HOUSE BUILDING LESSONS

1. Learn to compromise. What you originally want may not work, so be prepared to adjust as much as you can, within your limits, of course.

2. Listen to the experts. Sometimes, we can be so fixated on our ideas that we forget that the experts know better. Trust that they have your best interest in mind, even if does not always align with your plans.

3. Do not scrimp on the materials. If you can’t afford it now, don’t do it yet. It is better to wait than to settle. It will prove more costly later on when you realize you actually wanted a sunroom instead of a patio.

4. Keep what is worth keeping. In the process of renovating our home, there were a few things we did not remove or change because they still suited our plans for the space. The balcony was one of them. While I really wanted a walk-in closet, having a balcony proved beneficial when COVID happened.

5. You are allowed to change your mind. Try on paint colors on the actual walls. Don’t settle for just samples and swatches. If you like it, keep it. If not, just say so. You will be staring at those walls for a long time, you have to like how they look.

6. Ask questions. When in doubt, when confused, when you don’t really understand what is going on, and when you have an idea that you think might work. Ask. For all you know, you have stumbled into something brilliant. Our dining room accent wall is an example.

7. This is a cliché, but it is so true: TRUST THE PROCESS. Everything will look like a hurricane in the beginning, but just wait until you see the end result.