Think of your home as your new best friend not as an investment, says Alannah Gallagher

You're finally on the property ladder but how do you stop your new home looking like all the other homes around you? Try to think of it as a new best friend rather than just an investment. As a blank canvas, it can become any personality type you like. So where do you start?

According to interior designer and home stager Catherine Vodden: "Interior design is a question of personal taste. By putting your own stamp on a place you can run the risk of some people hating it."

But, since you'll be living in the space for anything from three to five years, she believes you should surround yourself with the things that you like.

"If you want to paint the livingroom walls aubergine and that's to your taste, then do it. It is only paint and the walls can be neutralised before you put the property up for sale so that it will once again appeal to the broadest market possible. Trends in fashion and interiors change much more frequently these days so I wouldn't advise buyers to decorate to please future buyers. It's your home, your castle and your taste."

"Extreme makeovers, such as transforming a modest three-bedroom semi into a spacious two-bedroom bachelor pad, are not the way forward," says Nicola O'Callaghan, property negotiator with Hooke & MacDonald. "You will not make your value back."

Neither will moments of madness, such as over-the-top red walls and mirrors on bedroom ceilings. "Contemporary neutrals finished to a high standard will influence interest in the property. Other value-adding features include double showers in ensuite bathrooms, where space allows, marbling the entire bathroom (rather than opting for splash-back tiles only) and recess lighting and granite worktops in the kitchen will enhance appeal," says O'Callaghan.

For graphic designer Fiona Duffy, her kitchen was the most difficult area to individualise. She bought her one-bed apartment off the plans and it came with a standard fit-out that forms the backbone of every new home and apartment.

"Ask about your options when you pay the deposit," advises Duffy. "The earlier the builders know about potential non-supporting wall changes the better. Failing that, a good place to start is with accessories, such as the toaster, kettle and juicer."

Her 37sq m (400sq ft) apartment has floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony that runs the length of the property. "I wanted my place to feel like a home so I tackled the flooring first. Instead of the ubiquitous wood veneer flooring I chose a marble tile from Antica. A lot of people were horrified by this deviation and concerned about its impact should I want to resell. I had the balcony tiled in the same style. For me this continuity opens up the space and carries it outdoors."

Everything in Fiona's home has a history or a story. "The couch was bought by my father in London in the 1960s. It's old and battered but its low-slung style still feels contemporary. I added colour and personality through framed prints on the walls and scatter cushions that were a housewarming present from another graphic designer, Marie Bahey.

"The two William Morris chairs and the matching mirror were also plundered from the family home. They had formed part of the shop display of a shoe company called Elliots in London, that my father was involved with."

The problem with new apartments is their lack of storage space. Fiona resolved this by getting a carpenter to build the shelving units in the livingroom and a high-rise bed with storage space underneath, both to her designs.

"He even modelled the headboard on the William Morris mirror and chose a wood colour that matched the chest of drawers that I had already purchased for the bedroom. All these investments are portable, so I can take them with me when I leave. Under my bed functions as an upside-down attic and is home to everything from a television and stereo, to the Hoover, files and suitcases."

Giving your new home personality takes time because the devil is in the details. If you don't want your home to look exactly like everyone else's then you need to spend time sourcing the furniture and objects you put into it.

Fiona has been living in her apartment for a year and has only just had curtains put up in her bedroom. Up until now she has been changing in her bathroom and not sleeping much past daybreak. "You make do. These days we want it all. We're conditioned to walk into ready-to-live-in perfection."

More significant individualising ideas include adding a conservatory, flooring and lighting. Make use of dead space within your home. Savvy apartment dwellers are creating mezzanines in high-ceilinged duplexes and others invest in attic conversions. Where possible, create an open-plan living space. If your kitchen is small and separate to the livingroom integrate the two by creating a breakfast counter between them. All these are value-adding elements and will make your home stand out.

While individuality might enrich your home, will it ultimately pay dividends when you come to sell the place? "High-end features will increase demand but the key factor is still location. Location is the deal clincher when it comes to selling a property for a premium price," says O'Callaghan.