
WE SPOKE TO INTERIOR DESIGNER, NIKKI JEFFREY, ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE YOUR NEW BUILDS SPACES WORK FOR YOU
I’m Nikki Jeffery, Founder and Director of The Staging Experts, an interior design and property staging business based in the Midlands and serving clients nationally.
We are a female-led, family-run business and work across a wide variety of projects. From designing beautiful homes for clients to live in, through to staging properties for sale to help them stand out in the market and connect emotionally with buyers.
Tell us a little more about what you do and what you enjoy most about your role.
We work closely with homeowners, estate agents, developers and investors. Supporting them with everything from show home staging and styling properties for sale, to furnishing serviced accommodation and rental properties to help them rent more successfully and maximise their potential.
What we enjoy most is undoubtedly the relationships we build with our clients along the way. Whether we are helping someone prepare a property for sale, staging a show home for a developer or creating a home that truly reflects how someone wants to live - we genuinely love serving our clients and supporting them through that journey.
For us, interiors are about far more than aesthetics alone. It’s about creating spaces that feel welcoming, effortless and personal - homes that not only look beautiful but truly work for the people living in them.
How can homeowners refresh their interiors for summer without completely redesigning their home?
The easiest and most effective way is to create a timeless foundation and then layer personality seasonally through styling and soft furnishings.
I always encourage clients to invest in beautiful, neutral core pieces that will stand the test of time - perhaps a curved beige sofa that feels almost like a hug, natural wood furniture or timeless linen bedding - and then bring in colour, texture and playfulness through cushions, throws, bedspreads, artwork and accessories.
People often think they need to redesign an entire room, but sometimes changing the layers completely changes how the space feels. In summer, that might mean lighter linens, soft sage tones, layered textures and more playful outdoor styling, whereas winter may lean into deeper tones and heavier textures.
It’s a much more sustainable and thoughtful way to style a home whilst keeping it feeling elevated and current.
How are outdoor spaces influencing interior design this summer?
People are living outdoors much more now, and that connection between inside and outside living is hugely influencing interiors.
We’re seeing homes styled with a natural flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces, whether that’s through colour palettes, textures, furniture choices or styling details.
Interestingly, many homeowners are becoming slightly more playful outdoors. Whilst interiors may lean into calming neutrals and timeless foundations, outdoor spaces often become the place for brighter prints, layered textures and more relaxed styling.
The key is ensuring the home still feels cohesive. Even something as simple as a beautiful throw by the back door that works both indoors and outside helps create that effortless connection between the spaces.
How can homeowners make spaces work harder for modern living?
Homes today need to be multifunctional because the way we live has changed so much.
With more people working from home, we’re increasingly helping clients create spaces that can transition seamlessly throughout the day. A beautiful console cupboard can function as a workspace during the day and then close away in the evening, so the room feels calm and considered.
Similarly, spare bedrooms are often evolving into flexible guest room and office combinations.
The key is ensuring practicality never compromises style. Functional spaces can still feel elevated, warm and beautifully designed.
What do you think people want most from their homes now?
More than anything, I think people want their homes to feel like a sanctuary.
The world feels incredibly busy, so people are craving homes that feel calming, grounding and emotionally restorative. We’re seeing a huge desire for spaces that slow life down slightly - layered textures, softer colours, natural materials, atmospheric lighting and thoughtful styling that creates warmth and comfort.
People still want homes to feel beautiful and aspirational, but they also want them to feel personal, functional and easy to live in.
People no longer want homes that simply look beautiful - they want homes that support the way they live, work, rest and connect.
Want to know more about the latest trends?
Refreshing your new build doesn’t have to cost the world. Follow the simple advice and you will be well on your way to having the stylish, modern new build of your dreams.
If you’d like to know more about the latest trends then head over to The Staging experts, or get in touch with the team, here.
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