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Guide to Interior Home Construction Projects

While some classic interior design elements age like fine wine, others date your home and may clash with your decoration style. Renovations and remodels take dated homes and make them sleek, beautiful and timeless, complementing your aesthetic and improving functionality. With some creative planning, the right interior design, experienced building professionals and the spirit of collaboration, you can give your home’s interior a 21st-century makeover you’ll adore for decades to come.

Understanding Home Interior Construction

Interior home construction can be remodeling or renovating. While many people use the terms interchangeably, others define a remodel as structural changes and a renovation as restoring or upgrading existing components to improve their condition. It might be more helpful to look at a project’s scope rather than trying to label it a remodel or a renovation.

For example, updating your pool house’s outdated trims, countertops and flooring with sleek new materials has a relatively small scope since most changes are cosmetic and don’t require new structures. However, transforming the space from an entertainment area into a self-contained living space with a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom is a much larger job. Extensive modifications or additions require more people and specialized trades, such as framers, roofers, plumbers and electricians.

1. What Is Interior Home Construction?

Construction involves a team of specialized builders working together with architects, designers and clients to bring their shared vision to life. You can knock down walls to make room for an open-concept living area, repaint your walls, replace older fixtures in your kitchen and many more creative, functional, stylish updates. Some other common interior changes homeowners make to renew their home’s appeal include:

• Removing aged carpeting.
• Removing dated kitchen cabinets.
• Adding accent colors or panels to walls.
• Taking down wallpaper or sanding off textured paint.
• Updating tubs, showers and sinks with newer fixtures.
• Installing hardwood or luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring.
• Replacing laminate countertops with marble, granite or quartz.
• Replacing fluorescent lighting with recessed or pendant LED bulbs.
• Installing architectural millwork, built-in cabinetry, decorative trim and crown molding.

2. Does Interior Design Involve Construction?

Interior designers and construction professionals work together to transform a dated space. Although their roles are different, they need to collaborate closely so they understand each other’s vision and capabilities. Both also liaise with the client regularly to ensure the best quality and satisfaction. The roles of the designer and building team are divided as follows:

Interior Designer

Your interior designer will be your creative sounding board. You’ll discuss color schemes, aesthetics, material preferences, concepts and other exciting details of your new space with them. The designer will then use your inspiration and directions to create visual examples of the final look through sketches, mood boards, three-dimensional models and images. They select specific materials and finishes, guide the construction team as they work and often style the space after the hard labor is completed.

Construction Team

The construction team is your boots on the ground, taking the ideas you discussed with the interior designer and physically installing them. They’ll determine if the creative ideas are doable with the existing space, structure and building codes; help the designer adjust if necessary; and then order the selected materials for the job. Builders also offer a unique perspective concerning the project’s logistics and scheduling, cost-efficacy and the maintenance requirements of each material. The building team will remove unwanted fixtures, install new ones and check in with the interior designer consistently to ensure they adhere to the ultimate vision.

Planning Your Home Interior Construction

The planning stage is an extremely exciting part of your home upgrade, second only to seeing the final result. When you plan your construction project, you need to decide on some essential parameters, including the style of your new space, how you’ll use the space, which finishes to choose, what your budget will be and who will carry out the construction work.

1. How Do You Design Your Own House Interior?

Before you make any decisions, research interior design styles and find what inspires and attracts you. With today’s vast array of options, you’ll need to know precisely what’s out there to get the most out of your interior home construction project. To cover all bases during the planning process, follow these steps:

1. Decide which areas of your house interior you want to modernize or transform.
2. Browse interior design websites, social media and magazines for inspiration.
3. Create a mood board or folder of styles, materials, aesthetics and functions you love.
4. Brainstorm ways to incorporate these preferences and finishes into your home.
5. Discuss your ideas with your interior designer to envision your perfect interior.

2. How Do You Optimize Your Space?

The flow of your home’s interior is just as important as its aesthetic. Moving through your living area should feel natural, comfortable and practical, with enough space for furniture and adequate privacy for bathrooms, offices, guest rooms and bedrooms. When you remodel your interior, you can change the layout of rooms and walls to suit your family’s needs better and improve the home’s ambience.

Open-Plan Living Spaces

Many older homes are built with labyrinths of smaller rooms and low ceilings, limiting how you can use and beautify your space. Open-plan or open-concept homes are convenient, easy to navigate and often more fun to decorate. They create shared spaces that help bring the family together and make the property feel spacious and contemporary. It makes sense that many home improvement projects center around opening up stifling spaces in older homes. 

It’s crucial to consult with a reputable building company when planning to knock down walls, as some walls may be load-bearing. Your construction team will work with you to determine the best way to optimize your space while preserving your home’s structural integrity and complying with building codes.

Adding Extra Rooms

Some homes, in contrast, have more open space than furniture and fixtures can realistically fill, like commercial or industrial spaces that have been repurposed for residential living. In these situations, you can add useful, small storage spaces like a pantry, walk-in closet or mudroom, or you could divide large spaces into two or three sections, creating extra bedrooms with privacy and zoned temperature control.

3. Which Interior Finishes Should You Choose?

The materials and finishes popular in the 1990s differ from today’s more streamlined, versatile, elegant choices. When renovating your home, consider both which current trends you love and what design ideas will hold up well against home buyers’ ever-evolving tastes. Timeless, classic looks are always the best investment if you’re not planning on renovating again soon. Some quintessential finishes for future-proof interior design include:

• Straight, neutral hardwood floors made from classic species like maple, walnut and oak.
• Natural stone like marble, soapstone or granite for countertops, backsplashes and fireplace decor.
• Bronze, copper or matte black fixtures like faucets, handles, pendant lights and accents.
• Neutral hues like white, beige, gray or greige for interior wall paint.

4. How Do You Determine Your Budget?

Review your finances and decide how much you want to invest in your home. Remember that remodeling often adds value to the property above cost recovery, meaning you’ll earn money from certain renovations if you ever sell your home. Hardwood floor refinishing, for example, provides 147% cost recovery, and installing new wood flooring 118% cost recovery. Set aside a bit of incidental funding in case any unexpected structural issues are found that need fixing during the remodel.

Depending on your income and the history of your building, you may have several financing options for home renovations. These options include state-funded historic building preservation grants, construction or personal loans, cash-out refinance plans, home equity lines of credit (HELOC) and tax benefits.

Refurbishing Historic Homes

If you own a historically significant property and want to refurbish your historic home without compromising its authentic cultural heritage and distinctive look, you’ll need to work closely with an expert building team trained to replicate older techniques and aesthetics. Reputable and experienced construction companies will research the property’s history, liaise with local historic preservation offices, contact zoning authorities and preserve the structure’s essence using the same building methods the original builders used.

Our historic home renovation team starts by researching your home’s history and architecture. We also contact zoning authorities and the local historic preservation office to ensure any construction plans are up to code and meet historic preservation standards and regulations. We use the same tools and techniques as the original builders did to restore your historic home.

Sourcing Materials and Staying on Budget

After you’ve planned your design, considered return on investment and decided on your budget, it’s time to source and purchase materials and fixtures for the project. If you’re working with a full-service company like Lotus Building Group, they will source and ship the specific stone, wood, trims and fixtures you’ve selected as part of their service. You’ll discuss your established budget with the interior designer upfront, and they will calculate how to stay on budget while satisfying all your preferences.

You might be tempted to do some of the work yourself, without the help and expertise of a designing and building crew. However, many renovation tasks require specialized skills to achieve a high-quality finish. Hanging drywall, installing tile and building cabinets are best left to experienced professionals. Additionally, they may have access to builder or bulk discounts or wholesalers, allowing them to get a better price or more options than you could arrange on your own.

Lotus Building Group’s Interior House Construction Services

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your bathroom or repurpose and beautify an entire building, Lotus Building Group can take on the challenge and produce spectacular, timely results. Our growing construction and design portfolio demonstrates our passion for quality and dedication to seeing our client’s vision through to completion. Some home interior construction projects we’re proficient at include:

1. Bathroom Updates

When you buy or inherit an older home, its bathrooms are often dated. We’re well-versed in bringing bathrooms back to life and into the 21st century with custom tiling and trim, access to exquisite materials and fixtures and experience transforming bathrooms of all shapes and sizes to client specifications. See our Canton home bathroom renovations for just one example of the high-end results you can expect when partnering with Lotus Building Group.

2. Custom Cabinetry

If you have a specific vision and intention for your storage spaces, cupboards and vanities, you’ll adore our custom cabinetry options. We let you pick the color, shape, finish and layout you prefer, and we discuss options, materials, pricing and function with you for a holistic approach to renovation. We craft our cabinets in our custom shop for expert attention to detail, conveniently avoiding third-party contractors.

3. Kitchen Renovations

Homeowners spent the most on kitchen renovations out of all interior remodeling projects in 2021, and trends suggest the heart of the home will continue to receive love and care into the future. We’re delighted at this enthusiasm, as kitchen renovations are one of our specialties. Our airy open-concept kitchens with stately islands and custom-made cabinets can be designed around any style choice and furnished with state-of-the-art appliances that add to the space’s aesthetic.

4. Eliminating Walls for an Open Concept

Open-plan designs apply to more rooms than the main kitchen. They are excellent options for detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs), living rooms, entire floors or even whole buildings for that ultra-modern feel. With open-concept homes, flooring and lighting are crucial design choices, and our interior experts will walk you through the best options for your space, style and personality.

5. Remodeling Bonus Rooms

Bonus rooms can serve whatever purpose you desire, so they’re prime candidates for remodeling. We can transform your underutilized bonus room into practically anything — your own personal library, a child-friendly play area for the little ones, an at-home music studio or a personalized office space designed for your specific professional needs.

6. New Master and Guest Bedrooms

Whether you prefer the cozy warmth of real wood and earth tones, the crisp lines of contemporary minimalism, or the opulent aesthetic of high-end luxury, our team can manifest your dream bedroom. With Lotus Building Group, you can remodel a bonus room into a spectacular guest bedroom or renovate your existing primary bedroom to reflect your needs and unique style — think custom vanities, bespoke trims, walk-in closets with sprawling mirrors, crystal chandeliers and more.

7. Mudroom Makeovers

While the name is hardly glamorous, every established household benefits from a functionally built, beautifully finished mudroom, acting as a buffer between outside grime and your home’s pristine interior. Our custom shop can craft shoe racks and storage cabinets according to your exact specifications and coordinate their appearance with the surrounding room.

8. Pantry Refurbishing

A renovated pantry can vastly improve your cooking experience, making it easier to store and access ingredients, decluttering your main kitchen area, preserving perishables out of direct sunlight and improving the flow of your home. You can add a pantry as a new room to your open-plan kitchen or remodel an existing space, such as a scullery or cleaning supply storage area.

Why Trust Lotus Building Group As Your Interior Design Builder?

At Lotus Building Group, we’re dedicated to exceptional quality and outstanding client relations in both remodeling and full contracting services. Our team of experienced, highly skilled designers, carpenters, tile installers and construction experts have brought Tennessee homeowners’ visions to life for years. Lotus Building Group’s high-end, one-stop shop system simplifies the remodel for the client and produces industry-leading results that enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Lotus Building Group is a licensed and insured construction company spearheaded by passionate, environmentally conscious cofounders Keegan and Haleigh Fioravanti. Their commitment to sustainability and design-forward construction is changing the landscape of Tennessee real estate, both residential and commercial. Moreover, their chief financial officer, Mary Elizabeth Hulsey, is a nationally recognized interior designer and natural stone and tile expert whose work has made ripples in contemporary home design in books, magazines and television.

Reinvigorate and Modernize Your Home With Lotus Building Group

If you’re ready to transform your home with exquisite craftsmanship and elevate it with stunning modern design features, contact us today. We readily serve homeowners and businesses in Nashville, Davidson County and Williamson County, Tennessee, and offer a wide range of premium services, from custom furniture to full-building construction.