The selection process— Most will agree, you either love it or hate it. Some homeowners have been dreaming of their space for years and have all the details selected down to the grout color. This is helpful for sure, but it’s no easy feat to find those materials from images with essentially no sourcing information. In the end, we find the exact product, or something equivalent, everyone is happy, and the design is passed over to the project manager for construction.
Others, on the other hand, are rushed with anxiety at the thought of selecting materials for their remodel. I believe the fear is derived from a few culprits, but two that I hear most are: “We have to live with this for ‘x’ amount of years and we don’t want to get tired of it” OR “We don’t have/know our style”. Both fears are totally understandable and actually very common! I personally love the challenge and enjoy helping Wichita area homeowners bring their personalities to life in their space.
No matter which type you are, I think you’ll find these tips helpful—
1. Start with flooring, then build off that.
When working with homeowners I like to start off with the flooring selection. Generally, the flooring covers the most surface area and is often the foundation of the overall design aesthetic. Be sure to consider other finishes throughout the home that will coexist with your new selection. (Ex: oak trim, furniture, flooring) While the “look” plays a major role in your decision, don’t forget function! Do you have pets? Children? Disabilities? These are just a few considerations that should affect your flooring selection. You want it to be as practical as it is beautiful!
2. Let us help you narrow down the selections.
While having a ton of options seem great and exciting at first, it can quickly lead to feeling overwhelmed and stressed. During our first meeting I take the opportunity to get to know you—your preferences, likes and dislikes, needs, goals, style, etc. I then take all the information gathered and procure 2-3 palette options within your budget for you to view during our next meeting. This method narrows down the endless options to just a few, resulting in a more efficient and smoother process.
3. Spend your money on what means the most to you.
I have found that each homeowner tends to have at least one thing that is important to them during their project. One homeowner may be inspired by a single tile they discovered and want to design and select finishes based off that. Another may want (or desperately NEED) storage incorporated in their cabinet design… or maybe good lighting is your top priority. Whatever matters the most to you, spend your money there! In other words, if you could care less what the plumbing fixtures look like, don’t focus all your time and energy on that. Instead, move on to things that will have the biggest impact on how you live and enjoy the space.
4. Don’t overdo the latest trends.
Thanks to Pinterest, Houzz, and HGTV, inspiration is everywhere! These are great tools for you to use when trying to figure out exactly what style and look you are going for. Resources like these also help with articulating your wants and needs. Sometimes it’s just easier to have a visual to quickly bring everyone to the same page! A picture is worth a thousand words, right? While these options are great, I would use caution, and not attempt to mimic every aspect of someone else’s home. This is YOUR home, let it reflect who you are! For example, if one of your goals for the remodel is to add storage, but your Pinterest inspiration image has replaced all upper cabinets with open shelving…you may want to compromise and just add a small section of shelving instead, like we did in this kitchen remodel. It will give you the look you were attracted to originally plus additional much-needed storage.
Another example includes the ever-trending pattern tiles. If you are wanting a timeless look that will last through the years, I do not recommend tiling your entire floor with a trendy pattern. Instead, add it as an accent above your cook top or even on the front of an island. Don’t get me wrong, I love bold tiles as much as the next person, but you will be looking at this for years to come—choose wisely!
Such a great bit of advice. Start with flooring and go from there in terms of flow.