When you design your own home, you’re faced with a seemingly never-ending onslaught of decisions. To make sure you wind up with the home of your dreams, avoid making these four mistakes.
Choosing Colors at Showrooms
From cabinetry and flooring to paint and wallpaper, colors often look different under the harsh fluorescent lights at your local showroom than they do in your home. Take samples to your dream home while it’s under construction to see how the colors look at different times of the day.
Additionally, put samples next to each other if they belong in the same space. You don’t want your kitchen backsplash to clash with your countertops. Nearly all dealers will give you as many samples to compare as you want while you build your dream home.
Installing the Thermostat in the Wrong Place
Your thermostat plays a significant role in keeping your dream home comfortable and efficient. If you install it in a hard-to-reach area, you’ll likely forget to adjust the temperature. Plus, you might not take advantage of the energy-saving benefits of a programmable thermostat throughout the year.
Thermostats work best when they’re installed away from windows, heat-generating appliances, air vents, and anything else that could artificially adjust the nearby temperature. Don’t block your thermostat with furniture or decor.
Failing to Consider Your Lifestyle
When you’re looking at plans for your dream home, think about how you’ll use each room. Maybe your family tends to congregate in the kitchen, for example. A tiny galley kitchen won’t suit your needs, so make sure you plan for a large kitchen, perhaps with a center island where the kids can do their homework and you can sip coffee over the morning paper.
Look at the potential traffic patterns, too. Some people enter their homes through the front door, while others use a back yard or garage entrance. If you have kids, you might prefer a split floor plan so you can have some privacy in the master suite without kids’ voices intruding. Alternatively, with a two-story house, you could put the kids’ rooms upstairs and leave the master bedroom on the first floor.
Selecting the Wrong Size
Some people think they need more space than they do, while others size their homes too conservatively. Consider your hobbies, family size, and other factors before finalizing square footage. Maybe you need a second living room because you enjoy watching different programming than other people in your family, or perhaps you don’t need a dining room because you have an eat-in kitchen.
If you love crafting, you might need a dedicated room for it. Alternatively, if you don’t host overnight guests often, you could use the guest bedroom as a craft room and include a pull-out sofa or day bed for guests. Don’t build a dream home that will turn out too large or too small for your needs.
You might feel stressed while building your dream home, but you’ll thank yourself later for paying attention to the details. Avoid the above mistakes and you’ll love your new home and enjoy the comfort and flexibility it gives your family for years to come.