My company recently received a significant grant to allow us to acquire, rehab and repopulate more houses! Thank goodness! I am ready to break out of the daily grind of the office and get back to the houses.
Still, I haven't just been cooling my heels during this relative downtime. On the weekends, I go to lots of open houses as a form of market research. I can be a rather insufferable house hunting partner. Now that I have done a bit of rehab and I have a better idea of what things cost, it's not unusual for me to walk through new construction with my nose turned up and my mouth turned down, "Why would the developer put a $6.50 light fixture in an $800,000 house? Yuck." However, I will note that none of the new construction has dark walls. All of the houses are staged to look light, airy, open and spacious (surprise).
Warning: These are expensive banisters and expensive ground level flooring, but oh how nice! What if this floor was just in the mudroom? Classy! Classy!
I am generally dismissive trim and doors in bold colors, but done well I think it looks very sophisticated and urbane, no? And I would give up a few years of life for that front door.
Of course these tree trunk outdoor posts aren't going to work on every house, but they are a very nice touch for that "rustic in the city" look.
Don't underestimate the impact of door and cabinet hardware. Hardware can dramatically improve the appearance of inexpensive cabinets. Even new construction customarily uses low grades of wood or "woodish" material. These less-sturdy materials look much more luxurious with upgraded hardware.
Even when I am strolling through a house pointing and muttering "punch, punch, punch" some touches stand out. These details give a home character, personality and set it apart from the crowd of empty homes in the market. The pictures below were taken in new homes built by one of my favorite home builders in the metro area.
Warning: These are expensive banisters and expensive ground level flooring, but oh how nice! What if this floor was just in the mudroom? Classy! Classy!
I am generally dismissive trim and doors in bold colors, but done well I think it looks very sophisticated and urbane, no? And I would give up a few years of life for that front door.
Of course these tree trunk outdoor posts aren't going to work on every house, but they are a very nice touch for that "rustic in the city" look.
Don't underestimate the impact of door and cabinet hardware. Hardware can dramatically improve the appearance of inexpensive cabinets. Even new construction customarily uses low grades of wood or "woodish" material. These less-sturdy materials look much more luxurious with upgraded hardware. 
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