Because we are in the middle of building our new house, we are very aware of every request and especially every request that incurs an added cost. While I would love to choose all my favourites and everything possible on every wish list I have, I can’t. So I have chosen where to spend and where to save and these are my personal tips on making the best choices for the best end result.

• Faucets – SAVE – go with whatever chrome standard that the builder offers. Believe me, once your house is painted and the art is up you will never notice a faucet again. One exception would be if you wanted a signature faucet in the kitchen but that can always be changed later.
• Door Hardware – SAVE – go with whatever standard the builder offers but ask for a better colour choice. I always thought brass was the cheapest option but there are brushed nickel version that don’t add cost but look WAY better.
• Light fixtures – SAVE and SPLURGE – O.k when it comes to lights I am of two thoughts. The standard white or nickel finish flush mount light is perfect for most rooms. Again, once you have paint, art and other more visual elements in a room, you won’t notice them. There are some exceptions:
  
  

  This is the style of lighting I am using in the ensuite. And I even found them on sale!

  1. Bathrooms – Builders sometimes offer very low end bathroom lights. The dress room style circle bulbs are already dated so spend some money here at your local hardware store and get something simple and inexpensive. Def. worth the bother.

  2. Dining Room – Here is one place you can go all out. Depending on your budget you can find nice chandeliers for under $100 (I got my new one on sale for $95) for up to thousands of dollars. But it does have a larger impact in that room so you should love it.
  3. Kitchens – Because kitchen are less “decorated” than other rooms (meaning less art, less textiles, etc) the elements you put in here have to have some impact but not too much. Nothing you will get sick of. I plan to spend more on my kitchen lights than my dining room one because we as a family will spend more time here, so for us, it will have more impact.

• Windows – SPLURGE – When you are in the very beginning stages of a build, find out what size windows the builder is using and think about where you can add them. We added (and enlarged) over 6-7 windows throughout our house, which cost less than a thousand dollars. You will never say, I wish I had less light. Windows are a great place to splurge.
• Cabinet Finishes and Countertops – SAVE and SPLURGE – This again is a two fold question. When you think about where the most wear and tear will be in your house, that is where a more durable finish and countertop is necessary. We are upgrading to a glazed kitchen cupboard (hides everything) and a textured countertop. In the bathrooms, however, I chose the stains and finishes I liked best out of what the builder offered. I have a dark wood island in our current kitchen, and let me tell you, it hides nothing. Not even splashes of water. So I knew I wanted the glaze in the kitchen to make it not only more visually pleasing but more functional for our family. But a dark stain can definitely upgrade the look of a standard style cabinet for a bathroom without adding any cost.


We have this pull currently and it is classic and nice. I chose it again at the new place.

• Cabinet Pulls – SAVE – I chose to pick the best of the standard pulls. I think of these as accessories and not the main attraction. In my books, if you stick with a classic knob with a hint of detail you will never go wrong.

• Mirrors – SPLURGE – I don’t like frameless mirrors. They look cheap. I am purchasing framed mirrors from standard hardware and/or decor stores for all my bathrooms. You don’t have to spend a lot, but the detailing of a frame around a bathroom mirrors just upgrades the whole look. Here is one I am most likely picking up for our main bath – Debbie Travis Mirror

Anyway, that is my advice for where to spend and where to save. I know for me, I would rather have some extra left over after the build to spend on the decor inside with fabrics and artwork that will draw my eye. But if you think an upgrade will make a huge impact, that is where you should spend your money. The details will always be details.