When building new, home buyers may be overwhelmed at the abundant choices and then suddenly find themselves in a designer role for their new home. Denver interior designers Lita Dirks and Tony Crasi, Akron, Ohio–based custom builders, offer up some of the biggest mistakes new buyers make as they design their new home.

Granite: Granite countertops may not be the “wow” factor with all buyers as they once were, the article notes. After all, even some apartments now come with granite. To up the “wow” factor, Dirks and Crasi recommend more uniform surfaces like quartz or quartzite.

Over-the-top ceilings: Ceiling details can be a nice touch but can also quickly become “overkill” if there’s too much, the designers say.

Cramped laundry and mud rooms: These spaces are often found right off the garage and are becoming a priority for buyers. But they can be too small. The larger they are, the more comfortable they’ll seem, and buyers will appreciate the storage.

Oversized islands: The island doesn’t need to take up the entire kitchen, dwarfing all else. If it does, the kitchen may need its layout tweaked or have the extra square footage go to somewhere else in the house.

Pantry doors: The doors often look like any other standard door in the house. “Don’t let it look like a bathroom; let it be part of the kitchen,” Crasi suggests. Try coordinating them with the cabinetry and using a different door for the pantry from the rest of the home.

See the designers’ other thoughts on mistakes at BUILDER.

Source: “Avoid These Seven Design Don’ts,” BUILDER (Jan. 26, 2016)

“Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission”