Flooring
Foot feel and durability are the first principles. In terms of size, longer and wider planks are preferred for living rooms, dining rooms, and hallways (e.g., 7–9" wide, 48–72" long) for fewer seams and a cleaner space; medium sizes can be used in bedrooms to control costs. For category selection, first look at the substrate and stability: solid wood has the best texture but is sensitive to temperature and humidity; engineered wood balances foot feel and stability; SPC/LVP is the most durable, water-resistant, and scratch-resistant, suitable for kitchens and homes with pets. The surface material determines the burden of maintenance: wide-open textures and high-gloss finishes are more challenging to clean, while lightly textured, low-sheen (matte/silk) finishes are more timeless and better at hiding footprints. If pursuing silence and foot feel, use a high-density acoustic underlayment instead of simply "stacking" thickness under the floor. The final selection order is: first, determine the living scenario and maintenance threshold, then the category and substrate, and finally, choose the color within the same series; don't let "good looks" decide everything.
For the average person choosing flooring, you only need to look at a few things. Prioritize solid wood, the thicker the better. Options around $6–$10/sq ft are usually quite good. Light-colored oak is currently popular, and a cool-grey color is also trending—it depends on personal preference. The fewer the knots/speckles, the more expensive the price. A clever way to handle this is to select normal-speckled planks and have the installer pick out the ones with fewer speckles to be laid in the living room or large open areas—that's an option, too. Dark walnut has a more classic and substantial feel. It's best to match the color with your cabinets.
There are many flooring suppliers in the Bay Area, and the differences are generally small. The previously mentioned Floor & Decor has options, but there are also Jianfeng, etc. Be sure to feel and press the samples yourself. Wide and long planks are currently popular. Flooring should be laid continuously (通铺); note that at the junction with the bathroom, if the flooring is thick, the bathroom and exterior will be flush. If thin flooring is chosen, there will be a small step. This is another reason why thick flooring is recommended.
Besides the flooring, you also need to choose moulding. You can mindlessly go to The Moulding Company, which specializes in floor trim, door casings—they have hundreds of styles to choose from, offer free shipping, and allow returns. The pricing is straightforward.
Walls
The wall surface determines the "ambiance" of the home. In terms of size, first determine the proportion of white space and the separation lines, then define the scope of the single-surface accent wall, to avoid every wall competing for attention. The category should be chosen from "Emulsion Paint | Wallpaper/Wall Covering | Wainscoting/Wood Veneer" based on the maintenance threshold: emulsion paint is the most cost-effective and offers a flexible palette; wall coverings/wallpaper enhance texture and warmth, but you must accept seams and corner maintenance; wood veneer or wainscoting provides the best atmosphere, but heavily depends on the wood grain and budget. Material and coating must be judged by environmental friendliness and feel: low VOC, matte or eggshell finishes show better texture and tolerance, while semi-gloss is suitable for local areas that require scrubbing. Color selection first depends on lighting and flooring: use warm gray beige to raise the temperature in spaces with more cool light, and use a cooler gray-white to neutralize if the wood floor is yellowish. The final sequence is: first determine the base color and matte level, then use one area of textured material as a focal point, avoiding "high saturation" of texture and color simultaneously.
Paint: two choices, Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore. A good method is to check out the mainstream color schemes and buy based on the style. If the store owner is present, you can ask them for help; they are very experienced. Otherwise, with dozens of shades of white alone, choosing is very difficult. Simply try to choose a lighter but non-reflective color, and the ceiling can be whiter. Homeowners with strong color coordination skills can fully express themselves. We chose only a few main colors for speed: ceiling, living room walls, and bedroom walls.
Interior walls should ideally be Level 5 smooth, otherwise, they will look like orange peel. (It's best to specify this before signing the contract with the GC, otherwise, a last-minute addition will be a significant expense).
Exterior walls: three colors—main color, trim color, and accent color. The same logic applies. However, for exterior walls, there are two types: stucco (cement) and siding (wood panels). Stucco is more modern, more durable, and more expensive; it is currently popular ($20,000). Siding, or wood panels, has different types of boards and installation methods, which also look great, but require maintenance every 5-6 years (over $9,000). Ultimately, we chose siding, as it better suits the feel of our neighborhood.
Lighting and Smart Appliances
The underlying logic of lighting is "layering + color rendering + glare control." In terms of size, look at illuminance and beam angle: for living and dining rooms, use a 60–90° medium-wide beam for general lighting, and use 24–36° spotlights for focal points; in bedrooms, reduce ceiling brightness, as side and back lighting are more relaxing. The category sequence is to first determine "ambient light (ceiling) → area light (countertop/reading) → accent light (decoration/wall washing)," and then decide on the "downlight/spotlight/track/linear" combination, avoiding relying only on a circle of "light strips + high-brightness everywhere." For materials and parameters, focus on color temperature and color rendering index (CRI): 2700–3000K for main lighting throughout the house is more home-like, while kitchen countertops and vanity areas can go up to 3500K for improved clarity; CRI ≥ 90, with R9 > 50 for more natural skin tones. Glare is controlled by the structure and position of the fixtures, choosing an optical design with low UGR, and avoiding a direct view of linear lights; dimmability adds another layer of ambiance to the space, so choose a compatible dimming solution (0–10V or consistent leading/trailing edge). The final sequence is: first draw a plan of "light usage," then select the fixture type and beam angle according to the usage, and finally choose the appearance and uniform color temperature.
You can buy lights on Amazon, choosing multiple settings, and they must be dimmable. Pair them with a good smart switch, such as the old Kasa or the new Tapo. Most have the Matter protocol, but my own experience suggests this protocol is rather useless.
In addition, there can be a small server room for connecting various network cables and monitors. For homes with a large area, one or two network cables extending to different areas, plus a mesh network (connection), are very useful for a home office.
For indoor and outdoor monitoring, I chose ReoLink + Ring mainly because there are no monthly fees and it's relatively convenient. Note that some cameras are PoE (Power over Ethernet), meaning the network cable can directly supply power, while others require a separate power cord. Therefore, you need to communicate the wiring well with the General Contractor (GC) before the walls are closed up.
The light fixtures for the island and dining room can be purchased at a lighting store, where they are relatively expensive, ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. Good options include RH (at Stanford Shopping Mall) and some lighting stores in Atherton. These are considered high-end. If you plan to buy high-quality light fixtures, remember to design the ceiling to be raised or vaulted; otherwise, the sophistication of the fixtures won't be noticeable, and the space might feel oppressive instead.
Hidden LED strip lighting is also very popular, typically used in bathrooms, wet bars, cabinets, island toe kicks, and other areas. You need to discuss this with your contractor beforehand to reserve space for the transformer and power supply, otherwise, a seamless installation will not be possible.
Additionally, the lighting layout greatly impacts the design aesthetic of a home. Especially lights positioned below the line of sight can make the home feel more layered. You can reserve power outlets, for example, on the floor under the sofa. Certain walls can accommodate sconces, etc. Many sconces can also be battery-operated, so they can still be installed even if you forget to add a power source. These can all be considered after the main construction is complete, as long as the outlets and wiring are planned in advance.
Most light switches are compatible with Amazon; Alexa is worth getting. Also, the recommended mesh network by TP-Link is very easy to install.
Curtains
Curtains determine lighting and view. First, assess the window opening size and orientation, then determine the curtain width and layers. Main types include: Roman shades (rich layering), zebra blinds (precise light control), sheer curtains (soft light, breathable), fabric curtains (best texture but require maintenance), Venetian blinds (easy to clean), and roller blinds (simple and modern).
Selection logic: For large living/dining room windows, use double layers (sheer + blackout) for day-night switching; bedrooms should prioritize blackout, ensuring enough track width is reserved to prevent light leakage; kitchens and bathrooms should prioritize moisture-proof and oil-resistant materials. Material depends on fabric density and craftsmanship: for blackout curtains, look at gram weight and fit; for sheer curtains, choose soft, well-draping fabric.
Our plan: Bedrooms use double-layer curtains - inner blackout track + Roman shade, outer semi-transparent Roman shade (in hindsight, a zebra blind might be more convenient for daytime use); Living room uses a zebra blind; Patio doors use double-layer fabric curtains + sheer curtains, with added electric motors.
For purchasing, curtains in the US are outrageously expensive, and most are imported from China anyway. Curtains weren't particularly urgent, so I bought temporary curtains NIGHTON Portable Blackout Curtains on Amazon first. Then I compared several suppliers on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and finally chose one. We asked the decorator to help with the measurements and sent them to the supplier. They arrived in about a month and a half. Luckily, the size was just right, and installation was very smooth. When choosing, prompt responsiveness is essential. One company had a beautiful website and a nice Xiaohongshu profile, but they told me to look at the website myself for communication. As a first-time buyer, I had many questions and often needed adjustments, which made that unrealistic, so I passed. The other two were both good, but one was clearly 20% more expensive. I finally chose the third one. Communication was consistently smooth, and they were also very helpful in answering my domestic-related questions. They felt very reliable. When one or two parts had issues, they reshot the installation video and immediately mailed the replacement parts. I am very satisfied. The overall price (including shipping) was about half of the US price.
Furniture
Furniture selection can be done slowly; if old furniture is still usable, it won't affect living. You can check out West Elm and Living Spaces in the US. Alternatively, you can visit furniture markets in Foshan, China, where there are many options, but be careful about scams. If shipping furniture from China by sea, it's best to buy enough at once or consolidate shipping (group buy), otherwise it's not cost-effective.
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