New home upgrade options: A veritable smorgasbord
One of the best things about opting for a new home over a resold home is that you’re starting from scratch. You get a chance to pick the lot, facade design and layout. When it comes to the look and feel of the interior, Bay Area new home communities offer a smorgasbord of options for everything from flooring and lighting to cabinetry and fixtures. You just might feel like a kid in a candy store as you survey what’s available. And while most developers offer professional design assistance to help you navigate the process, the choices are up to you in the end. Flooring
Flooring sets the stage for less permanent decor elements like furnishings and decorative objects. While hardwoods such as oak never go out of style, Bay Area builders also provide tiling options of various sizes and materials, faux wood laminate and natural stone. Wall-towall carpeting can range
from relatively plush wool or wool-blend to synthetics for transitional areas. The selection of colors, patterns and textures can be quite broad. Your choices might be guided not only by durability concerns, but also sound integrity and even how the flooring feels against your feet. You might find yourself comparing, for example, the cool, smooth feel of marble to the textured sensation of slate. Lighting
New homebuyers sometimes tend to overlook the importance of lighting. A design professional may be able to help you flesh out your needs in this area. Recessed lighting, typically used to provide general light to a space, is available in myriad can sizes from area builders. The size and arrangement of the cans can make all the difference to the comfort and utility of a lighting scheme. Designers commonly recommend task lighting to illuminate work or study areas in the kitchen, great room or bedroom. Lighting in drawers and cabinets, as well as beneath backsplashes, can also prove useful. Area builders typically make energyefficient LED available for such specific purposes. Kitchen and Bath Countertops
While granite kitchen countertops have become a standard selection, other options are available. Porcelain tile, marble, limestone and engineered quartz, each offering its own properties as to heat sensitivity, moisture resistance, ease of cleaning and durability, are also to be had in a wide range of colors. Keep in mind that what suits your needs in the kitchen might be entirely inappropriate for the bath. Cabinetry and Fixtures
From traditional cherry and maple to eco-friendly bamboo, wood is a perennial favorite. However, sleek flat-panel and stainless steel are also available. While drawer-pull design might seem to be low on the priority list, even the smallest elements deserve careful attention when you’re creating a space to live in for years to come. Consequently, while the material, finish and design of the sinks, basins, tubs and faucets in kitchen and baths may be among your final choices, designers advise you take as much time to consider them as you would to decide on flooring.
Chances are you’ll be living in your new home for years to come. Happily, Bay Area developers offer ample customization options to create a living space to ideally suit you and yours.