The Finishing Touch
Building from the ground up is HARD. To avoid “decision fatigue,” and be sure you have the mental energy left to pick the perfect finishing touches that make your house a home, follow these five simple rules of thumb.
Imagine your newly-minted home close to completion: the perfect paint colors in the living room, the bright white ceramic tile in the master bath—exactly what you envisioned … eventually. But the stress and expense of the home construction process is enough to cloud anyone’s decision-making skills. By the time you get to the best part—designing the interior—you’re burned out with decision fatigue, and all the “fun” decisions seem harder than ever to make.
Never fear: the team at Signature Southern Accents has decades of experience helping ease the mental burden of getting those all-important final touches right, so you’re done today, instead of “someday.” Read on for helpful home-finishing advice from designer Erin DeRouen.
1. To find your perfect color scheme, less is more.
Wall colors set the mood for any space, but it’s not as simple as choosing your favorite shade. Shop by paint tone to select a color that will ground the other elements in the room. “In order to get the ambiance you want in a space, your colors have to work together,” Erin says. “The key to making them all blend seamlessly is finding the right undertones.” For one recent client who loved big, bright blues, Erin created a palette with coordinating neutral hues, which served as a base to make those vibrant accents pop.
We’ll pore over paint swatches and sheens to create a color palette that sets the tone for your space. These light grey walls in one client’s finished home help ensure the kitchen island is the focal point of the room.
2. Leave the flooring installation to those who do it day-in and day-out.
When it comes to flooring a new home, the saying “if you want something done right, do it yourself,” definitely does not apply! The last thing you want is to have to re-install your flooring due to a poor installation, so you want to ensure it’s done right the first time. Over the years, SSA has amassed a local lineup of talented, trustworthy installers so we can be your one-stop shop for selection and installation. Signature carries many flooring options, including tile, engineered hardwood floor, laminate; and luxury vinyl, which has been a popular choice due to its durability – it’s waterproof, kid-proof, and pet-proof, too.
3. Match your countertop and backsplash to suit your lifestyle.
When pairing your countertop and backsplash, you should consider the space in its entirety and evaluate your habits to pick a surface that best accommodates the way you’re going to use it. For example, if you’re an ambitious cook, or drink red wine over white, a darker material will be more practical than marble. Consider the color of your cabinets, your flooring, and your appliances, and how they’ll go with the design and texture of your countertop and backsplash. The two should work together for a cohesive look. “They don’t need to fight each other,” Erin says.
4. In your dream bathroom, invest upfront for a long-term pay off.
No bathroom can succeed without a proper foundation, which is why getting it right the first time is absolutely crucial. Our installation professionals utilize the Schluter®-Shower system—a tried-and-true waterproofing method Signature has used for years. Because the combination of tile and grout joints is not necessarily waterproof on its own, they must be installed in conjunction with a foolproof waterproofing system to ensure a guaranteed barrier against water ending up where it shouldn’t. That way, you can rest assured that your beautiful new bathroom is built to last. Sure, you might invest a little more upfront, but believe us: it’s the best money you can spend to preserve the value—and the beauty—of your project.
Working with a design expert can help you avoid problems later down the road by ensuring that your shower is built for longevity.
5. There’s no substitute for experience.
After decades spent guiding clients through the homebuilding process we’ve learned a trick or two. By investing in professional expertise from the start, you can avoid costly installation mishaps later. We’ll walk you through the process from start to finish and help you pick interior finishes that are not only made to last the next thirty years, but make your house feel like your home.
Interested in meeting with a Signature Southern Accents expert to set a design consultation for your home? Request an appointment by emailing store@ssa.brcoxmail.com or call 225-654-7110.