The Decisions I’d Make Before Breaking Ground

The design details worth thinking about before the framing goes up—and why planning them early can completely change the way your home lives.

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The prettiest decisions usually aren’t the ones I want to make first.

Before I’m thinking about the perfect pendant or the exact shade of white, I want to know how the home is actually going to live.

Where will you drop your keys when you walk in? Where does the Christmas tree go? Is there actually a wall for the sofa you’ve been picturing? When you’re standing at the kitchen sink, what are you looking at?

These details aren’t nearly as exciting as choosing countertops, but they’re often the difference between a home that simply looks beautiful and one that feels like it was designed specifically for you.

After spending so much time around new construction, there are a handful of things I want to think through as early as possible.

01 — Furniture Before Floor Plans Are Final

It may feel backwards to think about furniture before you even have walls, but furniture placement affects so much more than where your sofa eventually goes. I want to know how a room will be used, what pieces need to fit, where you’ll naturally walk, and what the focal point will be. That information can influence window placement, door swings, outlets, lighting, and even the dimensions of the room itself. A beautiful wall of windows isn't quite as beautiful when you realize there’s nowhere to put the sofa.

02 — Think Through the Kitchen Like You Actually Live There

The kitchen is one of the hardest-working spaces in a home, so I want to think beyond what the cabinetry looks like. Where do you unload groceries? Where is the coffee maker going to live? Do you want appliances sitting on the counter or tucked away? Where will the garbage be in relation to your sink? Do you entertain? Do your kids sit at the island every morning? Cabinetry, appliances, plumbing, lighting, and electrical all start connecting very quickly. Thinking through those everyday routines early creates a kitchen that doesn't just photograph beautifully—it works beautifully, too.

03 — Lighting & Electrical Deserve More Attention Than They Get

This is one of those categories that can feel minor until the walls are closed. Furniture placement should inform outlets. Your dining table should inform where the chandelier is centered. Bathroom mirrors affect sconces. Kitchen cabinetry affects outlets and under-cabinet lighting. And then there are the little things: outlets inside cabinetry, a plug where the Christmas tree goes, charging drawers, floor outlets, exterior lighting, and switches located where you naturally reach for them. They aren't always the glamorous decisions, but you notice them every single day.

04 — Plan for the Things You Don’t Want to See

Good storage isn't just about having more of it. It's about having it where you actually need it. I love thinking through where the vacuum lives, where coats and shoes land, where small appliances go, where you charge devices, where extra linens belong, and where all of those everyday things can disappear when they're not being used. Some of my favorite design decisions are the ones you barely notice because they simply make the house function better.

05 — Know the Overall Vision Before You Start Selecting

Once construction gets moving, decisions can come quickly. Flooring. Cabinetry. Countertops. Tile. Plumbing. Lighting. Hardware. Paint. If each one is selected individually without an overall direction, it's easy to end up with a home full of beautiful things that don't necessarily belong together. Before selections begin, I want to understand the feeling we're trying to create. What materials repeat throughout the home? What undertones are we working with? Where do we want contrast? Where should things stay quiet Having that vision established early makes every decision that follows so much easier.

The Bigger Picture

Building a home comes with hundreds of decisions, and you don't need to have every last accessory picked before breaking ground. But you do want to think several steps ahead. Because good design isn't only about what you add at the end. It's in the floor plan, the sightlines, the cabinetry, the lighting, the storage, and all of those little decisions made long before the house ever looks finished.

The goal isn't just a beautiful home.

It's a home that feels like someone thought of you before you ever moved in.