No Permission Needed: How to Mimic a Grand Designs Home

Having the home of your dreams does not mean you need to navigate a planning permission application to create home extensions. No matter what the case is, the truth is that you don’t need to heavily modify your house with extensions to create the home of your dreams.

Redesigning, refurbishing or creating the home interiors you always envisioned in your mind is not as big of a challenge as you might imagine. Especially when you can become inspired by the vast amount of design ideas out there – including the ones seen on Grand Designs, which are often a great source of inspiration.

And the best thing about it is that you will not need planning permission!

So, how can you create a more luxurious space? How can you add a sense of quirkiness to a room? How can your home interior reflect your personality without you having to do major changes to the layout of the house?

Transform Your Home Interior with Furniture

When it comes to furniture, familiarity can be undesirable. That wardrobe you once fell in love with now feels outdated and not that pleasant to look at, and your couch no longer feels new and ‘fresh’, but a bit shapeless from use, for example. While this is completely understandable, it also means that you’re losing your love for your interior décor. You can get it back by completely revamping your furniture.

Instead of the items you’re used to, why not try something completely different and opt for round furniture? This can completely change the way you look at your room, as exemplified with this round settee, which gives off a soothing feeling and is aesthetically pleasing:

Transforming your interior design is made easier by choosing a theme or style as well, as this can help you to pick out the perfect furniture for your home. This doesn’t have to be complicated or too ‘out there’, as your theme will simply mean a unifying factor that will guide the rest of your décor. It can be the colour yellow, the ocean, a Moroccan-inspired theme – anything that inspires you.

For example, a chest of drawers such as this one would fit in nicely with a maritime theme:

Choosing a theme when it comes to creating your interior design will also help you to fall back in love with your house, as it will make it feel new even if it isn’t. Whether you prefer delicate furniture, bold colours, extravagant features, minimalist design or rustic charm, your furniture is a fantastic way to achieve the result you are seeking.

For Kevin McCloud, presenter of Grand Designs, nothing would ‘put him off buying a house’, except location. He says that everything can be fixed and improved, and all homes have at least one redeeming feature.

So, when you feel like you’re getting tired of the same old interior design, the answer doesn’t have to be moving to a new house or refurbishing it completely. Revamping your current style can make it feel ‘refreshed’ and help you to fall in love with your décor all over again.

Add More Space without Adding More Space

An extension can certainly widen an existing room in your home – however, you don’t need to request planning permission in order to feel like your home has gained more space. Mirrors can help with this. They are a simple and cost-effective technique used by interior designers for many years, as mirrors reflect light and the room itself, leading to it appearing larger than it is. There are many styles of mirrors out there that can perfectly match your décor, from sleek and modern to more traditional and classic ones.

Below is a perfect example of how mirrors can completely change your home interior. A bedroom with mirrors that reflect not only the room itself but also the outdoor scenery will look a lot larger than it actually is and provide an incredible sense of never-ending space.

If you don’t wish to add mirrors to your interior, don’t worry – they are certainly not the only way to achieve a sense of broadened space. Softer, lighter colours, such as pastels and white, can also transform any room and are great assets to smaller spaces. Darker shades can make a room feel cramped, which may lead you to feel ‘boxed-in’. For this reason, try to maximise your space by investing in lighter tones instead.

Likewise, large windows can add to this effect. Small windows don’t let in as much light and can contribute to a room appearing smaller than it is. Larger windows will actually create the illusion of a larger space because of the natural light seeping in – avoid heavy curtains because of this too, as that can have the opposite effect of what you want to achieve.

Making your room feel larger than its actual size doesn’t have to mean tearing down walls to build an expansion on the house, then!

Create Your Own Luxurious Spa

Grand Designs have shown us that bathrooms can be outstanding elements of the home and not mere afterthoughts or rooms we don’t pay much attention to. Not only can a luxurious and lavish bathroom add value to your home, but it can also allow you to have your very own home spa.

Enjoy the glamour of a bespoke bathroom with luxury design, which can include everything from the materials you use, such as bathroom tiles, to the furnishings you choose. For example, according to Grand Designs Magazine, ‘marble has long since been considered as the go-to finish for a sense of grandeur thanks to its smooth surface and attractive veining’.

Refurbishing your bathroom and overhauling its current aesthetic doesn’t need extravagant planning or permissions to take down walls or extend the space. You can also update your tired bathtubs, showers and sinks with trendier, modern design and furnishings instead. Soaking in the tub at the end of a tiring day is just the cherry on top of a beautiful-looking cake, such as the example below:

Add Your Own Personality

A Grand Designs home is characterised by how personal it feels to the owner, so you will want your own home to feel like ‘you’. Your home should always reflect who you are, so avoid dull and lifeless décors and opt, instead, for a bit of your personality!

After all, just as Kevin McCloud says, “every decently-made object, from a house to a lamp post to a bridge, spoon or egg cup, is not just a piece of ‘stuff’ but a physical embodiment of human energy, testimony to the magical ability of our species to take raw materials and turn them into things of use, value and beauty.”

Express Yourself with Colour

Get inspired by your favourite colour to create the interior design of your dreams. From pale green armchairs and blue bathrooms to orange walls and minimalist bedrooms with splashes of yellow, nothing is ‘too much’. If it feels right, if it feels like ‘you’, then you’re on the right track.

Be Creative

Luxury and glamour don’t have to mean clean lines and simple décor. On the contrary, your lavish interior design can very well possess unique and exclusive elements that are not only one-of-a-kind but also reflects your personality. For instance, the following lights are not conventional chandeliers, as they provide blue lighting and are reminiscent of jellyfish – however, they do convey style, luxury and sophistication:

Showcase Your Interests

Again, if you want your home to reflect who you are and where your passions lie, putting your hobbies on display can be a fantastic idea. If you play the piano, make it the focal piece of your living room. If you adore crocheting, why not showcase colourful balls of yarn in wicker baskets for a rustic and charming look? Your interests reflect your personality, so don’t hide them.

You don’t need planning permission to have your very own Grand Designs home. In fact, according to Andrée Putman, French interior and product designer, “For a house to be successful, the objects in it must communicate with one another, respond and balance one another.”

This means that your interior is key. Transform your home by modifying your furniture and your layout and, of course, always add personality to everything you do.

At Roccia, we can provide you with the means to create the perfect home with our beautifully luxurious and elegant tiles. Visit our showrooms to get inspiration for your Gran Designs home today and call us on 01772 382716 to enquire about our products or to place an order.