Buying a home with a friend: how we made it work, and made it ours

Hillarys Interior Squad

Written: 18/07/2025

If you follow our Interior Squad member Luke Catleugh (@lukecatleugh) on social media, you’ll know he’s currently renovating his first home, with a little bit of a twist, having bought it with a friend. Read on to find out more about Luke’s house journey so far.

Meet Luke

Hi, I’m Luke Catleugh, a content creator, interiors enthusiast, and proud co-homeowner. In 2023, my best friend Zara and I bought our first home together in South East London. It’s a Victorian mid-terrace with good bones, lots of charm, and plenty of potential. Buying a house with a friend might not be the most traditional route, but for us, it made perfect sense. Here’s how we did it and how we’ve been styling it ever since.

Why we bought a house together

Zara and I met at university and have lived together ever since. After five years of renting, including a slightly tired 1920s flat, we started dreaming about something more permanent. During lockdown, we realised that if we aligned our finances and started saving seriously, we could actually get on the property ladder together.

The legal side

We approached the purchase like business partners. We had different deposit contributions, so we worked with a solicitor to draw up a Declaration of Trust. That document outlined exactly what we each put in and protected us both. It was one of the smartest decisions we made.

My advice?

Live with your friend first. We knew that as we’d survive a global pandemic and still agreed on where the ketchup goes, we were probably good to go. Also, financial transparency is key. If you are going to be contributing different sums of money to a property, stipulate that in an agreement before you purchase a property. Be honest about budget and don’t get too carried away with affordability. It’s better to be comfortable than to stretch yourself too far!
Luke Catleugh

How we decorated our home together

We’ve always had similar taste; what I’d call classically timeless with a touch of contemporary and with this house, our inspiration was elegance, nodding to the traditions of a Victorian home but adding our own fun twist with pattern and colour. I use Pinterest a lot to get inspiration for our colour and pattern choices. I also photograph everything when I am on the go and save it in a folder for future designs. Zara tends to play it safe, while I’m the one who’ll throw in a bold colour or a statement piece. But we always make decisions together, especially in shared spaces. We each took the lead on our own bedrooms, but even then, we influenced each other. Zara originally wanted neutral curtains in her room until she saw the bold Poodle and Blonde fabric I chose for mine. That inspired her to go for a rich velvet curtain called ‘Darcia Velvet Rouge’, and it looks stunning.

Our window dressing journey

Let’s talk about window treatments, because wow, did we learn a lot. When we first moved in, we were desperate for privacy. We threw up some badly measured curtains and Roman blinds that didn’t really work. Eventually, we called in Hillarys, and it was a game-changer.

Here’s what we chose:

Blackout Roman blind in the bedrooms, mine in Micro Glaze Umber from the Poodle & Blonde collection, a bold print with red fringing, and a neutral one in Tetbury Ivory for the guest room.

Motorised blinds for that extra touch of comfort.
Double pencil pleat curtains in Zara’s bedroom for a full, hotel-like finish, on top of existing café style shutters

Everything is thermal-lined, which was non-negotiable. Our house is over 100 years old, so keeping it warm in winter (and cool in summer) is essential.

Function meets style

Every choice we made had to be both beautiful and practical. Square footage in London is a luxury, so we needed our home to work hard. That meant choosing timeless designs, investing in quality, and making sure every element served a purpose.
Luke Catleugh

What I’ve learned (and what I’d do differently)

Looking back, I wish we’d brought Hillarys in sooner. Trying to save money with temporary fixes ended up costing us more in the long run. I also learned to trust my instincts more and not get too swayed by trends. Some of our choices are bold, but they’re us and that’s what matters.

My styling tips for shared homes

Don’t be afraid of colour or pattern. A room needs at least one talking point.

Make sure every decision is functional as well as beautiful. Let your home reflect your personality, whether that’s minimalist, maximalist, or somewhere in between.

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