hard all their lives, and I wanted them to have furniture that could support this next stage, somewhere they could truly relax and enjoy spending time.
We also recovered some simple ottomans as the clients felt that some of the furniture in their previous home had been quite sharp and structured, so these softer coverings helped bring a more relaxed feel to the space. Upholstered in rich chocolate tones, they added depth while remaining versatile enough to move between rooms.
That flexibility was important throughout the home. The family spends time across multiple living areas, including a media room, so pieces such as the ottomans and cushions were chosen to work in more than one space.
How did your design process help bring the vision to life?
I find it incredibly helpful to bring pieces directly into a client's home wherever possible. Seeing furniture, fabrics, and accessories within the space makes it much easier to visualise how everything will work together. The curtains were completed earlier in the build process, so the clients trusted the direction there before seeing it fully installed.
Once they moved in, I was able to bring in selections and lay them out within the room, allowing them to experience everything in context. That approach makes decision-making feel much more intuitive and often gives clients confidence in choices they may have struggled to make from a showroom floor.
What advice would you give to someone considering working with an interior designer?
Trust your instincts and be clear about what you want. It's important not to feel pressured into decisions that don't feel right, even if they're considered on trend or well designed. Your home should reflect you. If something doesn't sit well, it's worth listening to that feeling. My role is never to impose a look, but to help shape a space that you genuinely love. At the end of the day, you're the one living there, and you should walk through the door and feel completely at home.
The success of this project came down to collaboration, trust, and creating a home that felt right for the people living in it. At McKenzie & Willis, our Interior Design team takes the same personalised approach with every project. Whether you're furnishing a single room or starting from plans for a new build, we'll work with you to create a space that feels comfortable, functional, and uniquely yours.
