Where to Spend and Where to Save in a New Build (or Rental)

Don't upgrade the wrong things

I asked you guys on Instagram to send me your design questions and this one felt like we could do a good old fashioned write up so I can give you all the details.

So if you have bought (or rent) a new build and are looking to bring some life into it here are my recs.

The Rule: Touch and Sight

If your hand touches it every day or your eye hits it first, that’s where you invest. Or fake it so well that no one knows the difference.

Because those are the things your brain registers constantly. Cheap hardware feels cheap every time you turn a knob. Good lighting changes how you see everything around it. Your eye is smarter than you think, it knows when something feels intentional versus installed.

Let’s break it down.

1. Hardware

Handles, pulls, faucets, even outlet covers- these are the jewelry of the house.
These little details make more of an impact than you could ever imagine.

If you own: upgrade the hardware you touch the most, your front door, kitchen cabinets, and bathroom faucet. You don’t have to do it all at once; one zone at a time will snowball fast.

If you rent: swap out knobs and stash the originals in a baggie for move-out. If that’s not an option, layer around the bad hardware. A cool soap dish, a solid brass tray, a vintage mirror. Distraction is a design strategy.

If you want funky and unique try Etsy, If you’d like to invest some quality pieces try Signature Hardware or Rejuvenation.

2. Lighting

Lighting is everything. It’s the reason hotels feel expensive even when the furniture isn’t.
Most builder or landlord lighting is an afterthought, bright, cold, and flat.