5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Add Personality and Value to Your Builder Basic Home

Building new gives you a world of design options. You can go all out with upgrade packages, which allow you to select every finish from floor to ceiling before you move in, or you can start with a blank “builder basic” canvas.  

Choosing builder-basic has some great advantages. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it’s the perfect canvas to express your style with DIY jobs you can complete over time.  

However, making your new-build home look and feel uniquely yours can be challenging.  

Whether your goal is to make your new home look custom, have old-world charm, or just to add a personal touch, here are five easy and effective ways to elevate your builder-basic home.  

1. Make The Flex Room Your Own  

The flex room, a trending feature in new-build floor plans, can be anything you want, so why not dedicate this space to something you love? Tailor your flex room to pursue your passion.  “What are you passionate about? When we design a space that reflects a client’s lifestyle and hobbies, we’re creating an environment that supports who they are and what matters most to them. These aren’t just extra rooms; they’re spaces that reflect who they are and what drives them,” says the team at DKOR Interiors. 

Here are some popular, creative uses for flex rooms: 

• Reading room, with built-in bookcases, cozy seating, and layered lighting. 

• Yoga/meditation room, with nature-inspired art and decor, concealed storage for yoga mats, blocks, and blankets. 

• Speakeasy, with a wet bar, cocktail collection, vintage furniture, and Art Deco themed design. 

• Art studio/gallery, easels, drawing desk, concealed storage for art supplies, and neutral wall space to display your work. 

 2. Incorporate a Statement Range Hood  

The range hood is a functional necessity in the kitchen to wick away grease, smoke, and odors, but with a creative approach, it adds a stunning focal point.  It’s common to frame in the range hood, and cover it with whatever materials that suit your aesthetic. The range hood should be about the same size as the cooktop, to maintain visual balance.  

Trending range hood styles include: 

• Tile 

• Plaster 

• Beadboard 

• Metallics 

• Natural wood 

 3. Introduce Vintage Pieces  

Incorporating vintage pieces into your new home will instantly add patina and unique visual interest. It’s even better if the pieces are family heirlooms, because they offer personal, meaningful backstory.  

“You don’t necessarily want to rebuild your parents’ house in your home, but maybe there's a family heirloom that you can put in a special place that is aesthetically beautiful and also has that beauty of memory and attachment,” says artist David Franklin.  

From artwork to furnishings to accents, blending vintage with modern is a key component of current trends, such as transitional and timeless styles. These aesthetics are built to last, and offer flexibility to make your home your own, a little bit at a time.  

4. Add Personality With Paint  

Painting is one of the easiest and most effective DIY jobs that adds decor drama to a builder basic home. It's well worth the investment in high-quality paint for durability, even coating during application, and a luxe look that will make your home look custom.  

Of all the design elements, color has the most emotional power, so choosing colors you love will not only make your home look good, but feel good too. 

It’s hard to imagine color on a larger scale while also considering things like lighting conditions, open versus closed space, and furnishings. Use paint visualizer apps where you can use your own room, and get large peel-and-stick physical samples. 

Flow in your home doesn’t mean you have to use the same color throughout. Consider sightlines, and choose colors that complement, or intentionally contrast, with each other. An old-school color wheel can help pick colors that will gently move through transitions in spaces.  

5. Easy Custom-Look Touches 

 Finally, add some custom-look features to give your home that little extra – without spending extra.  

• Upgrade light fixtures. Create a focal point in a room with statement pendants over an island, a starburst fixture over a dining table, or an oversize chandelier in a foyer. 

• Luxe- look window treatments. A designer trick is to layer window treatments, which adds depth and elegance. Splurge on high-end hardware. 

• Wood trim and architectural details. Include built-ins, wainscoting, ceiling details, accent walls, and corbeils

• Stunning staircase. A staircase can be a prominent and beautiful focal point. Swap out the balusters and railings for glass panels, airplane cable, or a bespoke, custom screen. Add a stair runner, or paint the treads. Paint the railings in contrasting colors.

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