Choosing the Fixtures and Finishes for Your New Home
Part of the selections process on your home building journey will be choosing the fixtures and finishes for your new home, and it’s often an exciting time for clients as they begin to envisage what their finished home’s exterior and interior style will look like. But there’s a lot to consider as you make these selections and we’ve got some helpful tips for you as you start the process.
What are Fixtures and Finishes?
Not sure what fixtures and fittings include? Think lighting, heating and cooling, kitchen appliances, electrical outlets, and bathroom items like sinks, baths, tapware and toilets. They may seem like utilitarian items, but making a considered choice about how you want these items to look will help create a cohesive style throughout your home. Finishes add a personal touch to your home and help tie everything together. You’ll be selecting finishes for things like cabinetry, flooring, benchtops, and exterior render or cladding as well as the roof. Each item should be selected with an overall view to creating a home that’s beautifully coordinated.
Tips for Choosing Fixtures
When you’re selecting the fixtures in your home you need to consider both their functionality and placement as well as their aesthetic appeal in the home. Placement of electrical outlets will be on walls where you expect to have electronic equipment like televisions, floor lamps, and other larger items. You also might like to place some sockets on the side of your kitchen island or add extra ones to your kitchen bench or inside the pantry to allow for additional appliances to be used in multiple locations or to have a family charging station in a communal area. Your builder can guide you on ideal tapware and shower head placement if you’re unsure about the most practical spots to install them
Appliances can be selected for their functionality as well as their visual appeal. You may opt for stainless steel fridges and dishwashers for that sleek, modern look, or white appliances may be preferable if you like a more traditional feel. Tapware is also available in a range of beautiful finishes now, with traditional chrome being just one of a range of styles you can choose. Matte black, brass or copper, and white tapware, shower heads and door frames are subtle selections you can use to elevate your home’s style. You can also consider the energy efficiency of these fixtures, and include items such as water saving taps and shower heads and appliances with a high energy rating without compromising on style.
Tips for Choosing Finishes
This is where you have the chance to add some character to your home. Part of your selections process will be to choose cabinetry finishes, and with the kitchen being a high traffic area in the home, you’ll want to select something that’s durable, while also being a style that’s going to feel timeless. Neutral colours work well, with grey, white and ivory, and taupe or beige being popular choices for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose cabinetry that highlights a particular design style, like a high gloss minimalist style, or a matte finish Shaker style detail for a Hamptons feel.
Your benchtop selection should be something that coordinates with the cabinetry in a complementary colour, and your tiles and splashbacks can include a pop of colour or a statement pattern to add depth to the space. Paint colours and wall coverings will be informed by your cabinetry decisions, but in the bedrooms and separate living areas you can get a little creative with colour and patterns that will add personality to each space while still feeling like an extension of the overall style of the home.
When it comes to flooring you need to be mindful of choosing something that will last the test of time, and there are plenty of options to select something that will coordinate seamlessly with the finishes in your home while still being on-trend and adding an element of your personal style. From floorboards to vinyl planks to lush carpet, you’ll find a style and colour that works well with your other finishes to create a home that feels welcoming throughout.
Exterior finishes should tie in with your home’s location and the interior style you’re hoping to achieve. Weatherboard cladding in light neutral tones and a chrome roof will suit a coastal home and emulate that beachy feel, whereas a suburban home near the city might be better suited to striking render colours and mixed material façade features with a dark roof colour.
Choosing the fixtures and finishes for your new home is an exciting part of the home building journey, but it can be overwhelming to select items for your entire home all at once. With the guidance of your builder or your colour selections specialist, you’ll be able to decide on finishes that embrace your personal style paired with fixtures that work well in each space while adding to the overall look and feel of your home. For more home inspiration, visit the Hotondo Homes website today.
