WALKER DESIGN & CO

DESIGNING a New Home & Where to Start

With more families working and learning from home, the way we live has changed and I see so many families building new homes to fit their families’ changing needs. Four years ago, I turned my passion of interior design into my business. I’m a self-taught designer with a business degree and a background in the mortgage industry. My journey into this industry began when my husband started his career in the housing industry. We found ourselves touring these gorgeous homes and I was determined to bring that same look to my home! Today, I’m honored to have the privilege of sharing this gorgeous home which I had the opportunity to help design!

BY MALLORY WALKER WITH WALKER DESIGN & CO

“If you’re in the process of building a new home, the design process can easily feel overwhelming! When I start a new project, I like to begin the process with inspiration photos and from there I work through the floorplan and create a color scheme.”

So, what do I mean by inspiration photos? Anything you want your home to look like! Just that easy! Pinterest and Instagram are a great place to start. Model homes are a great option too! My idea is to start with the end in mind. It’s so important to know the look you want to achieve so you can communicate this with your team. Paint the picture so everyone shares the same vision. When I start a project with a client, this is where we start the process!

WHAT’S TRENDING? Transitional style, with clean lines. Less is most definitely more! Dream Home Makeover with Studio McGee is one of my favorites!

Think through your floorplan and then rethink it! What I mean is functionality is just as important as making your space look pretty! I’ve seen several changes to floorplans recently such as designated study spaces for those in school as well as home gyms. Once I think though the larger spaces on the floorplan, I like to go into more detail with the kitchen and bath cabinetry and plan my trim detail. There are so many great organizing solutions that can be built right into cabinets with a little planning!

WHAT’S TRENDING? I think pantries have received some much-needed love recently and walkthrough pantries are one of my favorite new trends!

“Its always a team effort so a big thank you to this sweet family for allowing me to serve them along their building experience as well as Gentry Custom Homes.”

Paint…and why is it so complicated? I like to start with deciding if were selecting a warm or cool color palette. Usually not a good idea to mix the two in my opinion! This home actually features Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige throughout, which I would consider a warm color but we cut the paint to keep the look light and bright! Cool grays typically with have a blue or purple undertone. Paint samples are always a good idea in my book! There are so many variables that can cause a paint selection to look different in your home compared to a photo; lighting plays a big role in this!

WHAT’S TRENDING? It’s called griege. It’s a mix of gray and beige which creates a soft and welcoming feel. As well as, bold colors on kitchen cabinetry, think greens and blues.