RENOVATE | Choosing materials, finishes and fixtures
Choosing materials, finishes and fixtures.
You’ve decided to renovate your home, how exciting but also EEK, scary!
Once you start looking at all the white paints, penny round tiles and tap ware finishes available it can dawn on you just how big this project you’ve taken on is.
While I was studying architecture and interior design I wanted to install a timber wall into a project for my assessment. I remember thinking “how cool would that look” moments before realising creating something simple like a timber wall isn’t so simple at all. There were so many options out there for me; timber veneer, timber look tiles, laminate, solid timber and the list goes on.
There are also the moments of doubt you go through when you have selected a bunch of your materials only to second guess your choices. I’ve had a friend who was recently specifying the materials for her new build and was feeling pretty confident about the choices… until she came to the tiles!
Specifying materials is a circular process that you need to go through until you are happy that all your choices sit together cohesively. Do you start with your bench tops? Do your tiles need to be the same or different across all bathrooms? What tap ware finish will go with your material palette? I feel you, it’s hard, but here are a couple of things that might help you become unstuck.
1. Start with what you know
Do you already have a floor in place that you need to work around or is there anything else that is a non negotiable in your design? See this as an opportunity or launching point rather than a hindrance.
If you are starting from scratch I can still guarantee there will be something you already know. Is there an artwork you already own that you want installed in your kitchen? Perhaps there are some colours in that you want to draw out.
On the flip side you can also start with what you DON’T like as that can narrow down your selection. Perhaps you are over the subway tiles trend and want to see something a little bit different. Take this idea to your tile showroom and get them to discuss other options.
2. Talk to Suppliers
There is no substitute for seeing a material in person to touch and feel a product to know if it’s right for you. Many materials have a great depth of colour or texture that simply can’t be reflected in an image online.
Your suppliers are also a wealth of knowledge waiting to be tapped into. They will be able to tell you how a product wears over time, reacts in certain areas and help coordinate a selection in with other choices. For example most tile showrooms will help you make the full selection for your space even with the roughest floor plan or photos of your space.
Some products like timber veneer are a little more complicated to install and you need to make sure you have allowed for the cost and technicality of the install in your build. Your suppliers (and trades) will be your best source of information when it comes to working out if a more unique material is feasible in your home.
3. Where to spend the big bucks?
It’s not always about buying the most or least expensive product to fit into your budget. The ability to prioritise what is important to you will enable you to be able to balance the prices of your materials, fixtures and finishes. For example do you love the look of stone bench tops but unsure if you should be using it in your butler’s pantry and laundry too? The answer is not necessarily, perhaps you can you a cheaper product like laminate in the more functional spaces and use the marble as a feature.
One of the best pieces of advice I received was to look at using an Ikea flat pack kitchen but purchase a more high end bench top to give a point of difference.
Balance is key and make sure you are choosing a couple of feature materials that you absolutely love even if they are in smaller areas. They will give you years of delight and appreciation for your hard work during the renovation project.
4. Colour
As a (very) general rule, dark colours appear to come towards you while lighter colours will recess into the background a little more. As a result dark colours at eye level can feel bolder and more in your face whereas lighter colours will create a sense of space.
Also know that light (both natural and artificial) will make your materials appear slightly different at different angles (for example between the floor and wall). Where possible bring home samples to view how the materials might change in different spaces and light.
In a similarly way I run through choosing paint, make sure you are spending time considering your materials in the actual space before committing to a choice.
Darker colours will come forward whereas lighter colours will recess back. Images by Sheri McMahon Photography of Paddo Pad.
5. Samples
As you grow a relationship with your suppliers you will gain access to samples to keep or in some cases you will be able to borrow larger samples to get a good feel of what they will look like in your space.
I recommend having the sample some place you can see it for a few days or weeks so you can see how you feel about it in situ over time.
Avoid taking home so many samples you can barely carry them as this will leave you more confused (and those samples are costing suppliers money and it’s good to be mindful of this). Shortlist a few materials to consider and you can always contact the suppliers to send you something different if you decide they aren’t the right choice.
Allow samples to sit together over a period of time so you can observe them in different lights.
Your material choices are a balancing act of budget, function, supply, longevity, aesthetics and timing. It’s a process and it can’t be worked out over night but it is definitely something that is highly satisfying to complete. It can also be a case of needing a sounding board to bounce your ideas off so please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a free phone call with me to run through where you are up to.