5 Custom Home Features that Add Personality & Value
From the moment you step through the front door, your home should embrace you, beautifully reflect who you are, and meet the needs of your unique family. It’s your haven, the central hub where your family gathers to work, play, rest, entertain, and create cherished memories. Building a custom home allows you to include all of the details so the home of your dreams can become a reality. And that’s exciting!
You may be wondering about home features that not only bring personality to your space and enhance your lifestyle, but also add value to your investment. Let’s look at the top 5…
Custom Feature 1: Built-ins for Storage & Entertainment
If you’re building a new home, it’s likely that your old home simply isn’t cutting it in the storage department. But even if it is… can you really ever have enough storage?
Built-ins are a smart feature to add into your home for this reason, and for several other reasons, too:
They’re efficient, creating a massive amount of linear and vertical storage space without occupying a lot of square footage
Their combinations of shelving and cabinets create a mix of functionality
They create a seamless transition from room to room, especially if you add a wet bar for entertaining (add a wine bar, a sink, you name it)
They add a level of sophistication, style, and luxury to your home
So, what’s not to love? Here are a few rooms that can really shine with built-ins:
A home office
Living room entertainment center
Catch-all drop zone between rooms or in a mudroom
Bathrooms for spa-like cubbies for towels and toiletries
Laundry room organization, with hidden pull-out drawers or ironing boards
Closet organization (so you actually see all your options)
That unused space under the stairs!
On the left, we have a mudroom that is working hard for this on-the-go family. There are hooks for hanging coats and bags, open shelving with baskets, bench seating with more storage underneath, and spacious closet space to function as a coat closet.. Plus, it’s beautiful and inviting! On the right, built-ins amplify this living space with closed cabinets for storage paired with open shelving for displaying the client’s meaningful mementos.
Custom Feature 2: Moulding, Trim & Paneling
Often, you’ll hear a builder use the terms “moulding” and “trim” interchangeably. Here’s the difference: Trim is a general term that refers to types of moulding in a home, like baseboards, window casings, door casings, or chair rail. Moulding is also a type of trim but it’s more elaborate and often requires special millwork.
In a space that is lacking in personality, these decorative wall applications can be a room’s best friend. They draw the eye in and can make you see a room in a completely different way, creating scale and proportion. These add to the flow of the house, connecting rooms together and elevating a home for a “live large” feeling.
These types of trim also establish the overriding aesthetic of the home. Modern trim details can be very minimal and clean while traditional details can be very ornate and elaborate. Traditional moulding can even be a great backdrop for modern furnishings if blended together in the right way, mixing fresh and timeless style in an intriguing way.
Here are some great ways to incorporate moulding and trim into your new custom home:
Baseboards
Window casings
Door casings
Crown moulding
Chair railing
Wainscoting
Wall trim
Paneling (like shiplap) or board and batten
On the left, here’s an entry that really says “welcome home!” Can you imagine this space without any trim? It wouldn’t have much personality. The baseboards, window casings, and trim add so much visual interest, yet the space looks clean, fresh, and organized.
On the right, this home was originally a spec home transformed into a beautiful custom-like haven where we added millwork that really amplified the space. Custom baseboards, beaded window casings, wainscoting, crown moulding, and trim invite you into this soft, beautiful dining room. It’s relaxing, and welcoming…a perfect space to linger over a meal and create memories with family and friends.
Custom Feature 3: Reach for the Sky with Ceiling Details
For interior designers, a ceiling is like a fifth wall and can be just as important as the flooring for setting the overall tone of the home. Like the other built-in features you’ve seen so far, adding architectural detail to the ceiling also adds home value. Why else do we love ceiling detail?
In a large room, ceiling detail can make a space feel more cozy.
Ceiling detail can make high spaces, like an entryway, feel grander and more expansive.
Ceiling details really help to create zones, especially in homes that have open floor plans.
They can also help to hide wiring or mechanical systems! Who doesn’t want that?
When it comes to style, there are SO many different options for ceilings. Here are just a few ceiling options we like to use that can stand out in a room and pull the space together:
Beam ceilings (exposed or painted)
Tray ceiling, which borders the perimeter of the room and is great for hiding electrical
Coffered or “box beam” ceiling (shown below) with is a real stunner!
Shiplap ceiling, for a slightly rustic, cozy vibe
Above, this kitchen and breakfast nook are both part of this space’s open floor plan…but notice how they feel different? We made these two spaces feel distinct with a shiplap and beam ceiling for the kitchen and a cozy, coffer-style ceiling over this breakfast nook and banquette area. They flow well into each other while still having their own unique personalities. Stunning!
Custom Feature 4: Plantation Shutters
Shutters are a built-in feature of the home, fabricated, finished, and installed to fit directly into the frame of your windows. Best of all? I love how shutters multitask! Here’s what they can do for you:
They provide great light control and privacy while blending in with your room.
They make your interior and exterior look great.
They are insulating and energy efficient from season to season.
They are easy to clean and maintain.
They are free from dangerous cords, making them a great choice for families with children.
They can be customized using various materials, paints, or stains for the perfect aesthetic that will match your personal style.
In my opinion, shutters are a smart addition to nearly every room. They are stunning, functional, and increase home value, making them a real win all around. I highly recommend being thoughtful about your shutter selection so that the style matches the overall style of your home:
Traditional Homes
Opt for shutters with thinner louvers (slats), usually 2 ½” - 3 ½” in size.
Multi-panel shutters are common in traditional homes, with a centrally located tilt rod.
Modern and Transitional Home
Opt for wider louvers (slats), which take up less visual space.
Choose a model with a hidden tilt rod for a clean, minimalistic feel.
Choose a single panel shutter for that crisp, open feel.
In this eclectic modern gaming room in my house, I wanted a super clean aesthetic and to keep the lines in the room horizontal throughout. A single panel shutter with a hidden tilt rod was the perfect solution for this space. I customized the color to match the walls and trim in the room and finished the window off with drapes for times when blackout capability would be desirable…like family movie night!
Custom Feature 5: Site Finished Floors
Chances are, you’ve never heard of site-finished floors. However, these are the traditional kind of hardwood floors that have been around for hundreds of years…long before engineered floors were introduced! With a site-finished floor, unfinished wood is delivered to your home, installed, then sanded, and then the finish is applied on-site, in your home. The process takes time and can be messy (be prepared for dust) but enables you to fully customize the floors.
What are the advantages?
They are so durable that they never need to be replaced.
Because they can be refinished over and over (unlike engineered flooring), they add huge value to your home. (Don’t believe what many flooring retailers will tell you, NO, you can not refinish engineered flooring.)
They allow for special touches like inlays, patterns, or borders made of wood, metal, or stone.
Textures can be added and the choices of colors are limitless.
If your goal is to match sections of an existing floor, using site finished floors is the only way to go.
The time it takes to go through the process of installing site finished floors can be daunting, but only if you’re living in the home at the time. For new homes, it will pose no inconvenience at all. So go for it!
Ahh… aren’t these floors stunning? And would you look at that staircase? These custom floors were finished on-site to achieve an exact stain color, and the result is warm and inviting.
Final Thoughts from Yours Truly
Each of the elements I’ve described today will stand the test of time. Not only will you feel confident adding these features to enhance and elevate your home, but you can rest assured that by upgrading shutters, trim, ceiling details, built-ins, and site-finished floors, you’ll be making a sound investment.
Plus, it will add tremendous value to your home should you ever decide to sell it…though I suspect you will love it so much that you, your children, and your (future) children’s children won’t be letting this gem go.
Are you ready to chat about building a custom home for your family? We’re here to help. Schedule a discovery call with us here and let’s get to know each other.
– Susan