Thank you for all of the kind comments on the new build reveal! It was such a great project to work on, and today I’m going to talk about how we avoided cookie-cutter results and created a home that will stand the test of time.
While Grant was thrilled with the idea of building, Sara had reservations. She wanted something with character and wasn’t a fan of the builder-grade look you come to know here in suburbia. I assured her that it would take some initiative, but that we could get them a home they both loved – and I think we accomplished just that. Let’s break it down a bit to see how we got there.
If you’re wanting to build a home that doesn’t say “I was built in 2016” there are a few things to keep in mind as you’re picking finishes and details. The problem isn’t in any one detail or finish specifically, it’s combining them all together that dates your home. When it comes to suburban homes today, here are the things that I think of: craftsman style pillars on the front porch, extreme use of browns, beiges or cold grays, espresso floors, detailed iron staircase spindles, stainless steel appliances, dark cabinets, granite countertops – often contrasting stone on the island, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures or very modern satin nickel, glass tile accents, patterned carpet on the stairs, stone fireplaces…the list could go on and on I suppose.
Again, I don’t necessarily consider all of these a bad thing, but combined together they define what cookie-cutter homes going up right now look like. These homes are the orangey oak, wallpapered, popcorn-ceilinged homes of the late 80’s and early 90’s. So if you want to avoid your home feeling dated in 10 years, here are some tips and tricks we used on Grant and Sara’s house.
GET TO KNOW YOUR BUILDER
Most of these builders are churning out lots of homes at once and building them as quickly as possible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t strike up a relationship with them. Before you decide on someone to build your home, see what kind of options are available when it comes to finishes – how many floor plans you can choose from, how strict they are regarding finishes and allowances, and if they will allow you to provide your own light fixtures and/or hardware. The more flexible a builder is, the more likely you are to get what you want.
STICK WITH A TIME PERIOD AND SPLURGE ON THE BONES
Hoping you’ve found a builder who is a bit flexible in their work, these are my most important tips. If you want your home to look classic, keep the bones of the house within a specific time period. Sara and Grant’s home was to be built with the craftsman columns on the front, so we took details from that time period inside the home as well. Ditching the iron spindles everyone else is doing for simple wood ones is a better fit, and because they were cheaper we were able to have craftsman posts made for the stairs. We carried this theme into other areas, including the kitchen island. The cabinets and built ins around the fireplace are done in a simple shaker style to compliment the other finishes. Getting the bones of the home right the first time is crucial in lasting results. These are the things that cost big bucks to change later, so if you are trying to decide between the taller doors that you want and the light fixture you love, always choose the taller doors.
WHEN IN DOUBT, GO MID-TONE
We chose the standard oak flooring, and keeping the stain a brown that didn’t lean too dark or too light, too red or too yellow. This will stand the test of time. Interior paint colors were limited to two selections, so we opted for a creamy, warm white on the lower level using Sherwin Williams Origami White and something a bit darker in the bedrooms: SW Oyster White. We knew down the line many of the rooms would get painted like the dining room already going Farrow and Ball’s Railings but this gave us a fresh, neutral start.
The setback in the dining room for a buffet was a standard finish and it would have cost more to have a flat wall. We asked if they could build in a custom buffet and it was actually cheaper than anything stand alone pieces we liked that would fit the awkward space. Never hurts to ask…
BE PREPARED AND IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK
I’ve done several consultations with couples to pick out their home finishes and I have to say, it’s one of my favorite parts of the process. You typically go in and work with a designer to select everything, from your homes exterior color to the grout that will sit in between your tile, in only a few hours. This can seem incredibly rushed and overwhelming, so it’s important to go into this meeting with a vision in mind. Bringing pictures and having a good idea of finishes you like will help make it a more pleasant process.
And it never hurts to ask. These designers are usually showing you what is popular and most frequently used often a sign you don’t want to use it, ha. Just because they show you 4 knobs they think you’ll like from the standard options doesn’t mean there aren’t a few more they don’t usually pull out and sometimes the upgraded choices are worth the small investment. We ended up using a standard tile for the bathrooms, but it wasn’t a sample that was used very often so it wasn’t one of the first shown to us. And just because every other house is painted a shade of brown doesn’t mean yours has to be. We went with Sherwin Williams Naval on the exterior, and it’s definitely a stand out in the neighborhood!
EXPERIMENT WITH LIGHTING
If your builder will let you provide your own lights, I say go for it. Sara purchased fixtures along the way which made the process and expense feels less overwhelming. She was able to get things she really loved at lower prices than many of the products offered through the builder. Lighting is somewhere you can take some risks, because fixtures can be changed out in less than an hour for a whole new look.
SAVE THERE TO SPLURGE HERE
Sara found all of the hardware for the kitchen and baths on eBay at a fraction of the cost of her builder’s allowance. Saving in certain areas allowed her to upgrade her countertops to Cambria, and it’s such a stunning feature in the kitchen. We opted to have the island stained and the perimeter cabinets painted white. I would advise to keep all countertops the same and create contrast on the cabinets if you’re wanting to try that trend in the kitchen. Replacing countertops when you’re tired of the look is much more expensive than spending an afternoon painting the island.
Oftentimes avoiding trends will save you money too. Surprisingly, using wood on the stairs was comparable to pattern carpet and will last forever. White appliances saved them over $1,000 verses stainless steel. This is an aside, but I love white appliances in a white kitchen. The best way to get a cohesive look? Pick appliances first and then find a paint color that works well with them.
Being intentional with your finishes can ensure a home you’ll love for years to come. Do you have any tips to add? Do you live in a new build home, and what was your experience with the process?
Julianne says
Great post. I wish I had some input when I was building 5 years ago. I know this seems crazy but I wish I would have went with more basic with some of my choices. I upgraded a a lot of the tile because I thought it would be a pain to change later (and it would be) and the choices were not bad but it is nothing I love either. Know I wish I had basic because I would not feel bad completely changing it to something I love/more my style/etc. Also our model is the model in the neighborhood and I didn’t think about moving the fireplace to a different wall. Models are beautiful but people do not live in them and I honestly don’t think our model is laid out that great after 5 years of living in it. I think I had the great, pretty model in my head when building instead of how our family would live in it. I wish I thought about how we would actually live in it instead of having it pretty.
Don’t get me wrong, I love our house but I would have done quite a few things differently now.
themakerista@gmail.com says
I totally understand what you mean about the upgrades, often they are the super trendy items or things that you just get tired of down the line. You definitely live and you learn!
Brooke Snow says
This is such amazing advice and validates everything that I worked hard to do on my own new build two years ago. I was adament that I build a new house that felt old and had character and didn’t fall into the pit of all the sameness that happens nowadays. (My Dad is a custom home builder, and I grew up with him designing each home from scratch for each client…It is hard for me to understand the factory production of new homes when all I knew was the artistry of custom my whole life.) Anyways, your advice is TOTALLY spot on! I did many of the same things… wood stairs, light neutral wood tones, colonial moldings and trim on al windows and baseboards, basically as you said, “splurging on the bones”. It was sooooo worth it! When the bones are good, the whole space can in effect hold its own before it gets dressed up with furnishings and decor. I love that you are showcasing a model that can be applied to giving some artistry to the factory built home model. Those small details make a huge difference collectively and really help a home feel unique. Most people are very excited to have a new home–because it all feels ‘new’ and clean. But then the sparkle sort of diminishes when you walk into your neighbors house and realize its the exact same. I think everyone wants to have a degree of uniqueness that can set their space apart in their own way. I love that you are showing exactly how that can be done within those limitations. Well done!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Sounds like you really appreciate a well built home, Brooke and how neat to have that knowledge and experience from growing up! And handy having such a handy dad. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words and following along!
Jani says
We are building new right now and I just love your tips in this article. Our builder was actually very limiting in their standard options and even the upgrades, so we have a list of what we were willing to pay them to do the upgrade right away–basically anything that would impact other items in trying to do later. So we upgraded cabinetry and counters and all the prewires for lighting fixtures we want down the road. In our area (central California) standard finishes for flooring are always tile and carpet–upgrading for wood for just our first floor was going to be about what we can pay someone else after we close to come in and remove all the carpet in the house and put down wood floors downstairs and plush carpet with a pad upstairs. We even “upgraded” to carpet in the tile entryway to save the expense and hassle of removing tile right away. It definitely helps to know all your options and go in prepared!! This project turned out beautifully, I love the personality already in the space. It’s definitely not builder grade.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Jani! Seems like you all did the best with what you could and I’m glad to hear you ended up with wood!
Terianne Muhl says
Great tips! I am in love with this house. It doesn’t look “cookie cutter” at all!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thank you, Terianne!
Joanna says
Excellent post! I asked but had to take their options and that ended in a renovation three years after move in. $$$ you did an excellent job on this house. It looks anything but cookie cutter. I bet some of her neighbors will be wishing they had hired you.
themakerista@gmail.com says
I’m sorry you were so stuck! Turns out we should not have been able to paint the exterior that color, but they were in between designers when we picked it and the person didn’t know, ha! It’s apparently the talk of the neighborhood. 😉
ann says
Really enjoy your posts Gwen – Thanks!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks for reading, Ann!
TNic says
Love this post! I sure wish people would get away from what is “popular” and make their homes a personal expression of their tastes and selves. I love what you said about not wanting the popular finishes, etc. When I was pregnant with my daughter, we didn’t know what we were having and I had “boy vibes.” At my shower, every single person said it was a boy and was almost adamant about it. When we watched video later, you could even hear people saying it at their tables. At that point, I turned to my husband and said, “Well, 50 people can’t be right, it must be a girl.” (Haha…but I did say that) 6 weeks later I gave birth to my daughter!! 🙂 I continue to follow that philosophy in raising her and in my life and it has worked. It doesn’t mean we never do what others are doing, but we do it because we have thought about what we want and it happens to agree with what others are doing, we don’t just blindly follow the bandwagon. That’s what I love about your home/style…it isn’t a rebellious look and some things go along with what is popular or gaining popular, but it is classic, well-thought, intentionally chosen for your family, not for what will “sell” on the internet or what everyone is doing. Your friend was lucky to have you help her make decisions. I love it all, but the best decision I see was the exterior. What a standout, I have rarely seen anything like that in a newer development, which abound in my area!!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks so much for this! You’re really too kind. And yes, the exterior come to find out is not something we should have been able to do. Ha. They were in between designers when we picked finishes and the new girl didn’t yet know what the options were. We got really lucky!
kates says
I love the use of white appliances in the kitchen. My home has white appliances too and we are currently planning to upgrade our kitchen. I do not plan to replace them because 1. they work just fine and 2. I really like the look of white appliances and white cabinets. I am planning on adding color to the island though! Love this look! Totally doesn’t look like a new build!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks Kate! Yes, I think you can never go wrong with white, and I always prefer white appliances with with cabinets!
Jamie says
I know this is an older post, but I keep coming back to it and I have a question. The big trend in door knob finishes is oil-rubbed bronze. What’s a classic, timeless finish? I’m in an older home and I’m ready to upgrade our doorknobs/hinges but I want the style to last a long time! 🙂
themakerista@gmail.com says
I don’t think you can go wrong with real metals. If you’re going to do brass, do the antique brass…not the cheap, fake brass of the 90s. I think a black or oil-rubbed bronze in a traditional shape is a classic!
Stephanie says
This is the post that I needed to read!! My husband and I are the definition of “opposites attract” when it comes to home style. I love any and everything historical while he wants new and updated. We currently live in a house built in 1902 (my dream) to as a compromise down the road for my husband to build our forever house. Building SCARES me! I want unique! I want character! I want a story to tell about the house. This post was perfect to calm my fears. (PS – I’m a new reader and am already in love!)
themakerista@gmail.com says
There is totally hope! I would start looking for old light fixtures, cabinets you can use for bathroom vanities, rugs, furniture. So glad you found me and thanks for following along, Stephanie!
Dorothy S. says
Thank you very much for sharing! It needs to be stressed to make sure you don’t require any additional permits or inspections with whatever extra building you need to have done. I mean, choosing different appliances and cabinet fixtures don’t require any outside approval (except the homeowner’s own!) But major work, such as add-ons, require inspections, approvals, and permits prior to and while building. Without the proper permits and inspection,s it could cost you way more than what you expected. I know, because I’ve worked with people who tried to do a room add-on on their own, without a permit. They got slapped with a hefty fine as a result.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Good points, Dorothy!