How to Select All Materials and Finishes for Your Whole-Home Remodel
This is where the vision becomes tangible. Every flooring type, every tile color, every door knob, every outlet cover—all need to be selected before construction begins. It's an enormous task, but completing it now prevents delays, regrets, and budget overruns later.
Quick Summary
Time needed
40-80 hours total
Difficulty
High (decision fatigue)
Cost
Samples only ($100-$500)
Why Complete Selections Matter
The single biggest cause of construction delays and budget overruns in whole-home remodels is incomplete selections. When crews arrive and materials aren't specified or ordered, everything stops—but you're still paying.
"We'll figure that out later" is the most expensive phrase in remodeling. Later never comes at a convenient time, and rushed decisions lead to regrets that last decades.
The Cost of Incomplete Selections
- • Crew standby time: $500-$1,500/day while waiting for decisions
- • Rush shipping: 2-3x normal cost for expedited delivery
- • Schedule cascades: One delay affects all following work
- • Pressure decisions: Choosing wrong items under time pressure
- • Replacement costs: Removing and replacing regretted selections
- Enables accurate bidding: Contractors can provide accurate bids when they know exactly what they're installing.
- Allows advance ordering: Long-lead items can be ordered immediately, arriving when needed.
- Prevents design conflicts: You'll see how all elements work together before any are installed.
- Reduces stress: No decision-making under pressure during construction chaos.
- Protects budget: Know actual costs before construction starts, not during.
The Master Selection List
A whole-home remodel requires hundreds of individual selections. Here's a comprehensive checklist organized by category.
Flooring Selections
- □ Main living areas - material type, color, width, finish
- □ Bedrooms - material (carpet or hard surface)
- □ Kitchen - material considering water/spill resistance
- □ Bathrooms - tile type, size, color, pattern
- □ Laundry room - water-resistant material
- □ Mudroom/entry - durable, cleanable material
- □ Stairs - material, nosing style
- □ Transitions between different flooring types
- □ Thresholds at exterior doors
- □ Carpet pad weight and type (if carpet)
Tile Selections
- □ Kitchen backsplash - tile, size, pattern, grout color
- □ Primary bathroom floor tile
- □ Primary bathroom wall tile (shower/tub surround)
- □ Primary bathroom shower floor (smaller tile for drainage)
- □ Primary bathroom accent/niche tile
- □ Each additional bathroom - floor, wall, accents
- □ Powder room - floor, accent wall if applicable
- □ Laundry room - floor tile
- □ Entry/mudroom - floor tile
- □ Fireplace surround - if tile
- □ All trim pieces - bullnose, pencil liner, chair rail
- □ Grout colors for each application
Cabinetry and Countertops
- □ Kitchen cabinets - manufacturer, door style, finish
- □ Kitchen cabinet hardware - knobs vs pulls, style, finish
- □ Kitchen countertops - material, color, edge profile
- □ Kitchen island countertop (if different)
- □ Primary bathroom vanity - style, finish
- □ Primary bathroom countertop
- □ Each additional bathroom vanity and counter
- □ Laundry room cabinets and counter
- □ Built-in cabinets - entertainment center, office, etc.
- □ Pantry organization systems
- □ Closet systems - material, configuration
- □ Interior cabinet accessories - pull-outs, dividers, etc.
Plumbing Fixtures
- □ Kitchen sink - material, configuration (single/double)
- □ Kitchen faucet - style, finish, features
- □ Pot filler (if applicable)
- □ Primary bathroom sink(s)
- □ Primary bathroom faucet(s)
- □ Primary bathroom toilet
- □ Primary tub - freestanding, drop-in, alcove
- □ Primary tub filler
- □ Primary shower valve - brand, finish, type
- □ Primary shower head(s) - rain head, handheld, body sprays
- □ Each additional bathroom - all fixtures
- □ Powder room fixtures
- □ Laundry sink and faucet
- □ Utility/garage sink if applicable
- □ Outdoor shower if applicable
Hardware and Accessories
- □ Interior door knobs/levers - style, finish
- □ Interior door hinges - finish to match
- □ Exterior door hardware - entry set, deadbolts
- □ Cabinet knobs and/or pulls - each room
- □ Towel bars - size, style, finish (each bathroom)
- □ Towel hooks/rings
- □ Toilet paper holders
- □ Robe hooks
- □ Shower glass hardware - finish
- □ Mirror mounting hardware
- □ Closet rods and shelf brackets
- □ Window hardware if exposed
Electrical and Lighting
- □ Recessed can trim - size, color, style
- □ Under-cabinet lights - LED strips, pucks
- □ Pendant lights - over island, dining table, etc.
- □ Chandeliers - entry, dining room, etc.
- □ Wall sconces - bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms
- □ Vanity lights - each bathroom
- □ Ceiling fans with lights
- □ Flush/semi-flush mount fixtures
- □ Closet lights
- □ Exterior lights - entry, garage, landscape
- □ Switch plates and outlet covers - color, style
- □ Dimmer switches - style, color
- □ USB outlets locations
Trim and Millwork
- □ Baseboard profile and height
- □ Door casing profile and width
- □ Window casing profile
- □ Crown molding profile (if applicable)
- □ Chair rail (if applicable)
- □ Wainscoting style
- □ Interior doors - style, panel configuration
- □ Closet doors - style (bifold, sliding, hinged)
- □ Stair railings and balusters
- □ Built-in shelving details
- □ Fireplace mantel design
The Selection Process
Approach selections systematically to maintain sanity and ensure cohesive design. Here's the recommended process.
1. Start with the "Fixed" Elements
Begin with items that are hardest to change: flooring, countertops, and tile. These set your color palette and constrain other choices. Everything else coordinates from these anchors.
2. Visit Showrooms in Person
Never finalize major selections from online images. Colors, textures, and quality can only be accurately assessed in person. Plan multiple showroom visits—tile, flooring, plumbing, lighting, cabinet dealers.
3. Get Samples for Everything
Showroom lighting is designed to make things look good. Take samples home and view them in your actual space at different times of day. Large samples (12"x12" minimum for flooring/tile) show patterns better.
4. Create Sample Boards
Assemble samples for each room on a board. Include flooring, tile, paint swatches, cabinet samples, counter samples, and hardware. See how everything works together before committing.
5. Document Everything
For each selection, record: Manufacturer, product name, model number, color/finish name, size, quantity needed, price per unit, vendor, and lead time. Use a spreadsheet—you'll reference it constantly.
Managing Decision Fatigue
Making hundreds of decisions is exhausting. Pace yourself—don't try to select everything in one weekend. Schedule focused sessions by category. Take breaks. Trust your designer for lower-stakes decisions. When overwhelmed, default to classic, timeless options.
Coordinating Finishes
A cohesive home doesn't require everything to match, but finishes should be intentionally coordinated.
Coordination Strategies
- • Limit metal finishes to 2-3 throughout home
- • Use consistent hardware finish by type (all door hardware same)
- • Flooring should flow logically between spaces
- • Bathroom fixtures can be different from kitchen
- • Lighting can introduce accent metals
- • Grout colors should be intentional, not afterthought
Common Finish Combinations
- • Matte black + brushed brass
- • Polished nickel + oil-rubbed bronze
- • Brushed gold + matte black
- • Satin nickel + aged brass accents
- • Chrome + matte black (contemporary)
- • Unlacquered brass throughout (traditional)
The "Walk-Through" Test
Mentally walk through your home noticing every finish. Entry: what door hardware, what flooring, what light fixture? Turn into kitchen: what's the transition? What hardware, what faucet finish? Continue through every room. This reveals unintentional clashes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing finishes from photos alone
Why it's a problem: Colors look dramatically different in person and under your lighting
What to do instead: Always get physical samples. View at home in morning, midday, and evening light.
Too many competing finishes
Why it's a problem: Creates visual chaos and makes the home feel disjointed
What to do instead: Limit to 2-3 metal finishes. Create intentional palette and stick to it.
Ignoring maintenance requirements
Why it's a problem: High-maintenance materials become sources of frustration
What to do instead: Research cleaning and maintenance before selecting. Be honest about your lifestyle.
Leaving items as 'allowances'
Why it's a problem: Allowances are rarely accurate and create budget surprises
What to do instead: Make actual selections with real prices. Allowances should be exception, not rule.
Not considering long-term
Why it's a problem: Trendy choices date quickly; you'll live with these for decades
What to do instead: Choose timeless for permanent items. Use trend in easily-changed elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many selections do I need to make for a whole-home remodel?
Expect 200-500+ individual selections including flooring, tile, fixtures, hardware, lighting, paint, and countless details like grout colors and outlet covers.
What's the best order to make material selections?
Start fixed, work to flexible: 1) Flooring, 2) Countertops, 3) Cabinetry, 4) Tile, 5) Plumbing fixtures, 6) Lighting, 7) Hardware, 8) Paint colors.
What happens if I don't have all selections ready?
Incomplete selections cause crew standby costs ($500-$1,500/day), rush shipping fees, schedule cascades, pressure decisions, and budget overruns.
Should I choose matching finishes throughout?
Coordinated, not matching. Limit to 2-3 metal finishes intentionally used. Consistent by type (all door hardware same) but variety between categories is fine.
How do I organize all my material selections?
Create a master spreadsheet with: Room, Category, Product Name, Manufacturer, Model Number, Color/Finish, Size, Quantity, Cost, Vendor, Lead Time. Keep physical samples organized by room.
Ready for the Next Step?
With materials and finishes selected, the next step is reviewing 3D renderings to visualize how everything comes together in your actual space before construction begins.