Adding Character to a Builder Grade Home

When you purchase a builder grade home in a new development, everything is fresh, brand new and generally low maintenance compared to an older home. But there’s a trade off— one thing you’ll notice about builder grade homes is that sometimes they feel a bit “unfinished” and generic. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make a newly constructed builder grade home feel more lived in.

Add Crown Molding and Casing

There’s usually some kind of baseboard to cover where the flooring meets the wall, but often openings without doors don’t have casing. I’ve also seen some homes where some openings have casings while others don’t—which makes no sense most of the time. Crown molding is often neglected altogether. 

Adding trim to a space brings the design up a notch—it’s like adding garnish to a dessert or nice shoes to an outfit. Traditionally, trim selection is related to the hierarchy of all the spaces in a home. A more prominent space like the formal living room will likely have a more ornate, larger trim when compared to a space like a powder room.

Swap out the Standard Light Fixtures

Great light fixtures create drama. They also create interest that can draw someone’s eye through the space. If you can see the dining room table or kitchen island from the front door, make sure you have something great to look at above those surfaces.

Most builder grade homes have mostly recessed lighting (or low profile ceiling mounted fixtures) and decorative pendants in the kitchen, dining area and maybe at the entry. There are so many types of lighting to choose from that can help better define a space, highlight artwork or add interest to an otherwise boring ceiling or wall.

Whether it’s one statement pendant of or several smaller pendants in a row, the influence of decorative lighting in a space shouldn’t be overlooked.

Upgrade your Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

There’s a huge difference between generic plastic hardware and true decorative metal hardware that actually has some weight to it. Higher quality cabinet pulls and/or knobs can make the whole kitchen feel a bit more high-end. You can have fun with finishes as well—nickel, matte black and brass hardware (like what we used in this kitchen) are some of the standard finishes available on many different styles of hardware. 

Swapping out hardware is also an opportunity to convey your personal style. Cabinet hardware styles range from traditional to ultra modern. For pulls, just make sure you pay attention to the center-to-center lengths. You want to make sure new hardware coordinates with the existing holes in the cabinet doors!

Add some color

Typically, builder grade home interiors are painted some variation of white, beige or gray. An entire home painted the same neutral color can get monotonous very quickly. Also, why would you want the colors in your home to look like every other home on the block? Adding color is one of the easiest and more cost effective ways to add personality to your home. If you’re a bit timid about adding color to your space, start with an accent wall and go from there.

Adding character to a builder grade home is about adding elements that show your personal style. Adding one or all of these elements will make your home feel a bit more customized.