Personality and order: Interior finishings and style

You found your dream home – the size, the floorplan, the community – everything is perfect. But how do you make it your own?
Homebuilders offer a variety of ways that their clients can “personalize” the home to fit their tastes and needs, and a big part of it is giving a wide leeway in the choice of finishings. Does one go with luxury vinyl plank or hardwood for flooring; granite, quartz or other stone materials for countertops; matte or glossy finish cabinetry? The list goes on.

There is a lot riding on the decisions homebuyers make at this stage of the new homebuilding process, where buyers go through every combination of flooring, countertops, cabinetry, etc. Which goes best with what? You have to sweat the small stuff to achieve the best results.

Homebuilders have mastered the process that allows their clients to come up with the best selections that fit their tastes, but it’s also helpful to know the choices that are open to you and what current trends are.

We spoke with some of Calgary’s best homebuilders to find out what’s new and give readers a rare insight on what to expect when it comes to this stage of building a new home.

Flooring

It all starts with the floor. It takes up most of what is visible, especially along the main floor, not to mention that it gets the most use. So, it’s imperative to get this right. And many are turning to luxury vinyl plank to provide the style and sturdiness. It mimics the look of hardwood but is of a more durable easier to style material.

Julie Punter, Manager of Show Home Selections and Presentation at Homes by Avi says luxury vinyl plank (LVP) remains to be the popular choice, but luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is coming in strong too.

“Light tones of LVP have been very popular over the last few years and will continue to be a popular choice moving into next year.”
She thinks it will remain the popular choice over hardwood for a number of reasons. “One being the cost, but also the durability that it offers. With people’s busy lifestyles with pets, kids and constant changes in weather here in Alberta it offers something that hardwood doesn’t, and that’s water resistance. We definitely sell more luxury vinyl than hardwood these days. Colours, styles and patterns have become vast in its options.”

LVP has also become a top option for upper floors too, says Tricha Hamstra, Senior Interior Designer at Shane Homes Group of Companies. “People just love the hassle-free maintenance of LVP,” she says.

“However, there are still a large majority of people that are choosing carpet because it is more budget-friendly. We are seeing a lot of people choose a patterned carpet with a lower pile over the more plush and higher pile carpets. This way you still get a plush floor but do not see the traditional traffic marks like normal cut pile carpet can sometimes show,” Hamstra says.

At Hopewell Residential’s DesignSense, LVP is also king not just for its affordability but because it is constantly evolving, says DesignSense Manager, Diane Chrusciel. “The tones, textures and sheens of LVP are incredibly realistic and the durability is second to none.”

Chrusciel does note that timeless classics, like marble, are also holding strong for tile on the floors and walls. “Handmade tiles are making a resurgence with a strong focus on sustainability and natural elements.”

She also is seeing a return of an old favourite. “Floor pattern nostalgia is coming in hot for 2022! We have seen a resurgence of herringbone, parquetted, chevron and more recently houndstooth. These patterns replay a large emphasis on character.”

Countertops

Countertops have a huge influence in establishing the look of kitchens and bathrooms. They can impact the style of the room. There are plenty of materials to choose from, such as natural stone like granite, engineered material like quartz, or even the more affordable laminate.

Quartz has dominated recently because it is sturdier and less porous than granite and is easier to keep the surface relatively bacteria-free.
“Quartz is still proving to be the more popular choice of countertop,” says Homes by Avi’s Punter. “With lots of options in styles in solids and even marble or granite look-a-likes. Our go-to laminate choice for show homes is a simple white.” Their latest front-drive Jefferson showhome in the new community of Lanark in Airdrie shows how countertops can pack a punch in style with their double kitchen island option.

Hamstra says although quartz is definitely more popular, Shane Homes still gets customers who prefer granite for their more natural look. “Laminate countertops can be a great choice for an area like a workstation. It is very easily scrubbed or washed, and ultimately warmer to the touch as well.”

Backsplash

The kitchen backsplash is essential in complementing the countertop, and the easiest way to do this, according to Chrusciel is to have the same material continue from the countertop to the wall.

“A huge trend we love is the slab backsplash. Taking the countertop material up the wall. ‘Laminam’ is one of these slab surfaces that offers a vast selection of colours and surface effect to fit any décor,” she says. “It can be used on many different surfaces from countertops to backsplashes, to floors. Very versatile and a site of the senses.”

She adds that glazed tile backsplash is easy to clean and reflect light and come in many different shapes and styles. “One of the more popular looks is the “picket” style which can be found in our Arbour Lake West showhome.”

Cabinetry

Cabinetry provides the essential storage space any growing family needs, but it has to look nice too. The two-tone kitchen has become an easy way to add flair to the home, and cabinetry plays an important part in the scheme.

“We do a lot of painted and Thermafoil cabinets. The fun thing about now is that it is all about the mixing of cabinets, colours woods and styles. Sunset Ridge Hawthorne show home and Lanark Jefferson are good examples of fun tile options and cabinet mixing colours,” Homes by Avi’s Punter says.

Hopewell’s Chrusciel says they also love mixing cabinets. “Whether it be cabinetry profiles and finishes. We love how mixing 2-3 cabinets defines zones and demands attention.”

She also points out that wood kitchens are enjoying a bit of a revival. “Pale soft tones, subtle grain and unpainted wood are stunning and a firm classic. Thermofoil cabinets have come a long way. Our supplier has many great options to choose from. We were blown away at how far thermofoil has come. The current product lines are impressive in colour, sheen, texture and profile options.”

Chrusciel suggests visiting their showhomes in Arbour Lake West – particularly the Luna – to see many of the finishing options she mentions here. One to look forward to will be their Belmora showhome scheduled to open early 2022 in Montrose, High River.