The Washington Post - 22.02.2020

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the

washington

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saturday,

february

22,

2020

those foundational pieces need

some personality in the way of

accessories or the jewelry of the

home! This is where you need to

go big on a kitchen backsplash or

interesting hardware. It could

also be that focal-point light

fixture.

l How do you want your home

to perform? Think about the

experiences and memories you

want to have in your home. To

one person, that might be the

experience of cooking in a dream

kitchen every day, or it might be

a home office so you can finally

give up that two-hour commute.

If y ou like entertaining, it m ay b e

a space for gatherings, or if

you’re a homebody, you may

want a cozy fireplace.

Give yourself time: Don’t

stress about getting everything

at once. If you’re feeling over-

whelmed, it’s okay to walk away

and come back after a cup of

coffee.

Finally, remember your

home is always a work in prog-

ress: From the day you start

designing it to the day you move

out, your home will continually

be a growing and changing can-

vas. No matter what, with you in

it, your home will be a special

place.

interior design styles like mod-

ern or farmhouse. This “feeling”

will guide your selections for

textures and sightlines.

l What do you want your h ome

to wear? When you’re designing

your home, certain aspects, such

as flooring and cabinetry, can be

considered foundational pieces

— like a little black dress. But

Your house would be useless

without an appliance package. If

you’re in a subdivision, window

coverings are a must. What “op-

tions” are really necessities in

your next home?

l How do you want your home

to feel? Your answer could be as

simple as “casual” or “formal,” or

you can get more specific with

that’s the beauty of building

new,” Spicher wrote in an email.

Her thoughts on the design

center process include:

Be inspired by everything:

Everyone’s go-to is Pinterest.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Pin-

terest, but you can find inspira-

tion anywhere — not just home

design magazines and Pinterest.

Inspiration can come from a

vintage bowl that you love or a

piece of artwork.

Make lists: Now, you need

your Type A side to kick in. Lists

are your friend in this process.

Start with these five questions to

give you a base to build from:

l What do you want? This can

be your big-ticket item or this

could simply be what you really

want in your home — hardwood

floors or a really beautiful free-

standing tub.

l What do you need? This one

is not as fun, albeit essential.

BY MICHELE LERNER

One of the pleasures of buying
a newly built home — the ability
to choose your fixtures and fin-
ishes — can also be one of the
pain points for purchasers. Many
buyers n eed to match their choic-
es with a budget, but it can be
tough to make the right deci-
sions when the design center
tempts you with a variety of
pricey options.
We asked Leigh Spicher, na-
tional director of design studios
for Ashton Woods, a home build-
er in Arizona, Florida, Georgia,
North Carolina, South Carolina
and Te xas, for her guidance on
where to save or splurge.
“Before you get overwhelmed
by options and possibilities, re-
member that you are the one
investing in a new home, and it
should be about you and what
you value first and foremost —

Town Squarereal estate news & notes

It’s possible to stick to a

budget when decorating

your newly built home

Benjamin C tankersley for the Washington Post

When choosing furniture and other decor, consider how you want

your home to perform. Do you need an entertainment hub? Or are

cozy touches for the homebody more what you’re looking for?

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