How to Put the Finishing Touches on Your Almost-Completed Home

Reaching the home stretch of building your new home is an exciting time. While you’re counting down the days until you move in, you should make sure that you have figured out what finishing touches your new home needs. Putting these finishing touches in will make your new place feel like home in no time.

Add in the Fixtures

Beautiful fixtures can make a difference in the rooms of your new home. In your bathrooms, select the shower, bathtub, and sink fixtures to express your style . Decide whether you want one or two knobs for hot and cold water and if you want hardware on your drawers and cabinets. You should decide whether you are going to install any towel racks or hooks. Decide on light fixtures for the rooms of your home if you have not already. If you did not decide to do any lighting upgrades when you hired the builders, decide if you want to purchase any different light fixtures to be installed before your house is done.

Paint the Walls

Before your house is completely done, put some paint on the walls. Paint gives your home personality and helps define its various spaces. Painting your home can help provide inspiration for how you want to decorate the rooms of your home. Picking out good, quality paint can help protect the walls of your home from wear and tear for the long term. If you have plaster walls, paint can help protect them from attracting and accumulating dust. There is a lot of evidence that different paint colors elicit different emotional responses in the brain. If you are not sure whether you want to paint a certain room of your home, or cannot decide on a color, don’t fret, you can always go back and add paint later.

Add Your Favorite Decor

When you decided on the fixtures and finishes of your home, you probably did so with some idea of how you would decorate your home. Use things like your chosen paint color and color of cabinets and built-ins to help inspire your design for the rooms of your home. If you are not sure how you want to decorate your house, a professional interior decorator can help you find sources of inspiration, and make recommendations. A new home is a great opportunity to start fresh with your interior decorations . Think about how you want people to feel in different rooms to help inspire your decor decisions. Adding in your decorative touch can help your new house feel like home.

Hardscape Your Yard

Do not forget about your backyard when you are getting close to finishing your home. Hardscaping your backyard makes it more livable by making it easier to move around in. A back patio creates a space where you can gather with friends and family either around an outdoor dining table, a fire pit, or both. A back patio can easily be made from poured concrete. Using concrete is usually cheaper than a hardscaping project. Natural stone pavers set in fine gravel can make great nice-looking pathways in your yard. Adding hardscaping before installing landscaping can be a good way to outline your yard and decide what ratio of hardscaping to landscaping you want.

New Appliances

One of the many exciting parts of having a new house is getting new appliances. The appliances you will want to make sure you have picked out and ready to install are a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove/oven, microwave, and washer and dryer. Many new appliances today have a variety of smart features like remote start, or the ability to delay starting a dishwasher. Look for Energy Star certified appliances to save energy and water. New appliances can help define the look of your home and are another expression of your personal style. While your contractor likely uses a set type and style of appliances, it is easy to pick out upgraded appliances better suited to your taste and preferences.

Pick Out Furniture

A house just isn’t a home without furniture. While there may be some favorite pieces you own that you will move into your new home, this is a great opportunity to pick out new furniture . Your furniture may be something you pick out simultaneously with paint colors and other decor decisions. To start furnishing your home, start with areas that will receive the most users first. The living room or family room is probably high on this list as it is where people tend to gather in the home. Figure out what your needs are for each room and prioritize what you need first. For example, a breakfast table in the kitchen may be more important to have before you pick out a table for your dining room.

Hardware

You want to decide on hardware before your home is finished. Pick out hardware for your kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and anywhere else you have cabinets. Knobs are smaller and less visible on cabinets, and are often less expensive. Pulls have a larger profile on your cabinets, but are easier to operate than knobs. Knobs and pulls come in a variety of different finishes from silver to brass. You can choose from modern knobs and pulls that are sleek and angular, or opt for more traditional hardware that have curves and ridges, which are more traditional. Hardware may seem like a small thing, but the right hardware is an important finishing touch on a room.

Security Features

Before you move into your home, you will want to make sure you have the right security features. Be sure you have secure locks on all of your windows and doors . Consider a video doorbell, or other video camera surveillance in and around your house. There are many home security companies that can meet your needs to make your home feel safer.

Moving into your new home is a busy time. Before you are given the keys, make sure you take the time to pick out the finishing touches that will set your home apart. Doing so will ensure you are moving into a home you love.