I need some help getting started

15 years ago

We are in the planning stage for a complete renovation of the home that we will be moving into. I decided to post here, as you seem to get more traffic than renov. Our designer has drawn up the plans and they are pretty well set (we may play around with the bathroom floor plans a bit). I may post these later for input! Our floor plan is fairly open, so the kitchen and living room area need to flow. We have spent the last few weeks going around to cabinet shops, flooring stores, etc just trying to get a feel for what we like. We are getting different info from nearly every person we talk to. One will tell us that all the flooring should be chosen first, another tells us that cabinets must be the first thing, and then another says everything should be based off of the countertop choice. I am about ready to pull my hair out. So, what is the most logical order?? Thanks so much!

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Comments (4)

lavender_lass
15 years ago
Do you know what you like? Have you found anything that has really grabbed you?

If you're not sure what you want, I'd recommend looking through GW posts, magazines and the Internet (google or yahoo image searches) and find out what really appeals to you. Is there a color or wood you're drawn to? A countertop that you love? A picture of the perfect living room (with lots of windows, or Christmas tree, by the fireplace)?

After a while, you'll notice a pattern. Certain colors or styles will keep ending up in your saved pictures. Maybe you love granite with lots of 'movement' or want something very simple and 'quiet' for a countertop. Do you love glass tile backsplashes, subway tile, beadboard, or something like stainless steel? There are so many choices, but usually, you can narrow it down, pretty quickly.

Most people have their biggest challenge, if both parties don't like the same style, countertop, flooring, etc. As for order, there are all kinds of logical ways of doing it, but I always end up finding the fabric, tile, or maybe a countertop that you really love and build the room around it.

Sarah Richardson's farmhouse episodes (on HGTV website) show how she picks fabrics first, uses neutral finishes and puts together some really beautiful rooms, IMHO :)
xc60
15 years ago
Lavender has posted some great advice, I'll throw in going to view show homes. You get to see whats trending and get to see things in person. How certain materials look, a sense of room size, layout.....

Even if you are not interested in what's in style or whats being put in new homes it can show you also what you don't want.
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booboo60
15 years ago
Great info here, I am a person that has to see things not just talk about what I think may look good, lol! I would be inclined to go to model homes, etc. plus looking here at kitchens and homes that are near being done. When we built our home there were a few things I really wanted that I saw in a magazine and sort of started from there but I don't think there is a "set in stone" way to start with floors first or counter tops first.
Good Luck!
labranardmom
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions. I do have a file started and do see some definite trends- wood floors, cream/ white kitchen cabinets and cream/white trim throughout the house. While I love that look, I worry that it may not work well for our family. We will be living in a lake home and anticipate a lot of wet kid and dog traffic. We have two kids, ages 11 and 6, and two 100+ pound dogs. I am worried that that wood floors will get trashed.
Also concerned about the cabinets- I am hearing that painted cabinets can be pretty touchy and that they show more wear than stained. I live in the upper Midwest and stained cabinets are primarily what you see. The custom cabinet makers that I have spoken to are not so excited about painted and do push the stained.
We looked at several model homes over the past weekend, and that really helped to see things in person. But it also made me more torn with my desicions. I am a person who has difficulty choosing a meal at a restaurant, so this may be quite the ride! Any input on flooring / cabinets would be great.