Decorating & Design
September 23, 2024
8 Things Emma Reddington Wishes She Had Known Before Starting A Renovation
H&H’s Deputy Editor Emma Reddington shares what she learned after renovating her West Coast home.
Working in the design industry for as long as I have, you would think that I know everything there is about making sound design decisions and not falling victim to simple mistakes. The truth is, doing a renovation is hard, and in the thick of the moment it’s so easy to make decisions that you regret later. Scroll down to discover some of the important things I learned when I renovated my house.
Solid Rugs Show More Dirt
In our family room I chose a solid, moss-green rug. The mudroom adjoins the outdoor deck, so my family is constantly tracking in pine needles. A patterned rug or something with more variation would make the pine needles less obvious. In the mudroom we have a terrazzo floor, and I never notice the dirt.
Products You Choose At The Beginning Of The Process Might Not Be Available When You Start Renovating
The time between Design Development (the period when you typically choose many of your finishes like tile, fixtures, etc.) and the start of construction can be months — and in some cases — years. We chose a quarry tile from a local supplier for our kitchen but when the time came to order it, they had run out. Determined to have a similar looking tile, I looked all over the Pacific Northwest and finally tracked some down in Portland, Oregon which I had delivered to my U.S. post office box.
Watch Out For Minimum Order Requirements
We originally chose a dark charcoal terrazzo for the banquette area between our kitchen and family room, but when we placed the order, we were told there was a minimum requirement. Since we needed a very small amount, it didn’t make sense to go ahead with the purchase. Luckily, the supplier was selling off some small amounts of leftover terrazzo that fit our needs but we had to opt for a different color.
Invest In The Right Rooms For Your Family
Sometimes the smallest spaces in a home require the most attention. Believe it or not, our original laundry room was in a hallway that connects the garage to the rest of the house. It’s the main thoroughfare we use in and out of the house and I couldn’t imagine stepping over piles of laundry every day. We spent a lot of time reconfiguring this small area at the back of the house, moving doorways, adding the laundry room to an existing office space, and created a full mudroom with a closet, bench and seating.
Consider Comfort
At the beginning of the design process, I thought I would fill the living room with low ’70s sofas and chairs. However, a nagging voice in my head kept reminding me how uncomfortable they can sometimes be, not to mention that they can present difficulties for older people to get in and out of. Since we love entertaining in this room, we opted for comfortable pieces that accommodate guests.
Some Luxuries Are Worth The Extra Cost
I’m sure there’s a moment in every renovation when you become concerned about how much money you are spending, and you start looking for ways to keep costs down. When we were given the option to add heated floors to our ensuite bathroom, we declined with the budget in mind. In retrospect, it would have maybe added an extra $1,000 on to our bill. We have heated floors throughout the first floor, and I really regret we didn’t spend the money upstairs as well.
Check That Dining Room Chair Arms Fit Under the Table — And Side By Side
I knew enough to make sure that the arms on my vintage dining room chairs would slide under the table, but I didn’t account for how they fit side by side. Since many current dining room table designs have decorative legs, the width underneath the table is minimized. I discovered I can squeeze 8 armchairs around this table, but it’s more comfortable with only 6.
It’s Okay To Repeat The Same Color
When I was choosing the materials for the house, I worried that I was opting for too much blue. In retrospect, I’ve seen recent projects that repeat the same set of 4-5 colors throughout the whole house, to amazing effect. There’s a part of me that would love to see a hit of either blue or red on those dining room chairs. Maybe in time.
Interior shots by Ema Peter/Emma's portrait by Valerie Wilcox
And Daughters