6 Tips for Picking Out Finishes for Your Home Remodel

Tip 1. Create an Inspiration Board!

Create a Pinterest board where you can gather inspiration and organize all your favorite looks in one place. Take some time to study the pins and look for common threads in your design choices. For example:

Do you consistently choose dark countertops, or do a majority of the images have white?

Are you selecting painted cabinetry or natural wood finishes?

Make note of what you’re gravitating toward for future reference, and analyze it to get a feel for the interior design style you’re envisioning. Then, once you begin the actual design process, you’ll have a source of inspiration to reference and build off of.

Now, I realize that it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all of the choices out there. HERE is my Pinterest page for a head start on selecting some pins that can inspire your very own home remodel mood board!

TIP 2: Know YOUR Numbers

Before you get started – know your budget.

This will save you a lot of time and disappointment during the selection phase. There is nothing worse than falling in love with flooring or tiles that are well out of your budget and having to “settle” for an option that seems to pale in comparison. Make sure that you or your contractor have broken down your budget into line items. If you need help with that, here is a great resource to get you started on budgeting for a new build.

In addition to that, HERE is a great article for budgeting a kitchen remodel.

Tip 3: What to Bring When You Meet With Your Designer or Go to the Hard Surface Store Yourself

• Floorpan

• Budget

• 2-3 inspiration photos per space

• Cabinet layout if possible

Before you visit the store, print off or save your top two favorite images of each space you will be working on. Be sure to pick the images that best represent the style you’re wanting to achieve. This will help you to stay on track, and will allow your designer or flooring specialist to narrow down appropriate selections that are within your budget.

Keep in mind, once you step foot in the store, you’ll be surrounded by an infinite amount of choices. If you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath, and try to focus solely on what is presented by your designer, or what aligns with your design goal.

Tip 4: Where to Start

FLOORING: Usually, the very first thing I pick out is the flooring because it sets the stage for the rest of the home.

Take a look at your inspiration images: Which colors are repeated in the pictures? Think about durability as well because that can factor into your decision. I like to grab 3 samples for my clients, usually two that they really like, and one that is a bit lighter or darker, depending on the project. You’d be surprised how many times my clients think they like one color, only to discover that they like another shade better after seeing how the samples appear in the lighting of their space.

TILE: I like to pick tile before the countertops. Here’s why: there are THOUSANDS of tile options out there, but there are only around 100 in-stock countertop options to choose from. By selecting the tile first, it is MUCH easier to find a countertop to match. Especially if you are selecting a white on white design.

Go back to your photos again. What tiles were you most drawn to? Hand cut? Fun shaped? Natural stone? Porcelain? Concrete? Once you have a solid idea of your preferences, grab 3 samples for each space that you are working on.

COUNTERTOPS: I know I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but, reference your Pinterest board again. What are the common threads in the pictures you’ve saved? Are the countertops marbled quartz with a lot of movement? Or are they stark in color? Once you have an idea of the look you’re envisioning, grab two samples to pair with the tile you’ve selected.

This is the fun part! Now that you’ve gathered all your samples, it’s time to pair them together in different combinations and see how they complement each other. This is vital when you are working with multiple areas in a home. You’ll want all your finishes to have a cohesive look that contributes to a common theme found throughout your home.

Imagine that each room is a chapter and your home is the book.

What story are you trying to tell?

Do all the details match with that story?

Does everything flow together and make sense?

Is there anything that feels out of place?

With this in mind, take the samples home and look at them several times a day for a few days straight. Most of the time, there is a clear winner among the bunch.

Now, I know at the beginning of this article I encouraged you to browse Pinterest for inspiration. However, once you’ve met with your designer and ordered your samples, do yourself a favor and STAY OFF OF PINTEREST.

Trust me on this one. You do not want to second or third guess yourself.

Once your project is in full swing, browsing Pinterest will only cause you to question the choices you’ve made. Simply trust the process, and enjoy watching your beautiful project take shape.

Tip 5: Pick Your Metals

And by metals, I mean plumbing, lighting and hardware!

A way to keep this really simple is to pick ONE metal that you really love, and another metal that will act as an accent (two metals total). Now, I’m not saying this is a hard and fast rule – it’s not. It’s more of a helpful tip that helps my clients narrow down a choice.

If you love brass, pick brass as your main metal finish, and then accent with another metal finish like matte black.

For example: You could do all your hardware and plumbing in brass, but your lighting would be in matte black.

Tip 6: Save the Paint for Last

The last step is selecting your paint colors. This is typically when I pick the cabinet color as well. If I know I am going to be doing white cabinets, it will be easy to find a white that will work because I’ll have all my samples in front of me and I can pick the best option for my cabinets. This goes for the wall color too!

I hope these tips help make your remodel or new build a little more enjoyable and less stressful!

PS. Did you know remodeling spaces is our specialty? Want to learn more? Schedule a discovery call with me HERE.