Inside Paige and Amir Chohan’s family home in Mobberley

Charcoal, silver, dove and slate have dominated interior design trends over the past few years but it seems grey’s day is over. In its place are softer, warmer shades of cream and taupe.

‘Our old house was very much grey and white, but it was starting to look of its time, and we wanted something more contemporary in our new home with browns and light, fresh tones,’ says Paige Chohan.

Paige, who appears on ITVBe’s Real Housewives of Cheshire, started with a blank canvas at the family's new property in Mobberley.

It’s a very modern-looking house, and that’s something we love,’ she explains. ‘I love traditional houses – for other people – but we wanted to throw it all open and let the natural light flood in. We asked for lots of glass and very fresh, neutral tones.

Paige, Amir and Nora Chohan are looking forward to the festive season in their Mobberley home. (Image: Kirsty Thompson) ‘We have one dark place – the cinema room. Downstairs, everything else is open plan, which makes the most of the space and light.’

Paige and her entrepreneur husband Amir were keen to create a sociable layout: the kitchen flows to the dining area and the sitting room, which room is enveloped by huge L-shaped sofas. The neutral tones are enhanced with accents of opulent gold and pops of rich orange.

‘I put together lots of mood boards and then we brought in a designer from Elite Design Studio in Knutsford to help make it into a reality. Much as I love interior design, I struggle to put it all together. There's so much choice out there nowadays. It's hard to know where to start. I got lots from Instagram and Pinterest and we knew our main themes were light, airy and neutral. I also wanted a massive couch, because we've got such a big room, and we wanted it to be inviting and homely, which can be hard with a bigger space. Then we suggested marble with gold touches and some beautiful, funky lamps. The designer made it into a reality.’

Rather than try to make any of their old furniture work in the new space, they started again.

Opulent gold touches elevate the neutral base of the interior. (Image: Kirsty Thompson) ‘We’d had grey couches with a square coffee table, but for this house I wanted a round, oak table to soften the lines of the interior. It was a white box when we started and the challenge was to make it warmer and softer, while still keeping it light.’

One essential element for Paige was a place to house her collection of beautiful shoes.

‘I am very much a shoe girl,’ she laughs. ‘I’m ashamed to say it but there are pairs I’ve never worn. I love them all. So, when it came to planning this house, I knew I needed a shoe room, and I’ve combined it so it’s a make-up and shoe room.

‘Then I’ve got my closets in our bedroom, but this is my little shoe and make-up haven.’

The couple’s bedroom is an oasis of calm, with more clean, bright neutrals.

‘It’s very simple – there’s not much too much going on – but I feel it's just enough for that space,’ says Paige.

The contemporary kitchen at the Chohan home. (Image: Kirsty Thompson) ‘And my favourite room is my dining area. I love the colour scheme because, with all the windows, the light hits there throughout the afternoon, and it looks beautiful.’

This year the couple welcomed their daughter Nora. ‘The whole world has changed, and also it feels like she’s always been here,’ says Paige.

‘I’m so glad we have our forever home, and that it’s in Cheshire, surrounded by beautiful countryside.

‘I’m originally from Gloucestershire and Amir is from Manchester. We met at university in Manchester and initially lived in the city centre but when we got our dogs, we wanted to move out somewhere a bit quieter, with more space for them to run around.

‘It’s perfect for us because it's not too busy, and yet we can be in the city whenever we need to,’ says Paige.

‘We've got such a lovely circle of friends here, there are walks everywhere you look, and parks and fields.

A master bedroom filled with light. (Image: Kirsty Thompson) ‘Ours is quite a new development. Our house was finished quite early, and there are others still to come. Friends come in here saying it’s as if we're in Miami, because of all these glass houses. It's unusual for rural Cheshire.'

This will be their first proper Christmas in their completed home – and the first with Nora.

‘We are so excited,’ says Paige. ‘Amir’s family celebrates Eid, and my family celebrates Christmas, so Nora will have the best of both worlds.

‘We will get all the family around for Christmas, and I can’t wait to put the tree up. We’re going for a cream and golden theme, to match the décor.

‘We all love to cook, and my mum and Amir’s mum have always been great in the kitchen. I order a big turkey from the farm shop in Mobberley and we all pitch in and make a massive feast. We are so lucky to have so much amazing local produce on the doorstep.

‘I’m not a big one for presents, I just want our whole family over for a lovely lunch or dinner and be together in that one moment. 'Although, saying that, I’m sure Nora will have lots to open. Father Christmas is going to be busy.’

The well-heeled room for Paige Chohan's shoe collection. (Image: Kirsty Thompson) Let there be light Paige’s tips

Get inspired. Don’t be afraid to copy things you love on Instagram or Pinterest. There’s so much there for every style, and it helps to visualise the look if you can see it in a room.

Use a mood board. Bringing your ideas together helps you see how your finished rooms could look. It also helped me to feel more confident when using neutral colours.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We knew the themes we wanted but it was only when we started working with the designer we could make all the little bits work together. Things such as the pops of colour on the couch cushions have made such a difference, but I’d never have thought of them.