What Newell Turner Learned While Building His House
Style director Newell Turner shares what he learned while building his house.
By Amy Preiser
Style director Newell Turner looks back on the big lessons of building and decorating his new house this past year.
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Plan, Plan, Plan
Work out as many details before turning the first shovel of soil. Everything will go so much faster.
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Get It Done Off-Site
Kitchen cabinet makers can build shelving for other rooms, and they'll make it in their workshop.
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Invest in Storage
Closet organizing systems are worth every penny. Otherwise, you have a rod, shelf, and wasted space up top.
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Buy "New and Improved"
Look for stainless steel appliances treated to minimize smudges and stain-resistant countertops like CaesarStone.
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Overestimate
You're supposed to order 10% extra tile to cover breakage, but I suggest 15% for breaks down the road.
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Look Up
Ceiling height is as important as the square footage of a room.
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Splurge Wisely
My soapstone fireplace was worth the investment. The stone retains heat in winter and keeps cool in summer.
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Break It Up
Two smaller coffee tables offer greater flexibility than a single large one.
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Know What You Need
Good decorating starts with a good floor plan.
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Don't Forget Floors
Radiant heat keeps floors the perfect temperature so you don't need to turn on the heat as much.
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Keep It Clean
Line up tops of windows and doors. It gives you a clean line around the room.
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Use Visual Tricks
Painting door panels 50% lighter than the full door gives them greater definition.
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Mix It Up
I like using a loveseat at the dining table. It makes it look less like a conference room.
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The Guest Room
The second-floor guest room under construction.
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Look Around
Taking pictures of neighboring houses inspired me to paint my front door darker.
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Find Your Style
Collecting and sorting magazine pages helped me focus my taste.
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Think Outside the Box
Children's mail-order catalogs are a surprising place for great lighting and accessories.
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Don't Over-Light
Rooms are often overlit with expensive recessed ceiling lights. Try a couple of sconces. They're much more pleasing.
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Control Your Light
Put every light on a dimmer — even the porch light.
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Let Porches Breathe
They need to be a minimum of six feet deep or there's no room for furniture.
I’m the Senior Editor of VERANDA.com, and you’ll also find me on our sister sites ELLEDECOR.com and Housebeautiful.com. I own far too many throw pillows, and dream of leaving my Brooklyn rental behind for a home I can wallpaper lavishly. Have a suggestion for the site (or for my dream home’s wallpaper)? I’d love to hear it via Twitter!
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