Create Your Wish List
This is your chance to dream without limits. Write down every feature, finish, and feeling you want in your remodeled living room. You will prioritize and cut later, but right now, capture everything so nothing important gets forgotten once construction decisions start flying.
Time Required
2-4 hours
Cost
$0 (your time)
Difficulty
Easy (the fun part)
Common Wish List Categories
Layout and space
Open floor plan to kitchen or dining room, vaulted or coffered ceilings, expanded square footage through bump-outs, wider doorways, or better flow between rooms. These structural wishes have the biggest impact on both budget ($10,000-$40,000+) and livability.
Focal point features
Floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, custom built-in entertainment wall, dramatic window wall, statement lighting, or an architectural ceiling treatment. Every great living room has at least one wow moment that anchors the design.
Comfort and technology
Radiant floor heating, whole-house audio with invisible speakers, motorized blackout shades, smart lighting scenes, integrated charging stations, and hidden TV solutions. These quality-of-life upgrades are easiest to add during a remodel.
Storage and function
Built-in bookshelves, window seats with hidden storage, media cabinets that hide all cords and equipment, wet bar or beverage station, and display niches. Custom storage is what separates a remodel from a refresh.
Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have
- Must-haves (non-negotiable): These are the features that justify the remodel. If you cannot afford them, the project does not make sense. Example: opening the wall to the kitchen, replacing the fireplace, or adding the built-in wall.
- Should-haves (high priority): Features that significantly improve the result but could be scaled back. Example: coffered ceiling could become a simpler tray ceiling, or natural stone could become a high-quality porcelain lookalike.
- Nice-to-haves (if budget allows): Features you love but can live without. Example: radiant floor heating, motorized shades, or a wet bar. These are first to cut if bids come in high.
- Future-proof items: Even if you skip certain features now, pre-wire and rough-in for them. Running conduit for future motorized shades costs $200 now versus $2,000+ later.
Gathering Inspiration Effectively
- Save images with intent: When you save a photo, write a note about what specifically you like. Is it the ceiling height, the color palette, the fireplace stone, or the overall vibe? Vague inspiration leads to vague results.
- Visit showrooms in person: Photos lie about scale, color, and texture. Touch the stone, see the wood grain, and stand in a room with that ceiling height before committing to your wish list.
- Study completed projects in your area: Search for remodel projects in your city on Houzz or local builder portfolios. Local work shows realistic results for your climate, building codes, and contractor talent pool.
- Include both partners: If two people share the home, both create independent wish lists, then combine. It reveals shared priorities and potential conflicts early rather than mid-construction.
Pro Tips
- •Create a shared digital folder: Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or a Houzz ideabook. Add photos, product links, material samples, and notes. Your designer will use this as the starting point for the design phase.
- •Note what you hate too: Anti-inspiration is just as valuable. If you despise open shelving, gray-everything, or barn doors, write it down. Knowing what to avoid saves time during design.
- •Think five years ahead: Will your family grow? Will you work from home more? Might aging parents visit frequently? A remodel should solve current and near-future needs, not just today's.