5 Things We Love & 5 Things We'd Change About Our Custom Home Build

First, I want to acknowledge what an incredible gift this whole experience has been. Building a home was never something David and I had on our bucket list. It wasn’t a lifelong dream we’d been saving Pinterest boards for or a goal we’d been working toward for years. The opportunity just kind of presented itself, and after a lot of thought and discussion, we decided to go for it.

It was a big leap of faith in several aspects and I’m so glad we went for it.

We had a really positive building experience, which I know isn’t always the case. We genuinely enjoyed most of the process: thinking through spaces, making decisions, and watching it all come together. Even the overwhelming parts were exciting in their own way. It’s not an experience I take for granted, and I feel incredibly fortunate that we got to do it.

When we were building, I imagined that once we moved in, I’d want to share every little detail of every room. And while I shared a build update, the gym, the pantry, and the powder room, I pretty much fell off after that.

I think I kept waiting for spaces to feel complete.

But you know what? I’m not sure a single room in our house is actually “done.” And I’ve come embrace that. Perhaps it’s just my personal excuse😋 but I like the idea of a home being slowly curated over time, with pieces collected and spaces evolving as we live in them. Ours is very much still a work in progress, and I think that’s just fine. I’m happy to be living here as is and look forward to continuing to make it feel like “home” as time ticks on.

Despite not sharing as much of our house as I originally planned, I still find myself watching home tours, reading about renovations, and scrolling through posts about what people love and regret about their home builds. I love seeing what’s trending, admiring the charm of older homes, and hearing what people would do differently if given the chance.

Those posts were so helpful to me when we were making our own decisions, so now that we’ve been through the process, I feel like it’s my duty to contribute and pay it forward.

David heard a quote once that the only way to build a house perfectly is to build it twice.

It makes me laugh because that is so spot on! No matter how carefully you plan, there are things that don’t turn out quite like you imagined. Sometimes it’s a budget constraint, sometimes it’s a rushed decision, sometimes it’s decision fatigue (which is VERY real), and sometimes it’s simply something that never crossed your mind until you were actually living in the space.

I’ve yet to talk to someone who has built a home and feels like they nailed every single detail.

First the solid truth: I absolutely love our home. I really, really do. But if we were sitting in my living room, sipping coffee, and you asked me if there’s anything I’d change?

I’d say yes.

Is that enough of a disclaimer?😅 Ok, so let’s get into it!

5 Things We’d Do Differently

1. Our Fireplace Stone

This one hurts a little because it comes down to a lack of patience.

The fireplace is such a focal point of our living room, and I knew I wanted it to have a natural, timeless look. But I never got to make that choice.

One day we got a text from our builder (we built from afar) that said “the stone is up and looks great!” I remember looking quizzically at David and asking him what stone we had picked. He didn’t remember choosing one and I said I couldn’t remember either. So we asked for a picture and my eyes widened when I saw it. I never picked that stone.

I knew I never picked it because I love warm tones and the fireplace stone was cool toned. Our building coordinator swore we picked it, yet despite her meticulous tracking, she had no record of us ever making that decision either.

What followed was this: we drove down to see it and talk to the builder. Since it was already fully installed, the only choice to change it would be to chip it off bit by bit, hope to not damage the floors that were already installed, and redo it, which would push back our timeline significantly, and we were so anxious to get moved in. So… we let it stay.

It’s not that I hate our fireplace. I don’t! But if I could go back, I’d slow down and wait until they redid it with a stone I love. Because I doubt it’s something we’ll pay to redo at this point.

Lesson learned: Don’t accept things just because you’re eager to get in the house. The time to have the builder correct mistakes is before you get the COA.

2. Our Kitchen Countertops

Another lesson in patience. And this one comes with a story, too!

We had picked out our kitchen countertops and were excited about our choice, but somewhere along the way, the ship carrying them was taken over by pirates. Yes, actual pirates. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.

Unfortunately, that meant our countertops weren’t going to arrive on schedule, and rather than delay the build, we made a last-minute pivot and chose something else. I wasn’t too picky about the look and like the look of the one I picked just fine. But here’s the frustrating part: they stain.

The whole reason I chose quartz in the first place was because I’d been told it was one of the most stain-resistant, low-maintenance options available. And for someone who does a LOT of cooking, that was a big selling point.

So you can imagine my frustration when I discovered that our supposedly stain-resistant countertops were, in fact, very capable of staining. If I leave a splash of coffee or tomato sauce for more than 30 minutes… stain. The Pink Stuff definitely helps with some of it, but still, frustrating.

Lesson learned: Honestly, I’m not sure. Maybe just talk to everyone you meet about the pros and cons of their countertops and then pick sometimes that will hide tomato sauce.

3. Not Double-Checking Every Measurement

This is probably our biggest practical takeaway from the entire building process.

We didn’t use an architect for our home (we went back and forth with the builder to draw it). While we were happy with the overall design, there were a few things that we just didn’t fully see with just the design on paper.

For example, one side of our house would have benefited tremendously from being bumped out another couple of feet. Yes, just a couple of feet. It sounds like such a small thing, doesn’t it? But it would have made a noticeable difference in several spaces.

One bathroom is just a little tighter than I’d prefer. Our spiral staircase barely fit in the designated space. And there are a few other areas where a little extra breathing room would have made the layout feel more comfortable.

We also learned that you can’t just assume a door is a door. Door sizes, swings, clearances, and how they interact with the rest of a room really matter.

It’s easy to look at a floor plan and think, Oh yes, that totally works! But a drawing doesn’t always translate to how a space actually feels when you’re walking through it, opening doors, moving furniture, and living everyday life.

Lesson learned: Double-check measurements. Then check them again. Pay attention to clearances, door swings, and the actual usable space in a room. And if you’re able to walk through a similar-sized space in person before finalizing plans, even better. Have you seen those warehouses where they project your house plans on the floor in real life measurements so you can walk through it? That would have been so helpful!

4. A True Entryway

This one is less about something we did wrong and more about something I didn’t realize I’d want until we were living here: our front door opens directly into our living room.

I love our front porch and I love our living room, but walking inside just feels a little bit… abrupt?

There’s something so welcoming about walking into a home and having a little space to arrive before stepping into the main living area. I love the idea of a spot for a pretty console table, a lamp, a place to wipe your shoes or lean an umbrella. I think a dedicated entryway also helps create a natural transition between the outdoors and the living space, which is something I hadn’t given much thought to during the design process.

It’s certainly not a deal breaker, and we’ve made our layout work just fine, but it’s something I’d put on my wish list if we were doing it again.

Lesson learned: Think about how you want your home to feel when you first walk through the front door, not just how you want the individual rooms to function. And walk through as many houses as possible before finalizing your design to see how spaces and transitions feel.

5. More Solid Wood

Another thing I didn’t really know about before building was how much I love solid wood. In fact, the more time I spend in our home, the more I appreciate the value of natural materials in general.

I’d love to have solid wood interior doors and solid wood trim throughout the house. There’s just something about the weight and feel of a solid wood door. It feels sturdy, substantial, and timeless. It can also help with sound insulation, which is something you don’t necessarily think about when you’re choosing finishes but definitely notice once everyone is home and doing their own thing.

Also, I love our floors. I’m very happy with how they look and how they’ve held up. But David says that if we were building again, he’d prefer solid hardwood floors. Mostly for the sake of refinishing down the road.

Of course, these upgrades come with a (sometimes substantial) price tag, and when you’re building a home, you have to draw the line somewhere. There are approximately a million opportunities to spend just a little bit more, and those little bits add up quickly.

But if I were going through the process again, I’d prioritize natural materials wherever the budget allowed, especially on the things that would be difficult or expensive to change later.

Lesson learned: When possible, invest in the materials you touch and interact with every day. Quality has a way of making itself known over time.

5 Things We Absolutely Love

And now for the fun part! Because while there are certainly things we’d tweak if given the chance, there are so many things about this home that make me smile on a daily basis.

1. Our Lot, the View, and the Community

15/10. No notes. If there is one thing I wouldn’t change about this entire experience, it’s where we built. Our lot, the view, and the community we get to be part of are hands down my favorite things about our home. I feel grateful for it every single day.

You can change paint colors, swap out light fixtures, replace countertops, and even renovate entire rooms. But you can’t pick up your lot and move it somewhere else. And for us, the setting has been everything we had hoped it to be.

I love looking outside and seeing the mountains. I love the nature that surrounds us and the feeling of being tucked into such a peaceful place. And I love the community we’ve found here.

2. Our Kitchen, Scullery, and Dining Space

Honestly, the whole kitchen setup. As someone who loves to cook and host, this space is so special to me, and I’m so glad we put the time and thought into making it work for how we live.

Having a scullery and pantry has been such a gift. The scullery acts as the gadget garage, the coffee bar, and supplement storage. It also has extra prep space, the back up fridge and freezer, and even a second dishwasher, which is so handy when hosting or canning. I really love having the pantry separate, too, a dedicated space just for the food.

In the main kitchen, I am also so glad we opted to put the sink in the island. I know people have strong opinions about island sinks, but this is one of those lessons that encourages you to make your space work for how you live, and the sink in the island been a great fit for us. First off, the sink is huge and I love it, and second I can wash dishes while watching the football game or holiday movie and feel very much part of the action.

I have a smooth stretch of countertop under the window, where the natural light makes it a perfect spot for food prep, taking pictures, and setting out food when we’re hosting.

And while we’re talking about food and hosting, I’m so glad we chose a larger dining area instead of a smaller dinette.

I have friends with beautiful, full-on dining rooms, and oh my goodness, they’re gorgeousssss. Sometimes I see them and think I’d love to have one, too. But for our home, having one generously sized dining space has been so functional. It works for our everyday family meals but also gives us room to gather people around the table.

I feel like we really nailed this part of our home, and I appreciate it every single day. Though as I was searching my phone for pictures, I realized I need to take some glamour shots of these spaces when they’re clean because I don’t have many pictures to choose from to share!

3. The Sliding Doors to the Porch

Are they perfect? No. Would we choose them again? Absolutely.

This was one of those things high of David’s list and while he doesn’t love the lack of insulation efficiency, we both really love the function of having large sliding doors that open from our living space onto the porch.

When the weather is nice and we can open everything up, it feels like we’re bringing the outside right into our living room.

There are a few quirks that come with large sliding doors, like cleaning the sliding components and how the whistle when the wind whips through, so I wouldn’t say they’re a completely perfect feature, but the feeling we get when we open them up makes them so worth it.

4. A Guest Bedroom on the Main Floor

This is one of those practical decisions that I was a stickler for and I’m glad I was.

Having a guest bedroom on the main floor has been wonderful, especially when we have family come to stay. I love having a comfortable bed and bath to offer a guest that doesn’t require the use of stairs.

It’s also one of those features that I think will continue to serve us well as our family and needs change over time. It’s not necessarily the most exciting design decision, but definitely one of the smartest ones we made.

5. Our Home Gym

I know I’ve already shared our home gym setup, but it absolutely deserves a spot on this list. Having a dedicated space to work out at home has been such a game changer for us after working out in our crawlspace for 4+ years at the old house.

I love the convenience of being able to squeeze in a workout without having to drive anywhere, and having everything we need right here makes it so much easier to stay consistent.

It’s also a space that David and I both use and appreciate, which makes it feel like such a worthwhile investment. Even the girls will use it from time to time!

When you’re designing a home, it’s easy to focus on the pretty spaces (and don’t get me wrong, I love those, too!), but I think some of the best decisions are the ones that support your family’s everyday habits and routines. And for us, having a home gym has definitely been one of them.

A Few Final Thoughts on Building a Home

If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this whole experience, it’s that you can put an incredible amount of thought into building a house and still not get every little thing right. It’s just the nature of it.

I think sometimes there’s so much pressure to make the perfect choice when you’re building because everything feels so permanent. You want to get it right the first time, especially when you’re investing so much time, energy, and money into the process.

But the truth is, you don’t really know how a house is going to live until you’re living in it. It’s only then that you learn which spaces you naturally gravitate toward. Which details matter more than you expected. Which things you thought would be important turn out not to matter much at all.

I still have plenty of ideas for our house. Rooms I’d like to finish, pieces I’d like to find, and projects I’d love to tackle eventually. But I also am embracing the idea of letting a home evolve slowly, collecting things we love and making changes as we go.

I’m so grateful we had the opportunity to build this house, and even more grateful that we get to live our lives in it. Fireplace stone, countertops, tight bathroom and all. 😉

If you’ve built or renovated a home, I’d love to know: what’s one thing you absolutely love and one thing you’d do differently? I still love reading these kinds of posts, so share your wisdom in the comments!