This calm and elegant new build home has been given a magical makeover for Christmas

For Clare and Gary Waghorn, Christmas will feel very different this year at their family home – a five-bedroom detached house in Surrey. ‘We moved in at the beginning of November last year,’ says Clare, ‘and it felt like Christmas arrived very quickly. I’m definitely looking forward to making the most of the season this year.’ And they certainly have with this year's Christmas decorations.

Clare and Gary’s home, which they share with their two children, is a very unique place: the couple designed and built it themselves, using a closed-panel timber system from the Czech Republic. Of course, it helped that Gary co-owns a construction company and knew the MD of the UK division of the build company, while Clare has a great eye for design, having studied for a diploma in interior design.

‘This was the first opportunity for me to do everything from the ground up, though,’ says Clare, ‘deciding on every single detail, from skirting boards to window latches, lighting to cabinetry.’ But before Clare could work on the details, she needed to put her trust in Gary’s vision.

The couple had long dreamed of designing a new-build home where they could use their skills to create something really special, but the plot – a former commercial site tucked between houses and at the rear of a car park – was far from special.

‘I’ll be honest, my first impression wasn’t great,’ says Clare, ‘but I believed in Gary’s vision for this completely dilapidated site. And the location was just too good to pass up.’

So in 2022, the couple bought the land, which had planning for a four-bedroom contemporary home. ‘We felt the design could be improved,’ says Clare, ‘so we spent time refining the plans before resubmitting, and ultimately gaining approval. It was also essential to us that our future home would be fully powered by renewable energy, so we incorporated solar panels and an air-source heat pump.’

The build started in January 2024, and thanks to the system they were using, there was a house with a roof standing within five days! ‘It was amazing to see it go up,’ remembers Clare, ‘and to be able to walk around its shell with the children on day two of the build was so exciting.’

The family could see their must-haves – a playroom, a study, a utility room and a luxury main bedroom with en suite – start to take shape. ‘And due to the nature of the build, we were able to make changes once the structure was up,’ says Clare.

The couple stole space from the bathroom to increase the main bedroom and decided to convert the loft into a guest bedroom and upstairs playroom for Ophelia and Hugo, turning the planned one downstairs into a snug.

When it came to the interior, Clare took the lead, designing the bespoke kitchen, drenching the study walls in green and incorporating hidden storage.

‘Our home has been a springboard for my interior design career,’ says Clare. ‘I absolutely loved every moment of the design process and am very proud of the home we have created. It was important for the space to be warm and inviting, while enduring and functional, too. The final result gave me the confidence to launch my own company – Amanda John Design.’

Living area

‘We have an open-plan kitchen-diner/living area, which gets its own tree at Christmas,’ says Clare. She’s echoed the room’s calm colour palette and metallic accents in the cream, gold and silver baubles.

Style tip: Go large with an organza bow on top of your Christmas tree to soften its branches, while visually framing its shape. Drape the tails down over the wrapped presents.

Kitchen

‘It was important that the spaces flowed naturally and for each detail to feel intentional,’ says Clare.

Style tip: Clare chose practical LVT flooring throughout the downstairs, picking a lovely herringbone design with just the right amount of distressed timber effect to balance her calm style.

Dining area

‘The dining table looks out onto the garden, which needed lots of hard landscaping due to the nature of the plot. We mixed fencing with cream rendered walls to hold back the dirt,’ says Clare.

‘This space is made for entertaining – and not just at Christmas,’ says Clare, who’s used colours from the artwork to inspire her Christmas tablescape.

Style tip: Echo metallic highlights used throughout a room – such as wall lights, furniture and any picture frames – in your table decorations, bouncing the shimmer around your table, too.

Snug

'This is my favourite room in the house,’ says Clare, ‘thanks to the colour, the panelled TV wall and the indulgent upholstery.’

'The snug is a lovely place to sit and relax in at the end of the day.'

Style tip: Go for a slimline tree in a second living room, which can tuck neatly into the corner. Clare’s is flocked and pre-lit, which make it appear fuller than it is.

Study

‘I drenched the study – which Gary and I share – in green, including the ceiling,’ says Clare.

Hallway

‘We designed the staircase ourselves using StairBox,’ says Clare.

Main bedroom

‘A luxurious bedroom with en suite was on my list of non-negotiables,’ says Clare.

'Looking out of our bedroom windows, it’s hard to remember how bad the plot was when we first viewed it.'

Style tip: Dress your headboard with a simple faux fir garland and use smaller arrangements of foliage, bows and baubles to bring a touch of Christmas magic to bedside tables.

Guest room

'We converted the loft into a spare bedroom and playroom for Ophelia and Hugo,’ says Clare, ‘giving us two extra rooms.’

Bathroom

‘The family bathroom combines elegance with practicality, with marble-effect tiles across the walls and floor and a free-standing bath,’ says Clare.

Now that the family are fully settled in their home, they are looking forward to enjoying a more relaxed Christmas together this year. ‘It’s amazing to see the house sparkle with Christmas magic,’ says Clare, as she brings in fresh foliage, baubles, bows and two Christmas trees – ‘Well, why not,’ she laughs!