How to Choose the Right Materials For Your Home Remodel
Once you’ve hired your remodeler and signed a design agreement, you’re ready to embark on a process that is filled with decision-making as you select each new component for your target area.
Choosing materials for your home remodel in Northern Iowa may seem a bit overwhelming at first. There tends to be a wide variety of options for every major element within your kitchen or bathroom: the floor, the countertops, the cabinets and the lighting, to name a few. You not only have to narrow down your top pick for each separate component but also ensure that your selections all complement one another as part of your overarching design aesthetic.
Selecting Remodeling Materials in Cedar Valley
The time has come to start picking your home renovation supplies and materials—the question is, where do you start? Here are a few important factors to help guide your decisions during the planning and design phase:
Cost of Renovation Materials
The type and quality of materials you select will impact the overall price of your home remodel more than nearly any other factor. When it comes to cabinetry, countertops, flooring, lighting fixtures, and other elements within your home, you can select either upscale, midrange or economy-grade materials. The level of quality has a direct impact on the cost of the product, not to mention its durability, lifespan, aesthetic appeal, and other attributes.
It’s important to develop a rough budget near the beginning of your project. Even if you don’t know the exact cost of each of your renovation ideas, you should be able to establish the maximum you can and want to spend for the whole renovation. You and your interior designer can use this figure to guide your choices. If your budget allows, you can invest in custom wood cabinetry instead of a stock option and upscale marble or quartz countertops instead of laminate or wood.
Your Design Style
Whether you’re remodeling a bathroom, converting a basement or adding onto your Cedar Falls home, you should have an interior design style in mind. You may be a fan of sleek, clean contemporary spaces, or maybe you prefer the warmth and vibrancy of a traditional aesthetic. There are numerous home styles that encompass both architectural and design elements. Some of the most popular styles, besides modern and traditional, include transitional, farmhouse, mid-century modern, French Country, Craftsman, Scandinavian and Mediterranean.
You’ll want to choose the materials that enhance, rather than detract, from your interior design style. For example, modern homes often incorporate plenty of glass, steel, and stone to achieve a chic appearance, whereas wood, rattan and lacquer are common in transitional homes. You might choose concrete countertops or flooring for an industrial-style room, but it wouldn’t fit well into the spacious, neutral-toned aesthetic of the Scandinavian style. If you’re going for a Mediterranean kitchen, you’ll want to consider using rustic finishes and intricate, handcrafted tiles.
Durability and Maintenance
While you want your newly remodeled home to be attractive and inviting, you don’t want to sacrifice function for form. To that end, you should carefully consider your lifestyle, how you use each space in your home and how you need it to perform.
You may love the look of marble or granite, but it also requires regular sealing to avoid stains. Soapstone also is a popular countertop material for an upscale kitchen or bathroom, with its deep, rich color and heat resistance, but the surface is fairly easy to scratch and dent. Meanwhile, insulated windows and top-grade appliances are a bigger cost up front, but they tend to be more energy efficient and long-lasting. They also perform better during their lifespan.
In general, if you have young children who frequently use the kitchen or bathroom, you may want to consider economy-grade materials; they are relatively easy to maintain and you have less to lose if they get damaged.
Professional Insight For Selecting Renovation Materials
If you’re like most busy homeowners, you may not even be aware of all the options available to you when remodeling your home in Northern Iowa, let alone how much they cost or how they’ll fit into your vision.
That’s where having an interior designer on your remodeling team can help dramatically. Based on your budget, lifestyle and project priorities, they can point you toward various options for each part of the space you’re renovating, from the appliances and large fixtures down to paint colors, hardware finishes and tile patterns. As a result, your remodeling plan will result in a space that adequately serves its function and satisfies your personal tastes, while adding value to your home.
Designing Your Ideal Home in Cedar Valley
When it comes to home remodeling in Cedar Falls, Iowa, planning and design are as equally important as the construction itself. The decisions you make during this phase will impact the efficiency, cost and value of your project, as well as how it serves your family in the years to come. One of the benefits of teaming up with a design-build remodeler like Home Indeed is that you have access to all the services and professional assistance you need for a smooth, rewarding process, from start to finish. Our in-house interior designers have the knowledge and insight to help you navigate the process of selecting all the materials and features for your home remodel so you feel confident about your decisions and have a positive experience along the way.
