The 30% Rule and Other Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Home Renovation
Antique house parts might look killer—but chances are they’ll take three times as long to install (and therefore cost you a pretty penny in labor) and depending on the skill of your crew, always look a little janky. I know because—from a marble mantel salvaged from a Gloucester, Mass., sea captain’s house to Edwardian-era doorknobs—I bought almost nothing new for my first house. Which is why my bathroom doors never closed completely.
Don’t underestimate the exhaustion—both physical and decision fatigue—that long-term disruption to your home can cause. Around month 10 of our first project—when my husband worked nights and my 1-year-old son and I were sleeping in a closet—I came down with a raging case of stress-induced shingles.
Philadelphia interior designer Michelle Gage cites her own marathon renovation as a cautionary tale. “Clients sign up for the dream, but living through years of work is way different than scrolling ‘after’ shots on Instagram,” she said.
The best defense? Get all your design decisions out of the way upfront—preferably with a professional who can manage when your energy for minutiae inevitably flags. (Designers are pricey—but so is divorce.) Also: Devise a long-range calendar with your partner that includes travel, holidays, even date nights. “Make it part of your whole life or you will burn out,” said Gage. “I know because I did.”