Finding new construction design inspiration should be the most exciting part of your home buying experience. However, knowing where to start is often the biggest hurdle for homebuyers to overcome before the real fun begins.
We don’t want you to feel overwhelmed during this step, so we put together an easy-to-follow guide that shows you exactly where to find inspiration before your design selections appointment.
Building a New Home Design Ideas: Get Inspired First
Nail Down Your Design Style
Since the goal is to make your new home a reflection of you, you’ll want to determine what decorating styles speak most to your tastes.
For both the design features as well as the personalized décor in each room, peruse social media accounts, websites, and blogs that showcase the look you’re going for in your home.
Check out some of the best websites for interior design inspiration:
Houzz: browse hundreds photos for home design ideas
Cococozy: a simple and aesthetic blog with beautiful interior images for inspiration
Pinterest: save and organize all your favorite exterior and interior home design ideas (Pro Tip: find some inspiration from our M/I Homes Pinterest boards!)
Design Studio Interior Inspiration Galleries: view photos to see how each area of your home can come together with our available M/I Homes design selections (Pro Tip: Change your location to view the Design Studio in your area)
Build an Interior Design Inspiration Board
Use this Design Studio guide as a new home selections checklist to get a feel for the areas of your home you’ll be making selections in.
Next, create a Pinterest board labeled “Design Selections.”
Organize your board with a folder for each of the following areas of your new home, and add pins to each to build your own personal vision board:
Exterior
Kitchen
Flooring
Bathroom
Carpet
Decorative Finishes
Lighting
Paint
Tour a Model Home
Many of our model homes have design selections to look at and touch, including countertops, siding, tile, and hardware samples.
If you’re a tactile person, this is a fantastic way to get a feel for what goes together well before you head into your design selections appointment. Plus, you can ask a New Home Consultant some questions while you’re there.
Come With a List of Your Desired Selections and Ideas
It’s important to make the most of your entire design selections appointment at a Design Studio or model home.
Whether you have it on your phone or printed out, come ready with a list in hand of all your design selection ideas and plans—this could even be the well-organized Pinterest board you created!
Having these ideas ready to discuss throughout your selections appointment will help make the decision process easier, and you’ll be able to check off everything you and your Design Studio Consultant set out to accomplish during that time.
Dan O’Malley is the Vice President of Product Development for M/I Homes.With over 30 years of expertise in residential architecture and design, Dan has been overseeing the product needs of the company's 16 divisions located throughout the Midwest, Southeast, Nashville and Texas for the past 12 years. Before joining M/I Homes, he was a partner in the Chicago office of BSB Design, a national residential architectural firm, for 14 years. Dan is an expert in all aspects of single-family and multifamily design and has received several awards for his successful projects. He is also a popular speaker at various industry events, including the International Builder’s Show, Midwest Builder’s Show, and Multi-Housing World.
Dan O’Malley is the Vice President of Product Development for M/I Homes.With over 30 years of expertise in residential architecture and design, Dan has been overseeing the product needs of the company's 16 divisions located throughout the Midwest, Southeast, Nashville and Texas for the past 12 years. Before joining M/I Homes, he was a partner in the Chicago office of BSB Design, a national residential architectural firm, for 14 years. Dan is an expert in all aspects of single-family and multifamily design and has received several awards for his successful projects. He is also a popular speaker at various industry events, including the International Builder’s Show, Midwest Builder’s Show, and Multi-Housing World.