Building a house from scratch isn't easy but it's definitely worth the hardship, especially at Christmas – this stunning home is solid proof

After a year of planning and a year of building, Kate and Ross could finally move into their new home in Doncaster in March 2023. Having always dreamed of a self-build, they bought a three-bedroom 1930s bungalow across the road from where they lived, which had planning permission for two houses. Despite the dated interior, the family lived there until their new six-bedroom house was built in the garden.

‘Our ideas were a bit different to the existing plans, so it was a long and stressful process amending them. Even though a property had already been built in the next door back garden, it went to a full planning committee, so we had to make the house smaller and reduce the ridge height.'

'Ideally, we would have liked each room to be slightly bigger, along with a walk-in pantry, upstairs laundry room and separate dining room, but we were limited to the same square footage as the previous plans.'

'Instead, we incorporated much of the triple garage into liveable space and created a big utility room to make it more family-friendly. To link with the garden, we’ve got French patio doors off the dining area and bi-folds off the living area.’

‘This is our third project, so we used builders we’d worked with before and self-managed it, which was 20% cheaper than using a main contractor. We planned everything in advance to avoid panic decisions. I’m quite an organised person, so I had spreadsheets for every quote.'

'The biggest challenge was organising independent tradespeople. If the plumber doesn’t turn up, there’s a knock-on effect for the electrician and builder. I don’t like conflict so that was the hardest bit.’

‘We hoped the build would take nine or ten months and we’d be in for Christmas, but it actually took a year and two days. It wasn’t 100% finished, but we’d committed to selling the bungalow to a buyer, who demolished it and built a new house. Our ultimate plan is to do another renovation and be mortgage-free.’

‘It’s classic with a modern twist, but always cosy and homely. I don’t make digital moodboards, but I do gather fabrics, lights, tiles, handles and colour swatches. With regards to the walls, we’ve gone for a continuous white shade throughout and added complementary neutrals, greens and blues.'

'Ross works with interior designers in his job and sees a lot of pristine show homes, so he has strong preferences, but we always make joint decisions. Plus, emulating homes we love on Instagram definitely made our lives much easier.’

'Investing time and energy in our interior design and filling our home with lots of love, memories and fun times has made it truly special.'

Take the tour of Kate and Ross's home...

Discover the couple's decorating journey, from room to room...

The living area

‘We love having an open-plan room for family living, as we can cook, eat and watch TV, and the children can do their homework all in one space, while we keep an eye on them.’

The dining area

‘Our table is great for enjoying family meals, particularly at Christmas time. We bought it for our previous house and felt that the round shape would work well in the middle of the open-plan space.’

‘There are zoned spaces, with carpet to separate the living area, but it all feels like one cohesive space. It’s light and bright, but also cosy with lots of different tones and textures. I used to put Christmas decorations around other accessories, and it looked too cluttered. If you remove them first, it looks so much better.'

The kitchen

‘We chose a classic, beaded, in-frame Shaker design. We considered navy and grey, as in our previous home, but fancied a change, so went for a mid-grey beige with a dark oak island.’

‘Going for a refurbished Aga saved us £5,000. We had it colour-matched to the paint on the cabinetry, and it features black chrome details instead of silver chrome, so it’s quite different from a normal model.’

The utility room

‘The utility is my favourite room and I just love everything about it aesthetically, from the colour to the wall panelling.’

The hallway

‘Having a large, impactful space was important to us. In our previous home, the hall was a bit squished when we had people over, but this feels much more welcoming. We’ve run the same floor tiles throughout downstairs, and it feels very warm and inviting while being practical.'

The main bedroom

‘Our bedroom was inspired by various American accounts on Instagram, and we mirrored the colour tones. The bed is quite a striking feature, as the headboard is about 6ft high. Using the same style of panelling, coving, skirting boards and architraves throughout the house has created cohesion.'

‘The oak wardrobe is very spacious. We also have a dressing room, but you can never have too much storage.'

The family bathroom

‘We wanted something that felt luxurious and classy, but also quite bold. We were originally thinking of going neutral on the walls, but I love the green hue we’ve chosen.’

The guest bedroom

'This is one of my favourite spaces, and it was initially inspired by a neutral scheme I saw on Instagram. The walls were all white to begin with, but I added this pretty leaf wallpaper, as it felt like something was missing. It’s really elevated the space.’

Francesca's room

‘I ordered about 25 samples of wallpaper that I was happy for my daughter to choose from and this was the one she picked. The paint colours, blind and throw match it perfectly.’

FOCUS ON… Kitchen Islands

If sociability is high on your kitchen wish list, an island that serves many functions can be a game changer...

• THINK ABOUT SIZE When planning, allow a one-metre gap between the island and other units. Mark out the size on the floor with chalk or masking tape to gauge how it will look.
• FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS Will you incorporate a sink or hob? Is prep space more important? Many people find cooking at the island more sociable and don’t want dishes piling up around a sink. If you think an extractor is unsightly, consider a venting hob. Adding a socket on the side or a pop-up design can be useful, too.
• BREAKFAST BAR Using two sides creates a sociable arrangement, while an overhang of at least 30cm is ideal for tucking knees underneath. Also, thicker 30mm worktops will have more structural strength than 20mm.
• LIGHTING Three pendants will be visually appealing. Size-wise, the diameter of each light should be about half the width of the island, and the bottom of the lights about 66-91cm from the worktop. As a visual guide, blow up balloons and hang them using string and white tack.

Follow Kate’s decorating journey @foswoodhouse