Interior
Home Lighting
Lighting tends to be the most overlooked element in homes. I was lucky to have my brother, the professional lighting designer, plot out my kitchen lighting when we took out the massive fluorescent box. Task lighting, under-counter lighting, and a dimmer switch are your best friends in kitchen lighting. If you have an island, find a fun pendent fixture. Pendant lights can go from affordable to really high end. Go with something that fits your budget and the kind of neighborhood in which you live.
Flooring
And then there are your floors...keep it neutral, and go for something that doesn’t
show dirt. If you tile, and live with dogs or kids, always pick grout that’s the
color of dirt. Flooring is the hardest thing to change out in your home, so make
sure what you install will go with any other cosmetic work you do over time.
And if you move into a home with carpet in either the kitchen or bathrooms –
change it out – it’s disgusting and has no redeeming qualities in those rooms (my
house had carpet in both areas when we moved in…ewwww.)