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Signs You’re Ready To Build A New Home

You’ve thought about it. Then thought about it some more. And thought about it some more. You know what you want and what you don’t want. You have ideas in your head and written down on little notepads throughout your home. You know that this is the right move and you’re ready to take the next step into custom building your home.

You’re financially stable. You’re secure in your job. You have some money saved. You’ve done the math. If the numbers look right, you’re ready to rock and roll.

You’ve outgrown your current living space. When you first started living in your current home, it made sense at the time. Whether your family has grown or you just feel like you need a little more room, you know that you have outgrown your current living situation and it’s time to upgrade.

You know what your life will look like in 10-20 years. When building/renovating your home, you should know that you plan to live there for at least the next five years. If you know this and you’re ready for it, building a new home or renovating/upgrading your current home makes total sense.

You have a builder in mind. The builder you choose will affect your overall experience, so make sure it’s someone you trust. And if you can’t think of anyone, might we make a suggestion?

Call us at Snell Construction and let’s build you a forever home that is perfectly suited for your every need for the years to come.

Choosing your Custom Design

When working with a custom builder, there are a lot of questions you have to ask yourself before you start working on designs. Here are three questions to get your imagination flowing and to make the process a bit easier.

What qualities of your current home do you like the most?Think of all the qualities of your current home that you want to reflect into your custom built home. Do you enjoy how much storage you have in your current home? Make sure to keep that quality in your new custom built home. Can’t imagine yourself without your mudroom? Make sure to keep a designated mudroom in your new space.

Where do you spend the most time? For example, if your family spends a majority of time in the living room, put some extra thought into designing that area. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen but feel that your current kitchen is too small, think about creating a larger, more accommodating kitchen space. If you and your family are always fighting over the bathroom, think about adding another custom built bathroom into your new space.

Open or closed concept floor plan? If you are thinking of an open concept floor plan, knock out as many doors and walls as possible to allow your family to feel together, even when in separate rooms. Open floor plans are great for entertaining. If you decide to go with a closed concept floor plan, you will have dedicated spaces for each different room, allowing for more privacy. *Make sure to check out our in depth blog on open vs closed floor plans here.

Be sure to talk to your family about what they’re looking for in your custom built home to get a better idea of the game plan, and then call us at Snell Construction to help make your dream a reality.

Spring Into Spring


Spring is coming! Time for spring cleaning…and spring decorating! Here’s a few ideas on how to transition your home with the season.

Time for bright colors! Replace your deep jewel toned blankets and throw pillows with something a bit brighter (think yellows, light blues and pastels). If you can, add some bright artwork into your space as well.

Replace your heavier winter curtains with something more light and airy. After all, we finally have a few more hours of daylight, so enjoy it! Less is more in the spring, so even something as simple as adding a few lightly scented candles and glass vases will make a noticeable change.

Add some flowers into the mix. Tulips, daisies and peonies will bring the feeling of spring into your home. A small flower arrangement on a table or windowsill is enough to do the trick, but feel free to add a floral arrangement in every room if you feel like it!

Out with the winter blues…in with the spring “woo-hoo’s!”

Mixing Modern and Traditional Furniture

When building and planning a new custom home, most people love a modern feel, where everything feels fresh and new. But what about the old couch that you inherited from your great-great-grand parents that you just don’t have the heart to get rid of? Let’s go over a few quick ways to mix modern decor with antique pieces.

1.) If you have a Victorian-esque sofa and/or chairs, pair them with a modern coffee table.

2.) Any antique mirror will look great hanging in a modern room. Not much work to do there!

3.) Cover old chairs in more modern fabric. Reupholstering antique furniture will breathe new life into the pieces.

4.) Put modern lamps on an antique table, or antique lamps on a modern table.

5.) An antique chandelier hanging in a room full of modern fixtures will add lots of character.

6.) A gorgeous antique rug will bring influence and tradition to any space.

7.) Antique bathtubs are an amazing focal point for any bathroom. Keep the sinks and appliances more modern.

Antiques can bring a feeling of warmth and tradition into a home, and these ideas will help you get started. Happy decorating!

Prep Your Kitchen For The Holidays (Or Any Day)

As we write this, Easter is 45 days away. As we all have learned by now, time flies, so we might as well say Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas are right around the corner. If you’ve decided to host a holiday dinner at your home, things can get pretty stressful. Here’s a checklist to reference to make sure your kitchen is ready for the action.

1.) Clean up any mail, bills or paperwork that might be strewn across your countertops. Make sure to wipe the counters down.

2.) This is the perfect time to clean out your refrigerator. During your gathering, many people will be opening the fridge to grab drinks, condiments, etc. Make sure the door handles and shelves inside are clean.

3.) Wipe down the inside and outside of your microwave, making sure there’s no evidence of food splatter or mess.

4.) Take a wet rag and clean the outside of your oven, making sure to also do a cleaning around the top burners. If you’re going to run the self-clean cycle on your oven, try to do it a few days before your party instead of the day of.

5.) Wash down your trash cans, paying special attention to the food and gunk that can collect at the bottom.

6.) Sharpen your knives and polish your silverware. Make sure your kitchen is stocked with all the necessities.

Whether it’s a holiday party, a family gathering or you just feel like doing some spring cleaning, following this checklist will assure that your kitchen is ready to be put to good use!

Throw The Perfect House Warming Party

You’re all moved in to your new custom built home. Your state of the art kitchen is waiting to be put to use, and your living area is the perfect place to sit around and chat for hours with family and friends. What better way to show off your new home than to have a house warming party?

Make sure your home is ready for guests. Try to unpack any and all cardboard boxes and make your home feel comfy, cozy and welcoming. If you can’t get all your boxes unpacked, it’s fine. It adds to the “just moved in” charm. Add some decorations such as table cloths, hanging lights, candles and pictures. Put some music on in the background to make sure your guests are entertained. If you feel up to it, cook your first grand meal in your new kitchen! If not, try to cater some food from a local restaurant so you have more time to relax and hangout. And don’t forget to give your guests what they came for: a grand tour! Show off your new house and most importantly, have fun!

Don’t Disregard Your Garage

You’ve spent hours upon hours racking your brain (and Google) for inspiration and ideas on things you’d love to incorporate into your new kitchen, living room and bedroom. Totally understandable, we get it…but what about your garage? Your garage is essentially an extension of your home, so it would only make sense to start focusing on the details, design and functionality of your garage as well.


– Select a garage door that will make your home stand out. Make sure it’s of a higher quality since garage doors will inevitably take abuse from being opened and closed multiple times a day. Try to choose doors that have a similar design to your entryway doors, as it will help to make your home look and feel coordinated.


– “It’s the inside that counts.” Add lots of shelving and storage. This will help to keep your garage clean and organized. Think about what you will most likely be storing in your garage (tools, sports equipment, boxes of holiday decorations) and plan accordingly.


– Make it your own. In todays world, garages no longer have to function solely as a parking and storage area. Most people turn their garage into their mancave, home office or game room. Analyze your wants and needs, call us here at Snell Construction, and let’s design your garage.

How Interior Paint Colors Affect Your Mood

Blue This color will clear your mind and help you feel calm and relaxed. Be sure to stick to light, warm shades of blue as pastel blues can make the room feel cold. Best used in bedrooms, offices and bathrooms.

Purple The historical color of royalty. Deep purples are sophisticated, romantic and luxurious. Best used in bedrooms and dining rooms.

Green Green will reduce anxiety and is known to help clear your mind. Plus, it’s one of the easiest colors on the eyes. Best used in bedrooms, bathrooms, offices and living rooms.

Red Red is the most intense color and is known to help stir up conversation and excitement. Best used in dining rooms and living rooms.

White White will make your home feel more spacious and open and give a feeling of purity and cleanliness. Can be used in any room of your choice but is especially popular in the kitchen as it gives off a more modern feel.

These are just a few of many paint color options. Research some other colors and start to get acquainted with paint!

Six Home Improvements that add the Most Value

Have no fear, Snell Construction is here…to help you make the most out of your renovations! Here’s a list of six home improvements that can increase the value of your home.

1.) Kitchen Renovation

The kitchen is the central gathering place. Making even just simplest of updates such as the cabinetry, countertops and appliances can increase the value of your home.

2.) Paint & Flooring

Freshly painted rooms make for a clean and updated looking house and can give it new life. Adding paint will spruce up the home. Outdated carpets and flooring can easily decrease the value of your home. Opt instead for hardwood floors, as they tend to make your home look more sharp and sophisticated.

3.) Bathroom Renovation

Along with the kitchen, the bathroom is one of the most important rooms that you can update to benefit your home. Adding his and hers sinks, new tile and updating the cabinetry will add more appeal.

4.) Lighting

Recessed lighting can make your room feel bigger because it takes up less visual space in the room. You can choose between different trim, lights and reflectors and they can really upgrade your room. Dimmer switches are an upscale touch that will make your home more energy-efficient and broaden the appeal for your home.

5.) Finished Basement

Putting a living room, bedroom or bathroom in the basement may seem kind of plain and boring, but most people like having the extra space and basic rooms will allow potential future buyers to decide what they would like to use the basement for.

6.) Landscaping

Fresh cut green lawns and potted plants add curb appeal. Make sure to keep up with your landscaping, because it’s the first thing people notice when they drive by!

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Work from home…in style!

Having a home office can be extremely convenient. Whether you work from home full time, commute to work all week and occasionally have to bring some paper work home with you to execute over the weekend or sit in the home office once a month just to pay bills, you’ll want to keep the space as organized and stimulating as possible. Snell Construction is here to help you with ways to create a happy and productive home work space!

Not only do you want your brain to stay energized, you want to keep your senses invigorated as well. Place some candles or essential oil diffusors around your office to help keep you motivated. Peppermint scents are extremely refreshing, citrus scents will uplift and destress and cinnamon scents are known to help improve your focus.

Optimizing your lighting will reduce eye strain that comes from trying to read in low light. If your home office isn’t in a well lit area, adding some bright white bulbs will make a huge difference.

Keeping your space organized is essential. Shelving and lots of storage will help keep everything in its place. No more stressing over where you put this paper or where that file went. Designate a shelf or a drawer for each particular item and you’ll be orderly and efficient.

During one home renovation, we added French doors to the home office. This is a great way to make the space feel open, yet private at the same time. You can close the doors to keep the noise out, but the windowed view will still allow you to keep an eye on what’s going on elsewhere.

Adding motivational artwork throughout your home office space can do just that…motivate you! Do some online shopping and find a piece of artwork with a message that speaks to you. Our personal favorite…”Remember why you started.” If you’re having a down day and are starting to feel discouraged, these motivational messages can help you get back on your feet and back to the grind.

Let Snell Construction buckle down and get to work on creating your home office so you can buckle down and get to work…from home!