Are Characterful Homes Dead?

Walk into ten new-build show homes and I’d bet nine of the them are the same shade of “safe”.

Greige walls. White trim. A single navy feature wall if you’re lucky.

It’s not design, it’s an exit strategy for re-sale value. Somewhere along the way, colour became a risk instead of a tool. Anything with actual pigment got labelled “brave” like choosing a wall colour is now an act of courage.

I get the appeal of a neutral canvas. Not everyone wants their hallway to make a statement. But there’s a difference between “timeless” and “terrified”.

Is the death of characterful homes really about taste, or is it about fear? Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of re-sale value. Fear of committing to something that isn’t beige.

It’s not just me saying it - Homes & Gardens recently pointed out that the most stylish homes right now are the ones that reflect the people living in them: characterful, layered, a little imperfect. Personality is having its moment, not despite the trends, but instead of them.