top of page
Writer's pictureEmma Barker

Elevating Your Semi-Custom Construction Home: What to Exclude for a Designer Feel

When building a semi-custom construction home, the opportunity to personalize and elevate your space is at your fingertips. However, one of the key steps in achieving a designer feel is knowing what to exclude from your builder's standard offerings. By opting out of certain basic fixtures and finishes, you can ensure your home truly reflects your unique style and functionality needs. Here’s a guide on what to exclude and why:

An upgraded builder-grade hallway by Embarking On Design

1. Light Fixtures

Most new construction homes come with standard, often uninspiring light fixtures. These fixtures are typically chosen for their cost-effectiveness rather than their design appeal.

Why Exclude:

  • Customization: Excluding standard light fixtures allows you to select pieces that complement your overall design theme and add character to your home.

  • Impact: Lighting is a key element in interior design, influencing both aesthetics and mood. Custom fixtures can serve as statement pieces, enhancing the ambiance of your space.

Designer Tips: 

  • Opt for fixtures that reflect your personal style, whether it’s modern, industrial, or vintage.

  • Add more lighting too! Consider layered lighting to create a versatile and inviting atmosphere.

  • Always swap out your builder bulbs. They burn up fast. I prefer a 3000k LED for a natural daylight. Smart bulbs you can control from your phone are another good option that will last longer than what the builder gives you.

What I Did: Instead of spending money on flushmounts I knew I was going to take down, I saved myself a step and just had the fixtures wired. These are our hallway lights. I also added additional can lights in our kitchen as well as outlets in the mudroom and closets for charging vacuums.


2. Bathroom Hardware

Standard bathroom hardware—towel bars, toilet paper holders, and shower fixtures—often lack the flair needed to make a space feel custom-designed.

Why Exclude:

  • Cohesiveness: Choosing your own hardware ensures that it matches the overall design and finishes of your bathroom.

  • Quality: Custom hardware selections can often be of higher quality and durability than builder-grade options.

Designer Tips:

  • Look for unique finishes and styles that enhance the design of your bathroom, such as brushed brass for a touch of elegance or matte black for a contemporary edge. .

What I Did: I excluded all toilet paper holders, towel bars, and towel rings from our bathrooms. Since two of our bathrooms did not have surfaces near the toilet, I picked these with a shelf and they hold an extra roll so we never run out of toilet paper! I was also able to match all our finishes and hang things at the height we wanted.

Enhance your builder grade kitchen with more cabinets and new knobs

3. Cabinet Handles and Knobs

The handles and knobs on your cabinets are small details that can make a big difference in the overall look and feel of your kitchen and bathrooms.

Why Exclude:

  • Design Continuity: Selecting your own hardware allows for consistency across your home, tying different rooms together with a cohesive design element.

  • Personal Touch: Custom handles and knobs can add a unique and personal touch to your cabinetry.

Designer Tip:

  • Experiment with different shapes, finishes, and materials. Consider leather pulls for a rustic touch or vintage knobs for more character.

  • Consider placement on the door/drawer for a more traditional or modern look.

What I Did: I excluded all hardware from our home. I had a specific style in mind and knew I could get a jig to easily install them with the help of my husband. I also added more kitchen cabinets and extended our kitchen 24" to make the most of the space. Make your home your own and talk to your builder!

Guest bathroom with innovative shelf ledge for mirror and art by Embarking On Design
Our Guest bathroom hasn't been touched in 4 years so it might be time for an update.

4. Mirrors

Builder-grade mirrors are often plain and lack the personality that a well-chosen mirror can bring to a space. They also have tabs that are hard to clean around and leave hard to patch holes in your wall.

Why Exclude:

  • Statement Piece: A custom mirror can serve as a focal point in your bathroom, adding both style and function.

  • Customization: Excluding standard mirrors gives you the freedom to choose shapes, frames, and sizes that better fit your design vision without having to patch your wall

Designer Tips:

  • Consider mirrors with interesting frames or unique shapes to add visual interest.

  • A well-placed mirror can also enhance natural light and make the room feel larger.

What I Did: I excluded all mirrors in our new-build. It was strange for a few days but I was able to get mirrors that were the perfect size and centered where I wanted. I had an extra long vanity in our guest bathroom and wanted to try a layered shelf look. Here is a similar mirror.

Electric blinds paired with curtains in a primary bedroom by Embarking On Design
Our bedroom has blackout blinds and decorative curtains

5. Window Treatments

Standard window treatments are often basic and uninspiring, lacking the customization needed to complement your home's design.

Why Exclude:

  • Aesthetics: Custom window treatments can significantly elevate the look of a room, providing both beauty and functionality. Tailored window treatments ensure a perfect fit and allow you to choose fabrics, patterns, and styles that match your decor.

  • Function: Shutter blinds are the common go to for included blinds, but they are hard to keep clean and use on a daily basis.

Designer Tips:

  • Shutter blinds often remain down, blocking light and collecting dust. Curtains or shades are easier to draw shut and occasionally steam to clean.

  • A designer is a great resource for deciding the right style, material, color and size for your space.

What I Did: I knew during the construction of our semi-custom build that we wanted electric blinds so we ran wiring beforehand, saving ourselves thousands of dollars later. We wanted an automated system with easy set up that controlled our blinds from our phones.

Custom designed closet by Closet Concepts in Indianapolis, IN
Closet Deisgn and Install by Closet Concepts

6. Closet Shelves

Wire shelves are the standard shelving option for all closets, but these lack luster storage solutions make it hard to store small items and eventually rip away from the wall since they typically aren't placed on studs.

Why Exclude:

  • Functionality: Decide on width, depth, angle and number of shelves to best fit your needs.

  • Longevity: Metal, laminate, etc. can get you an easier to clean surface and custom shelves are installed on the stud so they can hold heavier items.

Designer Tips:

  • Consider kits from Ikea or The Container Store for a cost effective option or even base cabinets for a more esthetic closed storage look.

  • Always have an expert design your mudroom drop zone if you have one. The builder option is not going to fit your needs.

What I Did: I excluded shelves from our primary bedroom and pantry, but I wish we did more of our closets! My husband and I later went in and replaced our mudroom closet with wider shelves and cubbies for cleaning supplies.

An improved builder-grade laundry room by Embarking On Design

7. Large Appliances

While builders typically include standard appliances in new construction homes, these often lack the advanced features and style of high-end models.

Why Exclude:

  • Functionality: Choosing your own appliances allows you to select models with features that suit your cooking and lifestyle needs.

  • Longevity: Builder provided appliances are often bought in bulk which means they get a discount and the builder passes part of that discount down to you. While you often get that warranty as well, higher end appliances usually have a longer warranty because they don't need to be replaced as often.

  • Aesthetic Appeal: High-end appliances can complement your kitchen design, adding to the overall aesthetic and value of your home.

Designer Tip:

  • Consider appliances in the same collection for a cohesive look in the same finishes

  • Or paneled appliances that blend seamlessly with your cabinet

What I Did: Our builder did not provide refrigerators or laundry machines so we had those planned in advance. I also asked them to run plumbing for this sink in our laundry room which I found later on Facebook Marketplace. I also got the base cabinet style in here knowing I was going to paint them a fun color after we moved in.


Conclusion

By strategically excluding standard fixtures and finishes from your semi-custom construction home, you can create a space that feels uniquely yours. These exclusions allow you to invest in personalized, high-quality design elements that reflect your style and meet your functional needs. The result is a home that not only looks beautiful, but also feels thoughtfully curated and truly custom.


Remember, the key to achieving a designer feel is in the details. Working with a designer can help you make the most of these opportunities, ensuring that your new construction home is both stylish and functional.


Schedule your free design discovery call today! The sooner you hirer a designer in your building process the more cost savings and customization you'll see.


Comment if you did any of these in your new construction home!


This blog includes affiliate links.

Embarking On Design Interior Design Logo

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


bottom of page