New Home Design Mistakes
8 Design Mistakes you MUST Avoid in Your New Home
We’ve all heard a few horror stories related to building a new home…
“It was the most stressful time of my life.”
“It put so much tension in our relationship.”
“I couldn’t wait until it was over.”
Then you ask yourself, what could be so horrible about building the home of your dreams? Chances are none of those homeowners had the opportunity to work with a knowledgeable, professional custom builder during their home building process. If they had, their stories would have been quite the opposite.
How is a custom home builder different?
A custom builder has internal resources for designing your home around your lifestyle and building it within your budget. It’s a collaborative approach where the process is transparent.
Here are some things a custom home builder would recommend to build a more positive experience:
- Don’t be afraid of color. While beige and other neutral colors are practical and flexible; consider spicing things up a bit when it comes to paint colors. Plain whites and off-whites might lack the ability to attract interest, drawing the eye to furniture and accessories instead. When used appropriately, color can add volume and drama to a room making it feel larger because the walls and corners are more noticeable. Paint is also relatively inexpensive, so it can be changed easily when you grow tired of the look.
- Don’t get caught up in trendy. When making decisions about more permanent items such as tile, countertops, cabinetry and flooring, choose classic, timeless materials and colors that are more versatile and less likely to become dated. Putting your own personality into more expensive areas can be a big risk. What will it cost you to remodel when the look becomes dated?
- Consider the future. This is one time you don’t want to live for today. Don’t limit future opportunities for space in a child’s bedroom, home office or lower level family room. Kids rooms should be large enough to accommodate a full or queen sized bed. Office space should have a window and closet so it can function as another bedroom down the road. Lower-level family rooms should be easy to transform from a rec room to an entertaining space for grown-ups. Remember, the children won’t be young forever.
- Don’t break the bank. You don’t have to spend a small fortune to achieve the look you want. And working with a professional home builder will actually help you SAVE money and avoid making costly mistakes. It’s the home builder’s job to be creative and find ways to choose appointments and accessories while respecting your budget. You don’t have to buy the most expensive products to get a high-end look. Choose lower priced tile and mix in splashes of more expensive designs can result in a luxurious primary bathroom. Mixing up the layout (diagonal vs. straight, etc.) can also add interest without adding cost.
- The right light. Good lighting is essential in the kitchen, bathrooms and frankly all over the house, but it takes someone who knows what they’re doing to get it right. Your home will need a combination of functional, task and accent lighting and an experienced home building professional can recommend methods and styles based on room size and function. She or he can also recommend outlet locations that you may not have even considered.
- Go with the flow. When choosing carpet, wallpaper, paints and window coverings, ask for guidance to ensure that your home flows from one room to the next. Hodge-podge design creates a very unsettling feeling and that is not how you want to live in your new home.
- Shop smart. A professional home builder is an outstanding resource for the best places to shop for furniture and accessories and, once familiar with your style, can save you time and money. There are a lot of best-kept secrets and exceptional deals to be had out there. You just need to know how to find them.
- Don’t go it alone. If you’ve ever walked into a tile store or a carpet showroom or lighting studio, you understand completely. It can be totally overwhelming and you won’t know where to begin. A home building professional will always save you money by getting it right the first time. It is their job to be knowledgeable about the thousands of different products and finishes that are available to you. They should understand where it is worth spending a little more money and where it simply won’t matter. They can help you achieve your vision while sticking to your budget. And they can relieve a lot of the stress decision-making can bring as you move through the building process.
Not all home builders are equal. A seamless integration of design, building techniques and your budget is imperative to a great experience and home that will stand the test of time. If you talk to any builder that doesn’t integrate design into their process, you could be walking into the biggest nightmare of your life.