Building a new Houston, Texas custom home is an incredibly rewarding experience, but there is a distinct difference between a “house” and a “home.” Your home builder likely guided you through all of the steps necessary for transforming your empty land into the foundation of a real home, but they cannot tell you how to make your new house feel like home.
If your custom home build is complete but your new house isn’t quite a home yet, you just need to start personalizing your new space. You can accomplish this in several ways.
Finish the Landscaping
The green space and foliage around your home plays a major role in the comfort level inside the home. If your contractor has finished building your new house and you’re ready to start making it feel like a home, then why not spend some time outdoors? Digging in the dirt around your property, planting shrubs, trees, and flowers, and crafting your outdoor social spaces are just a few ways you can start connecting with your property on a personal level.
Start Decorating
Unpacking can sometimes be a long process, but eventually, you will have everything in its new place. Once you have your major unpacking done and you can easily identify the places in your home that are ripe for decorating, you can start placing items like family photos, artwork, and other sentimental decorations to make your home more comfortable and inviting.
Make Small Adjustments
Attempting to get your new house exactly the way you want it all in one go is a very challenging endeavor. Instead of trying to sort out all the fine details at once, try to accomplish a few small things here and there during the first few months of living in your new house. For example, you could choose one room at a time, looking for unique, functional, and beautiful additions to each room.
The gradual process of adding finishing touches to each section of your home will help you connect to your new living space and help you appreciate all the work that has gone into creating it and finishing it. You can also invest in completely customized fixtures, cabinets, shutters, and other pieces that help you complete your home in a unique way.
Add Color
Most newly built homes primarily feature natural and neutral colors, from different types of finished wood to beige, white, tan, and grey spaces. Find a few spots throughout your home where color would help create visual interest and make the design elements of your new home truly pop. For example, it’s trendy to paint single walls in some rooms with bold colors and to contrast natural colors and textures with something sleek and modern.
You don’t need to settle on just one color or even one type of color. While it’s a good idea to have a cohesive paint palette for your home, ultimately, it is your decision when it comes to which colors to add and where to add them.
Arrange a Blessing and/or Housewarming Party
A house blessing can be an appropriate way to kick off your time in your new living space. House blessings are traditions present in virtually every faith, and it’s a good opportunity to forge a spiritual connection with your space.
If you don’t feel the need for a house blessing, you could always host a traditional housewarming party to welcome friends and family into your new home and energize the space in a different way.
Custom homes in Houston are fantastic investments, but there is always something of a disconnect between home and owner once the build and move-in is finished. These are just a few suggestions for transforming your space from a house to a home and building a connection with your custom home. If you’re ready to start your home building journey in the Houston area, contact Build by Owner today to learn more about the custom homes we can help create.
