I still can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years since we built our home. It feels like more and like less all at the same time. Home trends change quickly, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about the bones or structure of our house. We love the size, the amount of storage and the large, open floor plan! We had been looking for quite a while, so we knew exactly what we wanted most in our home, and the other things could easily be added down the road. While building our home though (and shortly after construction), we added these 20 upgrades to our house, and we are SO happy we did! Some are small, and some are big, but they all make a huge difference in the long run with the flow and functionality of our house. Keep reading to find out more.
Soft-close cabinet doors and drawers – I would never have cabinet doors or drawers that aren’t soft close anymore. Once you get them, you just can’t go back! They are game changers, especially with 3 kids in our home!
Built-in spice rack – This is just so handy! It is the perfect space that is built-in to a pull-out cabinet. It is just the right height so you don’t waste cabinet space on spices, knock them all over or struggle to read all the labels at once.
Circle driveway – As much as we love entertaining, this was a must for us. It is so great for friends and family, and it will be awesome when we have 5 drivers under our roof one day.
Exposed beams – Sure it’s just for looks, but I love the gorgeous contrast of the beams with the light french gray paint color. It makes them really pop, and they add so much character to the otherwise large living room that could look a little plain.
Canless recessed lights – Game changer! No more big gaps around your light bubs and having to change light bulbs. These come together in one, so when it is goes out, you just change the entire insert. They aren’t very pricey, and they look SO much sleeker and better.
Under-cabinet lighting – At all times we keep only these lights on in the kitchen, so you could say I love them! We have the brightest white lights that they make, and they are controlled by a light switch. I love them so much. They give off just the right amount of light without having to turn on the large pendant lights all the time.
Built-in kitchen banquette – We planned this while we were building the house. They got backed up and it took almost another year for them to finish, but goodness it was worth it. It adds SO much extra seating to that area, and it actually takes up less space than chairs would. If we had chairs, we would have to push them out from the wall some for people to sit near the windows, and then it would obstruct the path to walk into the pantry some. Plus it gives off such a cozy, laidback family vibe that I love. The kids always love sitting here. Eventually I will have some cushions made for this area, but for now, we have several comfy pillows here. And bonus, they open up into 4 huge storage units. We have china and extra paper towels stored in here.
Custom closets and pantry – We had Inspired Closets come out and help me custom design our closets and pantry. I highly recommend this. That way, you don’t have any wasted space! We were able to add a built-in laundry basket in Matt’s closet, pull out rods in both of our closets, as much double hang as we wanted, and I even added more shelving in my closet. In the pantry, we added extra shelving and upgraded to wood instead of wire. It was definitely worth it! You can look around in person and get an idea of what you want, but it’s great to tailor each closet to whose it is.
Bookcase built-ins – We have so many built-ins, and I wouldn’t change a thing. We used Batesville Cabinet Company, and they are amazing. We have 3 of them in the entrway with 9 hooks where you can hang coats, backpacks, etc. Then there are shelves at the top, benches and then cabinets at the bottom for more storage. We also have 4 bookcase built-ins in the living room and a built-in desk in my office. Eventually we plan to add a custom built-in buffet and bar and maybe even storage in the kids’ rooms.
Framed bathroom mirrors – We used Mirrormate to frame all 5 of our builder grade mirrors in our home. It was so quick, easy and cost effective, and it makes such a huge difference in the look of your home and bathrooms.
Marble countertops – We went back and forth about what countertops we wanted, but initially I wanted marble, and I decided to trust my gut. They tried to tell me how delicate marble can be, but we haven’t had any issues with it and truly love our marble. Any wear and tear is just a part of our loved home.
Ceiling height cabinets – Our cabinets in the kitchen go all the way up to the ceiling. I have to get a ladder out to reach them, but visually they also look so much cleaner and better with a clean long line up to the ceiling.
Glass cabinet inserts – We have these on our 2 bars, and I love them. We use them to show off some of our favorite china and coffee mugs. They just add a fun little detail.
Deep single basin apron sink – We debated on single or double, and I’m so glad we went with single. There is rarely anything I am doing where I need a double sink. I love having the larger open space to fit so much more in here. It’s great for when we have really large things to clean off also.
Pot and pan drawers – We have several large, deep drawers, and they are so great to hold pots and pans. It makes it so much simpler so we don’t have to stack up a dozen pots and pants and bang them all around to get them out every day. Highly recommend. We also added some extra pot and pan organizers that are great.
Solid hardwood floors – After having to replace our hardwood floors this past year due to a dishwasher leak (we had to replace every single bit of hardwood less than a year after we had just replaced the entire upstairs due to an air conditioner leak), we decided to do something different. Our wood was discontinued, and we were having such a hard time to find engineered hardwood that was the same size and looked similar. We also couldn’t seem to find any the same size in a color we did like. And if we did, they didn’t carry enough to replace our entire home. That’s when we decided to just lay down oak hardwood and then have it sanded, stained and sealed on site. The entire process took a little longer, but it had already been a few months that we had been waiting on everything to be fixed. At that point, we just wanted it done correctly. We are so happy with how the floors turned out.
Built-in trash cabinets – These are so handy! At first I didn’t think we needed these or that I would even use them, but goodness, I just needed to give them a chance. They are so convenient so we don’t constantly have to walk back and forth to the large trash can in the pantry. They’re great for when you’re cooking too. One is for trash, and one is for recycling.
Clawfoot tub – I knew immediately I wanted a clawfoot tub, and I still love it. I use it all the time because I rarely take showers. I prefer our pretty tub.
Outlet lighting – These are so great for the Matt and the kids. We have them upstairs outside the kids bedrooms, and we also have them in all of the bathrooms. They’re great to add some light so you can see, especially at night time.
Soft-close toilet lids – I might love these more than the soft close drawers. They’re pretty inexpensive but so worth it. We swapped them all out in our home.
There are so many new upgrades you can do to your home that have even come about since we built our house, but these are our favorites that we did. Definitely look into and search around for others because it is usually so much cheaper to build them than to change everything later. What’s your favorite upgrade in your home?
