Don’t get me wrong,
I love our Town home! When we bought it 8 years ago, it was still on plan. So we got to choose all the finishes. After living in our home just 6 months we had major water damage and had to remodel almost everything again.
As part of my job, I often help home owners choose the materials for their new construction. Having bought a new construction myself and having worked in the construction industry for a while I can help them understand the weight of the decisions they make.
Today I’d like to share some of the decorating mistakes I have made:
MISTAKE # 1. Choosing dark toned wooden floors
When we saw the different options for our flooring. I instantly fell in love with the dark brown finish. At that time it dark floors were a trend and they continue to be but there are certain factors I didn’t consider: Dark floors are the most unforgiving! They show dirt, dust, foot prints and scratches more then the lighter counterparts. I have to clean my floor constantly, I resent seeing my hubby and toddler walk around barefoot… For someone with a mild OCD, it’s really hard. If I had to do it all over again I would pick a mid-tone floor… Not too light, not too dark!
That Dark Floor… So Lovely but Messy!
MISTAKE # 2 Going with builder grade finishes
When you buy a new construction in Quebec, whatever materials are included in the sale are builder grade products. For example all companies include Cherry wood for flooring. What I didn’t know then is that cherry wood is one of the lowest quality wood on the market. It is a soft wood and scratches easily. Last week I accidentally dropped a chair on the floor and that left a huge dent! It’s always good to have this information and consider your lifestyle before choosing materials. If you have a lot of kids, or dogs, cherry wood would not be the best option. If you are clumsy like me, consider another option.
MISTAKE # 3 Not asking the Electrician to add light fixture outlets in all the bedrooms and the living room
I am not sure why but new constructions don’t come with light fixtures in living rooms and bedrooms. You can ask for an upgrade but it cost money. At the time we bought the house we didn’t think it was important, and we thought the simple addition of lamps would be the best option… It wasn’t. Lighting is tricky, now that I have studied design I have learned and seen that a room needs different light sources for different needs. I kick myself in the butt about this often because if we were to add lighting now it would mean redoing the ceiling and rewiring. It would have cost a lot less to have done it before. If you can’t afford to get the fixtures, at least have the electrician do the wiring so you can add fixtures of your choice as time goes by.
MISTAKE # 4 Not going for what you really want because of the cost (we’ll do it later excuse)
I get it, buying a home is expensive, and there are many additional cost that we never consider. Our town home was our first home and we only had our own savings. We opted to let go of some of our desires thinking we could do it later. The one item I have ever wanted was a fireplace. But back then it was a 4500$ upgrade. I realize now that 4500$ on a mortgage of 25 years doesn’t really hurt. Also with inflation, if we were to add one now it would cost a lot more. SO if you want it, if its important to you, and if you want to spend a lot of time in this home make concessions in other places. When I go to my friend’s home who has a fireplace, I spend the whole time right next to her fireplace!
My lousy solution to make up for the fireplace!
MISTAKE # 5 Carpeting the bedroom level
Our town home is divided on tree levels. The main floor has a garage and family room that is carpeted. The 2nd floor has the kitchen, dining and living room that have wooden floors and the third floor has 3 bedrooms all carpeted. Adding wood to the main and third floor were other upgrades that we chose not to add. Now I want to die! Specially as I am writing this and my toddler is potty training and he just pooped on my beige carpet! Carpets are super soft on the feet and joints, they are comfortable and they add warmth but… They are always dirty (even if you vacuum every minute) because the dirt accumulates under the weave and padding. You may not see it, but it is always lurking underneath. Carpet can stain easily, they are a pain to wash professionally, they wear easily in high traffic areas. I could go on and on.
If I had to do it all over I would pick a wood floor (good quality) and have area rugs that are easily changeable for the comfort factor.
Lesson learned: I don’t know everything. Research a little before making a design decision.
If you are reading this and are buying a new place, don’t hesitate to hire a designer that is not provided by the construction company you are purchasing with. A designer will help you weigh the pros and cons of each material so you can make the BEST decision.
PS If you have any decorating mistakes you’ve made, share away. It will make my mistakes feel better. 
