Undergoing a home renovation is a significant endeavor – and more than likely, a stressful one too. However, it doesn’t have to be. Having the right design choices pre-planned allows you to alleviate stressful decision-making processes. Keep reading as we guide you along the journey of making better design choices during your home renovation. Trust us. It will pay off in the long run – as you will achieve a beautiful design that reflects your style and preferences.
Find Your Home Design Style
“Interior selections can set the mood for how you want your space to feel – whether traditional, transitional, or modern, the choices are endless.”
Finding your design style can be challenging at best. With a myriad of options available, you can end up feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, home design choices are more expensive than, say, the latest outfit you bought or hairstyle you had done. We understand just how stressful such a significant investment can be, and that’s why we are providing you with the following tips on finding your home design style:
Gather inspiration
Gather inspiration like everything in life, preparation is critical – and the more prepared you are, the easier your home renovation process will be. Gathering inspiration is a fun and practical approach to nailing down your exact home design style. Invest in home design books and magazines, visit your local home design store, and browse the Internet for ideas. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest are also fantastic sources of home design inspiration.
Create a mood board
Mood boards may seem trivial at first, but they are actually great resources and provide an outlet to organize your thoughts and visually represent your desired style. If you don’t have time to create a physical version, you can digitally create your mood board online and look at it throughout the design phase.
Solidify your style
Once you have gathered your inspiration, it’s time to solidify your exact style. Perhaps your style is sleek, minimal, and modern, or maybe you prefer rustic, traditional designs. If you are still feeling indecisive, reflect on your personal dress sense to further inspire your preferred interior aesthetic.
Determine your preferred color palette
Although you will most likely have reflected on color throughout the inspiration process, make sure you take this one step further by determining a preferred color palette. Dark colors will be your first choice if you like an atmospheric, moody, and dramatic aesthetic. Or, if you prefer a light and airy atmosphere, serene pastels and pale colors will suit you best.
Ask for Design Help: Don’t be afraid to ask for help in your design choices. This could mean consulting with an interior designer or even reaching out to friends and family for second opinions. You can also ask our team of experts at Feinmann – who will be more than happy to guide you along with practical design advice and tips.
Select your Home Fixtures
It is essential to address the fundamentals of your home renovation – fixtures. So, what exactly are they? In summary, a fixture is an appliance, piece of equipment, or decorative element installed permanently in a house. It is a fixture if you cannot remove it from your property. Fixtures come in many forms, including:
Appliances
Appliances comprise of items such as freezers, refrigerators, kitchen stoves, water heaters, washing machines, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, drying cabinets, microwave ovens, and cookers. When undergoing a home renovation, it pays off to invest in high-quality appliances that will stand the test of time. We recommend high-quality brands such as Sub-Zero-Wolf, Bosch, Monogram, and Cafe.
Cabinets
Cabinets play a pivotal role in both style and function when renovating your kitchen. They are prone to heavy wear and tear due to the amount of use they receive. Select durable cabinets to minimize this: we recommend investing in cabinets made from top-of-the-line materials.
Countertops
Countertops take up a significant part of the kitchen space and are used daily – so it’s important to choose wisely. Consider factors such as ease of cleaning, aesthetic appearance, durability, and price point when selecting your countertops.
Doors
Doors can act as statement pieces for your home – as the entry point into each room, they frame first impressions. Many door designs exist, such as barn doors, pocket doors, dutch doors, glass framed doors, and paneled doors. Choosing your door material is also essential: from solid wood, MDF, glass doors, or hollow core doors.
Flooring
Investing in durable, high-quality flooring should be a crucial component of your home renovation. Consider your needs when making a selection: Do you need a pet-friendly floor? Do you need low-maintenance flooring? Will your flooring be installed in a high-moisture area? Once you have narrowed down your needs, you can select flooring that’s right for your home: such as concrete, ceramic or porcelain tile, or vinyl tile.
Lighting
Lighting is an important element of home fixtures – but one that often gets overlooked. By choosing the right light fixture, you will create a homey ambiance that you love. Also, think about the kind of lighting you would like to suit your home’s desired aesthetic. Consider lighting options such as Chandeliers, Pendant Lights, Recessed Lights, Cabinet Lights, and Wall Sconces.
Home Hardware
Hardware consists of features such as doorknobs, cabinet handles, and bar pulls. Although often overlooked, they are used countlessly in everyday life. Decide on your preferred hardware style: ridges, curved silhouettes, and textured. Traditional cabinetry features highly detailed hardware, whereas modern cabinetry has clean, minimalist lines.
Kitchen Tiles
Tiles refers to the kitchen wall material. Select a backsplash style that is not only appealing in color and pattern but one that is durable and easy to clean. Choices include ceramic, porcelain, marble, and glass tiles.
Windows
The right windows can elevate your home’s aesthetic, protect you from the elements, enhance energy efficiency, and even increase the value of your home. Make sure to select a window style that complements your desired aesthetic and choose materials suited to your home.
How to Improve Your Decision-Making Process
If any of the above makes you feel overwhelmed, there are actionable steps that you can take to alleviate the stress associated with your design selections. To improve your decision-making process, follow the steps outlined below:
Determine Your Budget
Home renovations are anything but cheap. While it’s great to be ambitious about your design choices, make sure they align with a realistic budget. Put together a spreadsheet that categorizes each component of your renovation, and tally up the cost of each one. You can also reach out to the Feinmann team to discover realistic options for your home renovation budget.
Think Big-Picture
Although it is tempting to focus on the fun and intricate details of the design process, we recommend starting with large items. Such items include appliances listed above, including cabinets, flooring, tiles, countertops, and hardware. After you have solidified your choices, you can have some fun decorating your home with add-ons.Set a Deadline for the Design Phase: Too often, home-renovators become overwhelming when you try to nail down a cohesive design. As a result, you end up spending months overanalyzing decisions without taking any concrete steps forward. To avoid this, set yourself a deadline for your design choices.
Use Home Renovation 3D Modeling
3D modeling creates a visual representation of your home fixtures’ colors and finishes. With Feinmann’s 3D modeling, you won’t be shooting in the dark when it comes to the appearance of your home fixtures. This allows our clients to refine their decision more quickly and makes the decision-making process so much easier.
Think Practically
Ensure that your design choices reflect your lifestyle. If you have young kids and/or pets, that all-white kitchen design may become a nightmare in reality! Similarly, if you want a moody ambiance, concentrate on getting your lighting right before opting for a dark color palette.
Conclusion
Choosing the right designs during your home renovation can be a daunting task, but following the tips outlined in this article will take a significant burden off your shoulders. By taking the time to reflect on precisely what you want and need, you will be on your way to designing your dream home.