I want to begin this post with this: there is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a builder grade home. Your home is your home and it doesn’t matter if you are the first owner of a brand new house within a new development or if you helped design and build the house from the ground up. Builder grade homes are usually good homes but have many aspects that people don’t find appealing. This is a guide with ideas of home upgrades for those who want to make changes to their home but don’t know where to start.
It is well known that builders use cheaper finishes, lighting options, cabinets and other interior finishes to make sure that their homes are built and sold quickly. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it can leave a home feeling cold or very “builder grade”. These selections are usually in stock, very affordable and purchased in bulk which is why they use them. They also don’t always care about the design of the house because they are focused on the building aspect.
Some people build their custom home and it is beautifully curated with finishes that symbolize their style. This can be a grueling process that can take years to finalize all plans, selections, construction and move in. Most people do not have the opportunity, finances or patience to build their own custom home. Even then, if they do, many times they are on a strict budget.
If you are looking to improve your home and make it look and feel more custom, I have 7 ways you can improve your builder grade home to make it feel more custom without hiring an interior designer and keeping it budget friendly!
1. Cabinet Hardware
This is probably the least expensive way that you can upgrade your home in my opinion. Some builders don’t include cabinet hardware and leave the cabinet fronts blank with no pulls. If they do include them, it is usually a very basic, brushed nickel pull or knob that doesn’t fit the cabinet front well. This is a quick and easy way to add a spark of customization to your home.
There are SO many cabinet pull options available to us. You can look beyond your local Home Depot and Lowes to find beautiful cabinet pull options. build.com has an abundance of brands to choose from with all of the finishes available. Rejuvenation has beautiful choices for cabinet pulls. However, they do not offer any black finish options, they only offer oil rubbed bronze for a dark finish. CB2 and Anthropologie have trendy cabinet pulls that are more unique, modern and boho. These pulls can be on the pricier side. Restoration Hardware has beautiful choices as well. Again, these are going to be more expensive and they do not offer any black finishes but they are very high end and beautiful options.
2. Paint and Wallpaper
Paint can be a quick change to a room and can really transform the space. It can be a very quick refresh and make it feel like a completely new room. Most builders will paint all of the walls either a shade of white or off white. Depending on how you feel about color, you can add a bold color in a room such as the dining room or powder bathroom. This can be a great way to make the home your own. If you don’t like a lot of color, you can add a light gray or a wall detail such as shiplap, wainscoting or wallpaper. These details can make a space feel enlightened and larger in scale!
Wallpaper has a bad reputation but the options today are endless. When people envision wallpaper, many think of grandma’s house with an outdated 70’s or 80’s floral pattern. There are so many options for whatever your style is. Wallpaper today is more modern, artistic, bold and whimsical. It can be used as an accent or a bold addition to the room. When installing it, I recommend adding it to all walls in the room. The only reason I would add it to one wall is if you have doorways or windows on all other walls. Single accent walls are very outdated in my opinion but sometimes it is the only option depending on the layout of the room.
3. Mirrors
Another way to make minor upgrades is to change the mirrors throughout your home. Builders will install the most basic glass that may or may not fit the size of the vanities in the bathrooms. There are a few ways that you can upgrade your mirrors. First, you can add a frame around the existing mirror. Mirror Mate Frames is a good resource for affordable frames. You can customize the size and color to match exactly what you need. The other option is to replace the mirror all together. This can be a more decorative mirror that exemplifies your personal style!
4. Window Treatments
Adding window treatments will absolutely change a room. Window treatments add a sense of height to your room and frame the window. This helps the windows appear larger and the dimension to the room. Window treatments can bring color, pattern and textures to a space. If you have white walls, add a warmer, neutral tone to dress up your space. If the room has solid, bold colors, you can add a fabric that has a pattern to add movement to the space.
There are so many options for hardware to hang window treatments. You can find options at almost all stores in all finishes. Amazon has good quality window treatment hardware options. They offer traditional and modern/contemporary curtain rod options. When hanging window treatments, I recommend installing the rods at least 8″ out from either side of the window and 6″ from the ceiling. This will frame the window without covering the window and preventing natural light. Installing the window treatments that close to the ceiling will add height and look more custom to the space.
5. Lighting
Lighting is one of the most influential and beautiful pieces that you can put in your home. Whether it is for decorative purposes or to bring more light to a space, adding lighting fixtures can drastically change the interior of your home!
Entry lighting: Adding an updated chandelier to the entry can dress up the entrance to your home at first glance. If you don’t have tall ceilings, add a decorative flush mount to add light and ambiance to your entry.
Kitchen Pendants: If you have an island or peninsula in your Kitchen, add two or three pendants to bring character to your Kitchen. Most families spend the majority of their time in the Kitchen and Family rooms. Why not make these spaces some of the most beautiful and character filled rooms in your house?
Chandeliers: A chandelier can dress up any major space. Add it to your Dining room, Family room, or Primary bedroom. Chandeliers can help a room feel more defined and upscale. It doesn’t have to be crystals or anything major but something that is more upscale than what is installed.
Sconces: Sconce lighting can bring so much class to a bathroom. It provides the most direct light, perfect for getting ready, and adds a level of sophistication to the room. You can use this lighting to frame a mirror or even install into a mirror for a reflective look. Sconce lighting also looks much better than the vanity lights or circular bulb vanity lights many builders install. You can also use sconces to frame artwork in a hallway and add lighting to another space in the house that can tend to be darker and more closed off to natural light.
6. Plumbing
Many builders use the most basic plumbing fixtures. These are usually smaller faucets and shower systems. These are the most inexpensive selections and usually in stock which is why builders typically select them. A great way to upgrade is to change the plumbing. You don’t have to select the nicest options but you can have some fun here with selecting a new finish. Add black plumbing fixtures to bring some weight and masculinity to a bathroom. Change to gold plumbing fixtures to bring a pop of color and class. Choose polished nickel to make the bathroom feel more sophisticated. Or add a chrome finish for a lighter, more masculine selection.
7. Cabinetry
This is one of the most expensive options but if you can afford it, I believe that it can be one of the most influential changes one can make to their house. There are a few options to updating cabinetry. If you have the space, I would recommend adding built-in cabinets. These can serve as a statement piece to your room. It can also offer great storage space or area to display some of your favorite items. This can frame a central fireplace or be added into an office space. You can be bold and add a color to the built-ins or if you don’t like bold colors, you can use a lighter wood finish for a subtle pop of color. Or, you can paint them to match the wall color so that they blend in.
If you have cabinets but don’t like the color or wood finish, you can have your cabinets painted. This is something that you can do yourself but it is a very tedious job. Having this professionally done will be faster and probably turn out better. However, if you are on a tighter budget, this can very well be a good DIY project.
Remember that your home is a reflection of you and your family. It doesn’t matter if your home is basic or drastically decorated. As long as it is a reflection of who you and your family are and is inviting to others, it will be a home worth living in!