As you design your dream home, there will be more choices than you might realize. Sometimes, making each selection for your custom home, from every single light switch and doorknob to the flooring and appliances, can get overwhelming. While some aspects of your custom home can be made with little thought, others deserve careful consideration. Here are eight parts of your home that should never be an afterthought.
The Front Yard
Your front yard is the first thing visitors and passersby see, and it is highly expressive of who you are. Make sure that your front yard speaks for you in exactly the way you want it to. There are many ways to make your front yard unique. Your landscape design should include a variety of elements, from shrubs, trees, and flowers, to planters, gravel, mulch, and paving stones. All of this can combine to create a haven in whatever style you might prefer. Maybe you want a lush and verdant garden. Or you might favor a low maintenance but beautiful desert landscape. Landscaping is difficult and expensive to redo, so plan ahead to create an inviting and distinctive front yard that you love.
The Backyard
Now is the best time to create the backyard haven you have always dreamed of. Once the front yard and fencing is in place, renovations are costlier, invasive, and more time consuming. Take the time now to consider your needs. If you love to entertain, consider building an outdoor kitchen, built in firepit, and covered patio. Think about how much room you will need for entertaining, and what kinds of activities you want grass for. You might want to plant trees around the perimeter of your yard for privacy and weather protection. If you think you might ever want a pool, plan for that now. Also, think about shade and warmth, as well as your family’s interests. There are many features you can include in your backyard that will make you never want to leave home.
Appliances
Don’t choose your appliances on a whim. Think about the way you use appliances and go from there. If you are an avid baker, select a modern oven with all the bells and whistles. If you are a busy professional, you might want smart appliances that you can program remotely on your phone. Over-sized refrigerators and double ovens are popular for frequent entertaining or large families. Simplify your workload with a high-end dishwasher. Consider your family size when you decide on your washer and dryer. Regardless of your personal needs, choose eco-friendly appliances. They will increase the value of your home and save you money on utilities.
Interior Design
The design of your interior affects everything associated with homelife, from the mood, to stress levels, to expressiveness, to functionality. Create a design for your interior that is cohesive with the exterior. Have fun with each interior aspect, from the lighting and hardware to the built-ins. With modern homes, you can even play with your walls to highlight them as design elements. Stone or wood paneling is popular. Bright colors add pizzazz to accent walls. Geometric shapes are trendy. Think about creating a personal and unique interior. This is your space, and it should feel like home. Incorporate items that have significance to you. Unlike personal items, a lot of store-bought decor has no meaning. On the other hand, custom made signs and art can make the space your own.
Flooring
Flooring can single-handedly make or break a house. Flooring sets the stage for the entire interior, creating the proper tone and offering a starting point from which everything else is based. Flooring materials also vary greatly as far as durability and ease of maintenance go. Hardwood is elegant but also homey, durable, and easy to maintain. Consider carpeted areas carefully. High traffic spots do better with hard surfaces, such as hardwood or tile. Different types of carpet are more resilient, stain-proof, and attractive. High-end flooring increases the value of your home and can stay beautiful longer. Take your time when choosing your flooring.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is often the gathering place for the family and should be both functional and inviting. Areas of particular concern are countertops and cabinets. A well-designed kitchen should put everything you need right at your fingertips for easy access, provide sufficient storage, and meet your culinary and gathering needs. Durable and modern countertops will keep your home current much longer. Quartz and granite are popular materials to use. Similarly, choosing a classic, hardy, and spacious cabinet design will be more user-friendly for you and hold off the need to remodel. You might also want to include an island, which offers additional storage and workspace.
The Bathrooms
Second to the kitchen, bathrooms are the most likely areas in your home to need remodeled the soonest. If you plan wisely, you can prevent this from happening too quickly. Use the best materials and select options that are unlikely to become dated. Neutral-colored granite countertops are timeless, as are walk-in showers with glass doors. Natural wood is a good choice for cabinets. You can select trendier styles of plumbing hardware, mirrors, and light fixtures. These features are easy and inexpensive to update as needed.
Doors and Windows
Doors and windows are critical features that perform two key functions. They protect you from the elements, keeping out the cold, heat, and storms. They also provide important design elements within the entire interior and exterior of your home. Because of that, it is best to choose weather-proof windows that also look good and match the rest of the house. Additionally, your doors should be solid and beautiful. You will want to welcome your guests through doors that are inviting and attractive.
If you pay careful attention to these elements, you can relax a little with the lesser features. While it may not be critical to get the exact right vent covers, it is imperative that you get the interior design, kitchens, bathrooms, appliances, flooring, and yards right. These are the aspects of your house that truly make a home. They determine whether your home functions and looks exactly the way you want it to.