7 Annexe Interior Design Tips From Our Team Of Professional Designers
Granny annexe interiors tend to fall into the same two categories as home interiors, they are either traditional or modern.
We have a wide range of lodges and custom annexes that appeal to both but as we are lucky enough to work with interior designers when it comes to our Residential Lodge Style Annexes, we’ve spotted some of their top interior design tips to inspire you.
All of these granny annexe interior design tips can be applied to apartments and homes too of course and as our lodge style annexes come fully furnished if required you have everything you need at your finger tips to design a granny annexe you’ll fall in love with.
So here are 8 annexe interior design tips from the team of professionals we work with when it comes to designing your perfectly stylish little home at the bottom of the garden.
1. Decide On Your Colour Scheme & Style For The Entire Annexe
When you are thinking about annexe living, you are also probably thinking of downsizing to a smaller space that suits your needs for the next 10 years or more.
A lot of our customers do not realise that most of our annexes are actually the same size as a small two bedroom bungalow (the most popular size being around 42′ x 20′ or 12.8 m x 6.0m . (like The Bella Vista for example)
It’s much easier to see some existing annexes for ideas and inspiration than it is to take out a pen and paper and start sketching floor plans.
Your annexe will need to work structurally for it to be built correctly so it’s best left to the experts.
When it comes to designing the interior, that’s really where you can stamp your style on every area.
Begin with the kitchen and decide whether you would like a modern finish like the one shown in the Dovecote (above) or a more traditional kitchen like the Foresters (below)
Once you have decided on the style of your kitchen, you will find it much easier to base your other choices around what is a central focal point of any open plan living space.
2. Keep 80% Of Your Annexe Interior Neutral
When customers walk into the Harleigh, they are immediately put at ease not only by the high quality of our lodge style annexes but due to the beautiful neutral colour palette our designers have used to make it feel just like home.
One of the top interior design tips is to keep 80% of your interior design scheme neutral.
We have all the decor items used in any of our lodges all set out on mood boards at the Design Centre.
If you love a certain fabric, wall covering, flooring, kitchen etc, we’ve got it!
And if you love everything you see, then it becomes super-simple we’ll just recreate it and arrange to deliver it to you.
Neutral colours can be whites, greys, pinks and earthy tones, it just a question of choosing the right tone for your annexe and then continuing the colour palette throughout to create a flow from room to room.
3. In An Open Plan Annexe Design Consider The Biggest Areas And Keep Them Neutral
Most annexes are open plan in design, although we do offer a full range of Residential Mobile Home style annexes that have separate kitchens as an alternative.
We are always adding new models to our website as they become available.
By keeping the large areas neutral you can add accessories and soft furnishings as focal points, textures and interest to help pull the whole look together.
The large areas to consider are:
- Flooring
- Kitchens
- Ceilings
- Walls
- Large items of furniture.
The Accolade (pictured above) is a great example of how to keep the large areas neutral so that you end up with a designer style annexe you can easily see yourself living in.
It looks stylish without trying too hard and with different accessories, you could change the look and feel of the room to suit your individual style & taste
4. Less Is More When It Comes To Open Plan Annexe Design
A few beautifully chosen accessories will add to the overall style and elegance of any room and less is most definitely more when it comes to keeping your annexe looking ultra-stylish.
The Bella Vista is a great example of how with just a few chosen accessories you can create a stunning annexe that wouldn’t look out of place in the Ideal Home Magazine.
Add a metallic accent like copper, gold or silver for a modern look and add it throughout your annexe somewhere in every room for a pulled together look.
Shop for great accessories online or offline at places like:
And for something a little bit different:-
5. Style Bedrooms In The Same Colour & Style As The Rest Of Your Annexe
If you love visiting show homes for ideas and inspiration (you’ll love our show site by the way if you do) then you’ll know that the show homes will be styled to create a feeling of space.
And that includes the bedrooms, which will look like a high-end hotel room with that “nobody lives here” look and feel to it.
You’ll also notice that the colours used throughout the home will also be somewhere in the bedroom to create a flow to the whole house so you can see yourself moving in.
Interiors sell new homes.
It’s a place where you can see yourself starting with a fresh “all new” approach to living life on your terms.
It’s somewhere you won’t have to worry about decorating, or replacing the kitchen or bathroom for a good few years saving you time and money.
And maybe you’ll be able to travel more, go away for a few more weekend breaks, eat out more often and in general live a more relaxed way of life.
The beauty of annexe living is that is can give you everything buying a new home can (especially if you are lucky enough to buy off-plan and have input into your design).
Most of our lodge style annexes come with fitted wardrobes so you can be sure your annexe will have plenty of wardrobe space and keep your bedroom space clean and organised too.
6. Create Interest On A Feature Wall For A Designer Touch
One of the most talked about features of our Bella Vista lodge style annexe is the stunning feature wall in the living space.
A designer tip for planning and designing a successful open plan living spaces is to zone the space.
Even though there are no walls to separate the open plan living / dining / kitchen areas, you can achieve the same effect by using decor items and in this case a feature wall to create interest and define the space.
The same effect can be achieved in bedrooms by making a feature wall above the bed.
Lighting can also help define spaces like the clever use of pendant lighting above a breakfast bar or dining table.
7. Have Just Enough Of Everything And Avoid Clutter
Because our lodge style annexes are also used commercially you are in the hands of experts when it comes to what works an what doesn’t to achieve the look you want for your annexe.
The great thing about staying in a lodge for a holiday is that you have exactly what you need to make your stay comfortable and easy to live with. There may be things like:
- Just the right number of plates, cups & glasses in the cupboard.
- Just the right number of pots and pans to cook with.
- Just the right amount of cutlery, coasters and place mats.
- Just the right number of towels and bedding.
- Just the right amount of pictures and accessories to look homely but not cluttered.
There is a real art to achieving it & that’s why we are thrilled to have such a wonderful way in which to present what is possible for anyone looking at annexe living today in the same way in which you would look for a new home.
All our lodge style annexes can also be found in exclusive resort style developments around the the UK as second homes or holiday homes.
And all of them are designed by our in house interior design teams giving you the best choice of floor plans, sizes, styles and interior choices available.
Summary
- We have the widest choice of lodge style annexes available, with over 15 models to choose from in 5-7 different sizes, you are literally spoilt for choice.
- Decide on your preferred style of annexe from the beginning. Choose either traditional or modern throughout for a pulled together designer inspired look.
- Keep the large areas neutral and think about adding feature walls for interest.
- If you love everything you see in one particular design don’t try and reinvent the wheel by redesigning it.
- All our lodge style annexes are designed by professional interior designers which can help you achieve that stunning annexe look you are after.
As always we look forward to your thoughts and comments below or join in the conversation on our Facebook Page! Or please use the Contact Us page to email us with your enquiry
