Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.We’ve bought a house that we love, but which needs a full makeover. What feature or “ingredient” makes the most impact when you first walk in?Wandering through the ground floor of our cottage, the overall look and feel that we want to create through the decoration and selection of objects is one of comfort, colour and slightly dishevelled country chaos. We rent, so much of the hard work was done before we moved in — we had no kitchen to design, no bathroom fittings or floors to choose. Instead, we have painted our cottage’s walls (several times) and filled its rooms with furniture, but I don’t feel like we’ve had to take any majorly daunting decisions since we took on our lease.We’re about to embark on a new project though, deep down in Cornwall. It’s my first house purchase and suddenly your question is swirling around my mind, too: what will our dream kitchen look like? Bathrooms? Floors? Walls? It’s all up for grabs, and I understand you wanting to prioritise particular elements. I am going to have to do the same thing.To help you decide which ingredients to focus on, I suggest asking yourself some simple yet important questions. What is your house telling you, taking into consideration its style, age and layout? What are you excited about doing there? I’ll go first . . . The thing we love most about our new home is its main (and only) living space, essentially one large room with very high ceilings and elegant Georgian windows. So this is the place that’s getting the most attention. At one end we’ll install a mezzanine: up top we’ll squeeze in a small bedroom and shower room, and beneath this a kitchen. We love to cook, and even though the kitchen won’t be large, we want to invest in it. I see old tiles (Regts Delft Tiles has some lovely ones of sea life from the 18th century), a good range, perhaps copper or zinc-covered worktops . . . On the flip side, because the shower room above will be used only occasionally, I know we won’t want to spend lots of money on its decoration.Good furniture can be let down by a nasty floor, whereas a beautiful floor is in effect a brilliant canvas for all of the things that will sit on top of itThere are certain fundamental ingredients that I think are absolutely worth investing in, and really make an impact when you first walk into a house. Personally I always notice floors. Good furniture can be let down by a nasty floor, whereas a beautiful floor is in effect a brilliant canvas for all of the things that will sit on top of it. I visited a house in Cornwall recently that was in the middle of building works and my eyes were instantly drawn to the newly laid parquet floor in its hallway, which had been salvaged from a school or church, I believe. This idea of salvaging boards is one I would very much like to bring into our home. Investigate dealers that specialise in reclaimed flooring, such as Lawson’s Yard and Lassco. (Lassco is currently selling some beautiful pitch pine block reclaimed from a warehouse in London’s Poland Street.) The character and charm of an old floor is certainly impactful, but correctly chosen new boards can be beautiful too, and it’s worth remembering that high-quality carpets also get better with time. Joinery is another one: if you decide to invest in built-in cabinets and shelving, you’ll maximise your space while creating neat, tailored storage solutions. We’re considering a larder in the back of our staircase: we’ll make good use of the odd space beneath the stairs to store bags of rice and pasta and bottles of Cornish beer.Let’s talk bathrooms, for I love decorating bathrooms, layering them with rugs and artworks. It’s easy to save money when it comes to the fundamental fittings. I’m not really into bathrooms lavishly draped in marble, which I find too cold and hard: I’d much rather painted walls or tongue-and-groove panelling. Tiles even at the cheaper end of the spectrum can be very effective, particularly when combined with decorative borders.For me, decorative elements (particularly antiques) are always going to be the ingredients I will want to invest in, the ones I want to do all the singing and dancing. I can see myself spending too much money on antique tiles for my kitchen walls, whereas I know I will happily save money on the actual structure of the kitchen. Simple shelves for my pots and pans will do me just fine, I don’t need fancy cabinets and I’m not particularly fussed about gadgetry. In the same vein, I don’t care for complicated lighting systems. An old West Country settle with its original flaking paint on the other hand? Yes, please. I’m learning to be a little more practical: right now we’re talking with our architect about the various heating system options available to us. It’s actually all pretty interesting, because though basically a foreign language, it’s new to me. And yet my mind always wanders . . . Just yesterday I realised that we’ll need to commission a copper model ship for the ceiling of the house — it’ll float somewhere above our heads, inspired by the votive versions found in churches, and constructed and given as gifts by seamen and shipbuilders. I don’t have a maker in mind yet for my own one, but there’s a famous copper works in Newlyn, Cornwall, which I am keen to ask for help. This I can see being a key ingredient in our living space because it will be large and special and handmade by a craftsman. There will be a story to tell. Yes, there are those elements that are without question worth investing in, but ask yourself: what stories do you want to tell?If you have a question for Luke about design and stylish living, email him at lukeedward.hall@ft.com. Follow him on Instagram @lukeedwardhallFind out about our latest stories first — follow @FTProperty on X or @ft_houseandhome on Instagram
