I’m not going to lie: choosing a lot of finishes at once—paint for walls, ceilings, trim and doors; cabinetry for two kitchens; and tile for six bathrooms plus two mudrooms and two kitchen backsplashes—has felt overwhelming at times. Even planning one bathroom can be a lot, and we’re doing six bathrooms, two kitchens, and ten other rooms at the same time. Still, we’ve managed to stay focused and learned a few practical lessons along the way that might help if you’re making many selections at once.
Whether you’re dealing with new construction and a flood of simultaneous choices or you’re renovating room-by-room while trying to keep everything cohesive, the same basic approach helps. We recently talked a bit about cabinet and tile choices on our podcast, but here we’ll show the selections together and explain the process we used to arrive at them. Many people wrestle with questions like these:
- Is this tile, paint color, or cabinetry the right choice?
- Will I regret this?
- How will everything look together?
- Am I being too safe or too bold?
- How can I actually make a decision when I keep circling back?
At this stage you’ve usually collected inspiration and developed a general plan. The next step is translating those images into actual products you can buy and paint colors you can apply—while staying within a budget. Here’s the process we use to stay organized and confident, instead of feeling like we’re throwing darts blindfolded.
First, Make a List
Start by listing every decision that needs to be made, then order that list by urgency. For us, the most urgent finish decisions are paint, tile, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, and lighting—these turn freshly drywalled rooms into real spaces instead of white boxes. How you organize the list is up to you: paper, notes app, or a spreadsheet once you begin ordering. We inventory what each space is wired for (pendant, can light, sconce, chandelier, fan) so nothing gets missed. Walking through the space and checking the floor plan helps ensure accuracy.
After a basic chart we usually move to a more visual list—a mood board or collage—so we can actually see how selections interact. That visual step is incredibly clarifying.
Then, Pick Your Star(s)
Rooms that have too many competing focal points can feel chaotic. We divide choices into stars and supporting players. Stars are the elements you want the eye to land on—bold wallpaper, a dramatic light, colorful doors, or an interesting rug. Supporting players are the neutral pieces that let the stars read clearly: a simple sofa, white vanities, or pale walls.
One of our decisions was to use colorful interior doors as a star on one side of the duplex. For that side we chose a muted pink door color and paired it with very light warm gray walls so the doors stand out without competing with busy walls. On the other side we picked a different door color—Oyster Bay green—to create a distinct personality while keeping consistent wall and trim choices across both sides.
For bathrooms we decided that playful floor tile reads better than an accent shower wall, which can be hidden by a door or curtain. Choosing the floor as the star simplified tile shopping because we could pair a fun patterned floor with simpler subway-style wall tile.
Next, Give Yourself Limiting Parameters
Limits are your friend when decision fatigue sets in. Budget, contractor constraints, or personal preferences (color, finish, size) narrow the field and make choices faster. Use site filters when shopping online to cut down options. We set parameters like avoiding very small tiles because, while patterned hex tiles look great, they are labor-intensive to install. We also limited tile materials to porcelain and ceramic for durability and low maintenance, immediately removing many higher-maintenance and higher-cost options from contention.
Within parameters, you can still be creative. For example, we found 4″x24″ porcelain plank tiles in three tones and decided to mix pink, white, and taupe to create a large-scale herringbone on a mudroom floor—an unexpected but cohesive move that kept installation easier than tiny hex tiles.
Lastly, Visualize Before You Finalize
When you have a shortlist, visualize the items together. We use Photoshop mood boards and room mockups, but you can use Pinterest boards, printed collages, or simple overlays. Seeing contenders grouped makes decisions obvious—what harmonizes, what competes, and what should be removed. After narrowing tile options, we placed selections into floor plan images for each side of the duplex to check placement and cohesion across mirrored layouts.
Duplex Tile, Cabinetry, & Paint
We didn’t plan a “pink side” and a “blue side,” but the two interior door colors nudged the design in that direction. Each side will still include mint accents, neutrals, and wood tones so the overall feel won’t be overly monochrome. Key finish choices include:
- Mudroom floor: mixed pink, white, and taupe porcelain plank tiles in a large-scale herringbone
- En-suite bathroom floor: patterned porcelain tile chosen for durability and visual interest
- Hall bathroom floor: coordinating porcelain tile, selected to balance pattern and practicality
- Kitchen backsplash: colorful porcelain tiles that read like cement but offer porcelain durability
- Kitchen lower cabinets: non-white stock cabinetry to keep kitchens playful (one side uses a gray-turquoise flat front, the other uses a beachy wood flat front)
- Interior doors: one side in a muted pink tone, the other in Oyster Bay green, both in semi-gloss
- Interior walls: a very light warm gray (Spare White) in eggshell across both sides
- Trim: Extra White in semi-gloss
We prioritized durable, floor-rated porcelain for wet areas to avoid slick surfaces and reduce maintenance. The bold floor tiles will be balanced by white vanities, light gray walls, white subway-esque shower tile, and natural wood accents throughout the rooms, so each bold element becomes a playful focal point rather than an overwhelming statement.
P.S. We shared a drywall tour and more context in a recent video tour where additional plans—like window changes in hall bathrooms and shelving in main bedrooms—are discussed for those interested in the broader layout and progress.