Christina Hall knows her way around a renovation. The HGTV star has done hundreds of them at this point; you can watch her renovation journeys on her HGTV shows, Christina on the Coast, Christina in the Country, and Flip or Flop. Anyone who’s completed their own reno knows it’s no small feat; now just imagine doing a renovation over and over and over again, and all the trials you go through during it are caught on camera.
With so many projects behind her, Hall is a renovation pro, and we spoke with her for her advice on what to consider when you’re starting a project of your own: Read on for her tips.
Pick When to Renovate Carefully
So, when is the best time to tackle your renovation project? Hall’s short answer: Whenever you are up to it. Hall knows as much as anyone how much work and money a renovation project can take.
“I think what’s really important for people to understand is that pricing has gone up quite a bit because of inflation,” she tells Better Homes & Gardens. “What maybe used to cost $50,000, can now cost nearly $100,000. I always suggest getting a couple of quotes and making sure that any contractors you consider using have good references.”
Taking the time to determine what your budget is, what each project will cost, and which projects or rooms are most important to you is the first step in renovating your home. Hall suggests getting all of those decisions agreed upon first, then worrying about the more time-consuming design details later.
Christina Collection Flooring
Mix Design Styles and Colors
Hall has noticed a shift in what design style homeowners are gravitating toward. She says that more people are steering away from cool tones and starting to use warmer and more natural tones.
“I’m seeing more medium-browns, in contrast to everything being all white oak. I love mixing colors—I love mixing blacks and natural woods especially,” Hall says.
Keeping to exclusively all one design style (like modern farmhouse, for example), is a thing of the past, according to Hall. She says design is trending towards mixing multiple design styles all in one home. Plus, combining multiple styles will help ensure a more timeless result from your renovation, as trends are always evolving. Pick what you like, not just what is popular this year.
Shop with Your Family and Lifestyle in Mind
Among her many other commitments (currently renovating 18 homes and flipping three!), Hall has also created her own flooring line, Christina Collection Flooring, as her latest business venture. She noticed that her clients were constantly looking for flooring that was affordable and durable, but still aesthetically pleasing, for their home renovation—so she created just that.
“When I developed this line, it was super important to me that the flooring was family-friendly,” Hall says. “We have kids and dogs, and I’ve had some past flooring in my own house that is not very durable and required a lot of maintenance. Christina Collection Flooring is waterproof and scratch-resistant, and a lot of my clients that have used it have been super happy.”
Purchasing high-quality and durable products for every part of your renovation is integral in making sure you can enjoy the fruits of your hard work for years to come. Think of what the products will come in contact with every day—this will help determine how durable you need them to be.
Know Your Style
One of the most common issues Hall runs into while working on a design project with clients is them not having a good understanding of what their desired style for their home truly is.
“I always have my clients show me inspiration photos for their desired design style,” Hall says. “Someone can always describe a style they like but when they see it in photos, it’s not always accurate to what they were picturing.”
Hall always advises her clients to search Pinterest and other design sources to help narrow down their home’s final design vision.
