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Vanessa and Marc have gradually reshaped their five-bedroom new build in Puckeridge, Hertfordshire, since moving there in 2019. Their approach combines warm neutral colours, DIY panelling and furniture-making with practical changes for family life, including a larger shared sofa and a freestanding bath.
Vanessa and Marc have gradually transformed their five-bedroom new-build home in Puckeridge, Hertfordshire, using DIY panelling, warm neutral colours and layered textures to make the initially stark interior feel more personal and practical. In a home tour published by Ideal Home, Vanessa described how the family adapted the house after moving in 2019, with changes shaped by their routines and preferences.
The couple moved from a smaller three-bedroom property to the new build with their two daughters and dog. Vanessa told Ideal Home that the house was spacious but felt like a “very white box” when they arrived. The move took place shortly before the Covid pandemic; the family later found the extra room useful while spending more time at home. The source does not give a more precise move-in date than 2019.
The first project was wall panelling made from MDF strips, which Vanessa said she and Marc attached to the wall themselves. She said online inspiration helped her feel able to try DIY. Later, she made a coffee table after failing to find a suitable size. The report presents these as personal projects, not as a claim that every design or installation is suitable for every home.
Across the rooms, the family used half-height panelling, slatted details and textured tiles to break up large plain surfaces. In the kitchen, Vanessa added warmer wood tones and materials such as marble to soften a grey-and-white scheme. She also used painted sections rather than covering entire walls, and a rug to distinguish the seating area within the open-plan kitchen and living space.
Small Changes Shape Family Spaces
The home tour shows how a family’s priorities can guide the gradual adaptation of a new build, rather than relying on one large renovation. Vanessa told Ideal Home that the open-plan kitchen and living area is where the family spends most of its time. After getting a dog, they shifted their evenings away from the formal living room and chose a sofa large enough for the household to sit together.
That practical focus appears in other rooms too. The family added a freestanding bath because the original bath was too narrow for them. In one child’s bedroom, a display ledge gives space for personal items; elsewhere, an ottoman bed adds storage without requiring a separate piece of furniture. These examples connect the visual changes to everyday use, rather than treating decoration as a purely aesthetic exercise.
For readers considering similar updates, the account offers examples of relatively contained interventions: adding a rug to define a zone, using a warmer paint colour on one section, or introducing wood and fabric texture. The source does not provide project costs, measurements or a comparison of materials, so it cannot establish how much money these choices saved or how they perform in other homes.
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From White-Box New Build to Home
Vanessa told Ideal Home that she was initially reluctant to move to the area, while Marc found the property. The couple were drawn to its size. The house’s clean, modern starting point did not match Vanessa’s preference for warm neutrals, including black, beige and cream, which she said she had used since her first flat.
Her approach developed over time. Vanessa credited seeing other people’s projects on Instagram with encouraging her to try panelling and other DIY work, and she started an account called @_myhomeinspo_. The report describes successive adjustments rather than a single renovation: the family worked room by room, adding details that suited the house and their changing needs.
The home tour also records choices beyond the main living space. Vanessa said the main bedroom was difficult to arrange because of its shape and the position of the door. In the guest bedroom, layered linens and soft textures create a calmer look, while the children’s rooms include individual touches. The source does not say when each project was completed or provide a full renovation timeline.
“It was a new build, a very white box and very cold, so over the years I’ve tried to make it warmer and bring our personality into it.”
— Vanessa, speaking to Ideal Home
Project Costs and Methods Not Detailed
The home tour does not give budgets, project dates, measurements or detailed installation instructions for the panelling, slatted features and other work. It also does not specify which tasks were completed by Vanessa and Marc alone, whether they sought professional help for any work, or what products and finishes they used.
The report is a personal account, not an assessment of how the projects would suit other homes or comply with local building requirements. Readers cannot infer from it that every DIY approach is appropriate for every wall, room or property. The source also does not report changes to the home’s energy use, market value or other measurable outcomes.
No Further Work Announced
Ideal Home’s report documents the home as it appeared during the tour and gives no announcement of a new renovation, planned project or publication date for follow-up. The family’s next steps are not specified. The account instead leaves readers with the changes already described: incremental decorating, furniture made to suit the space and adjustments informed by family life.
Any further details about project costs, construction methods or future work would need to come from Vanessa, Marc or a later report. For now, the confirmed development is the published home tour and its description of how the family has made the new build feel more like their own.
Key Questions
Where is Vanessa and Marc’s home?
Their five-bedroom new build is in Puckeridge, Hertfordshire. The family moved there in 2019 from a smaller three-bedroom property.
What was the family’s first DIY project?
Vanessa told Ideal Home that the first project was wall panelling made with MDF strips attached to the wall.
How did they make the new build feel warmer?
The report describes warm neutral colours, wood, textured tiles, panelling and slatted details. Vanessa also used painted sections and rugs to define spaces without changing every wall.
What practical changes did the family make?
They chose a larger sofa for shared time in the open-plan living area and replaced the original narrow bath with a freestanding bath. The children’s rooms also include personal display space and storage-conscious furniture.
Are project costs or detailed instructions available?
No costs or full installation instructions are included in the source report. It describes the family’s choices but does not provide enough detail to calculate budgets or recommend a method for other homes.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
