Interior Design For New Build Homes: Embrace Customization
Posted by EdmontonRealEstate .ca on Monday, June 20th, 2022 at 10:28am.
One of the best things about a new construction home is that the owner can choose the interior design themselves. A custom-built home is a blank slate that can reflect the owner's personality and style; everything is brand new! However, owners should know a few things before starting the design process. Keep reading to explore four interior design tips for new construction homes.
Leave Enough Time for Furniture Delivery
Furniture delivery, especially custom pieces, can take a surprising amount of time. Once the owner decides which furniture they want, they should order it up to four months in advance. Otherwise, they might not have it on the move-in day.
Every furniture manufacturer will have different delivery times. Check with each one and find out roughly how long it will take them to deliver everything. Try to order things so that delivery times will correspond with moving in. It's better to have items arrive a day or two in advance than to have them come a week (or more) late.
Another thing to keep in mind is taking proper measurements for new furniture. Even if the owner cannot take measurements inside the house before the move-in date, they are available on the home's floor plans. Order furniture with the correct dimensions for the new home, keeping in mind the width of hallways and other tight spaces.
Finally, remember that everything does not need to be purchased simultaneously. Designing a home's interior can take time, and the expense of buying everything at once can be cost-prohibitive. Take the time to do things right, and don't worry if not every piece is in place after the first month.
Window Treatments Should Be High on the Priority List
Builders typically paint walls the same colour and do not include window treatments. Blinds, curtain rods, and curtains are the new homeowner's responsibility. There's not much privacy in a new home if the windows are uncovered; anyone outside can see into the house.
Curtains or blinds being delivered may need to be ordered ahead of time and might not arrive by the moving day. A quick solution to this problem is buying inexpensive privacy shades at a big box store. If a specific window treatment does not fit the home's design scheme, it can always be swapped out later.
There are many options available when it comes to choosing indoor window treatments. Here are some of the most popular:
- Indoor shutters
- Roman, solar, or pleated shades
- Wood, faux wood, or miniature blinds
- Drapery
- Curtains
- Sheers
- Valances, swags, or cascades
For Best Results, Wait a While to Paint
New construction homes are not actually "finished" when the owner finally moves in. Building materials such as wood, drywall, and even the concrete in the foundation can take a year or longer to settle. During this time, the house will shift into its final location.
If the owner repaints the rooms before a house fully settles, it can leave unsightly hairline cracks or bulges in the paint. Waiting until the house has settled avoids this. While it can be tempting to repaint early on, waiting at least one full year for a home to settle is a good rule of thumb, although two years is better.
If a new owner feels the urge to repaint a room, a light coat of breathable paint is the best option. Breathable paint will still allow the drywall behind the paint to dry out. Wallpaper and wall tiling are poor choices to install during the first two years because they can seal in the drywall completely. The best results will always come when the owner waits at least four full seasons before repainting the walls of their new construction home.
Think Beyond the Builder's Catalog
A home improvement store will likely have hundreds of options for fixtures and treatments in a new construction home. Builders, however, do not. Their transparency about the process is a good way to help choose a builder. They will probably offer the owner a choice between a handful of different fixtures which may not entirely match what the buyer wants.
Fortunately, once the homeowner moves in, the house is their property to design. Homeowners should take time to plan the design of the new home. The result will hopefully be the house the owner always dreamed of owning.
Things like door handles, light fixtures, interior and exterior doors, appliances, and cabinet door handles or pulls can be changed to better reflect the owner's personality. Just because a fixture or feature was included in the original home build does not mean it must stay forever.
Flooring types will be universal throughout the home. For example, wood flooring used in multiple rooms will be the same shade or stain. Changing the flooring or carpeting in a new construction home is a big project but another option that should be kept in mind.
Designing a New Construction Home's Interior Takes Time
Homeowners should take care of some items like furniture and window treatments very close to the owner's move-in date. The overall interior design, however, can take years to complete. Therefore, enjoying and having fun with the process when designing a dream house is essential.