Enjoy this continuing series as we follow Jonna and Doug through the design and build of their family’s new Kenilworth home. In this episode, the couple talks about how they chose the many details, materials and finishes for their custom home.
When building a custom home, in addition the broad strokes, there are hundreds of decisions that have to be made. After decades in the industry, the Orren Pickell Building Group has learned how to simplify this process for our clients, with clear lists of items that need to be selected at each phase.
For Jonna and Doug, the beginning of rough framing also signaled the start of a new set of decisions to be made. The couple’s divide-and-conquer approach made this more manageable, with Doug choosing flooring and appliances, and Jonna selecting plumbing fixtures.
Small Things Make a Big Impact
They’re very happy with the way their big decisions have come together, but some of the little things really stand out. For example, as she scoured showrooms of trendy brass fixtures, Jonna found herself drawn to matte black hardware. Bucking the trend, she’s opted for simple black kitchen and bathroom faucets and taps, as well as door and window hardware. It’s a timeless look that fits well with the family’s casual, toned-down aesthetic. Even the red knobs on the Wolf appliances Doug selected will be traded out for the black versions, to better blend into the space. Doug is excited about their custom 7.5″ hardwood flooring, which he describes as “a lighter wood that doesn’t look bleached—it’s more natural and it has a lot of character and texture.”
Family-Friendly Tech
“We also like the Kohler DTV+ control system that lets us connect to the bath, shower and steam shower through Alexa,” says Doug. “We can tell Alexa to run a bath at a certain temperature while we’re finishing dinner and it’ll be ready when we take the kids upstairs.”
Sticking with their preferences for clean lines and their goal of creating a comfortable, family-friendly home has helped Jonna and Doug establish a consistent, warm style throughout the house.
