3 charming upgrades for your new build
Three charming must-have upgrades for your new build - Makel Gardner
1. doorknobs
A good doorknob can completely transform a simple space. I wanted a vintage look to our home and I have a deep love for vintage hardware. I was thrilled to find this newer company, Ageless Iron, because not only are their doorknobs vintage-looking but they are even made from cast iron. Once installed, they transformed our home, especially since we went with simple white/creamy paint colors. I wanted the doorknobs the make a statement but also have a classic style that I never tire of. The cast iron gives them an incredible feel and texture. They are just so gorgeous and give me all the feels. We went with these styles for our home.
While I also suggest sourcing your own cabinet hardware and light fixtures, I am not including them in this post because I don't believe you have to splurge on those. In fact you can find stylish cabinet hardware and fixtures for some pretty awesome prices on Amazon (a post on that later).
2. Windows
UPGRADE THE DANG WINDOWS! You won't regret this decision. Do it in the beginning because you might say you'll upgrade windows later but you NEVER will. They last a long time! So get the grids, get the color you want, the extra insulation, all of it! We went with a classic and simple white grid. They have even more fancy and expensive options out there, including real wood and aluminum clad, but since this isn't our forever home we decided on a middle ground. Upgrading to a white grid throughout was an extra $3,000-$5,000 for our home. Worth every penny and will instantly make any home (even basic/builder grade) look custom.
3. Custom Trim and Cabinets
Last but not least, custom trim. This is where things can add up quickly in cost. If you or anyone in your family is handy, you can save a lot by doing this yourself. However, timing it all can be tricky so that your move in date isn't pushed back. We were pretty anxious on getting in our new home and had a deadline with our rental. We knew we couldn't make the deadlines on time on our own so we did hire out. I had plans to do a few more custom trim accents in our home but due to cost we took out a few. I'd suggest starting with 3-5 most wanted accents. The ones that you could cut out, make sure it can easily be added later. Here was my list:
hallway built in cabinets (so I could opt out of dressers for the boys)
dining room build in cabinets
mudroom bench and shelf
bedroom and living room ceiling beams
entryway and dining board and batten
bathroom shiplap
bedroom shiplap
master bedroom accent wall
We decided the last two accents in the bedrooms could be added later so we scrapped them. My favorite part about our built ins and accent trim is that I don't need a lot of decor to make our home look styled. Plus all the built in shelves make it easy to switch out decor without having to change holes in the walls!
DUTCH LAUNDRY DOOR: And since I know you'll ask, our custom laundry door was a fun accent and was hand made locally. Jaron is in the cache valley UT area and was amazing to work with! You can find more of his work and contact info HERE.
TRIM: our custom trim guy Andy was a dream to work with. Find his facebook page HERE.
Additional FAQs
Paint Colors:
Main Trim: Extra white SW
Main walls: Alabaster SW
Boy's room walls: Extra White SW
Boy's Trim and doors: Whitetail SW
Mudroom built in bench/shelf: Agreeable Gray SW
Pine Bed: Antique find
All my Amazon favorites are linked here
Let me know if you have additional questions and pop on over to my Instagram for more home updates!
Xo Makel