Your 2026 Remodel Starts Now: 5 Design Decisions to Make Before the New Year
Overhead view of a colorful interior design mood board featuring sage tiles, plum and lavender paint swatches, coral fabric, brass hardware, and natural stone samples arranged on a designer’s workspace.
December isn’t just a month of celebration. It’s the quiet breath before the new year begins. For homeowners in Southwest Florida (and snowbirds settling in for the season), it’s also the ideal moment to start planning a remodel or home update.
Whether you’re preparing for a full renovation or simply refreshing a few key spaces, the truth is:
The success of your remodel is determined long before the first hammer swings.
This is the planning season.
This is where clarity is created.
This is where great remodels begin.
Whether you're reading this in December, January, or anywhere in the new year, the best time to begin your remodel planning is always now—before construction season fully ramps up.
Design decisions made early lead to clearer budgets, fewer delays, and a smoother project flow. If you're thinking about refreshing or remodeling your home in 2026, starting your design work now gives you the calm foundation you need for everything that comes next.
Colorful living room with sage green plant, coral throw pillow, teal ceramic vase, and soft amethyst accents in natural light, styled to evoke a calm and intentional atmosphere.
1. Get Clear on How You Want the Space to Feel
Most remodels start with what you want to change.
The best remodels start with how you want to live.
Ask yourself:
Do I want more calm?
More light?
Better flow?
A space that feels fresh and uncluttered?
A home that supports my lifestyle, not drains it?
When your remodel starts with emotion and intention, design decisions feel easier — and your final space feels meaningful.
Designer Tip:
When I walk into a client’s home, I’m looking for the energetic gaps — areas where the home isn’t aligned with who you are today.
This becomes the roadmap for the entire project.
Side-by-side conceptual interior showing a cluttered layout on one side and a colorful, harmonious layout with improved flow on the other.
2. Identify What’s Not Working in Your Current Layout
Before picking paint colors or materials, identify your functional pain points.
Typical examples I see in SWFL homes:
Kitchens with poor prep flow
Primary baths that feel busy or cramped
Living rooms overloaded with furniture
Dark or heavy-feeling spaces
Guest rooms that don’t feel welcoming
Outdated finishes that drag down the whole home
Function drives design — not the other way around.
Stylish overhead flat lay of coordinated design materials including coral textiles, sage greens, lavender swatches, and teal accents arranged into a cohesive interior palette.
3. Choose a Cohesive Style (Before Contractors Get Involved)
Your home doesn’t have to match every trend — but it does need design direction.
Whether you’re drawn to coastal calm, modern Zen, organic neutrals, or colorful wellness spaces, choosing a style early prevents expensive mistakes.
This also helps:
✔ guide contractors
✔ reduce decision fatigue
✔ create visual flow
✔ avoid remodel regret
Designer Tip:
This is where mood boards, color psychology, and space imaging come in.
In my design process, clients often discover a style that feels like “home” — not just “pretty.”
Close-up of colorful interior materials such as stone, tile, fabric, and metal finishes laid out neatly on a table in a designer’s workspace.
4. Build Your Materials List Now (Supply Delays Are Real)
Even the simplest remodel can get delayed by:
unavailable tile
discontinued cabinets
material shortages
shipping delays
unclear lead times
December is the perfect month to:
✔ pick tile
✔ finalize flooring
✔ approve cabinet finishes
✔ choose countertops
✔ select lighting
✔ confirm hardware
This gives contractors everything they need to start 2026 strong — and it gives you peace of mind.
Interior designer reviewing with client colorful material samples and a digital room mockup during a design consultation session.
5. Schedule Your Designer — Not Just a Contractor
This is the piece homeowners overlook most.
Contractors execute.
Designers plan.
The most seamless remodels happen when the design vision, materials, layout, functionality, and wellness-driven flow are locked in before construction begins.
A designer helps you avoid:
unnecessary spending
mismatched selections
miscommunication between trades
frustration
decision overwhelm
layout mistakes that are expensive to fix
A remodel is a collaboration — and design is the foundation.
Colorful, calming interior vignette featuring a sage plant, lavender throw, teal vase, and warm natural light, representing a peaceful home environment.
Ready to Make 2026 Your Year of Renewal?
If a remodel, refresh, or energetic shift is on your mind, I’d love to help you create a space that truly supports the life you’re stepping into—no matter the month.
Schedule a design consultation anytime you’re ready to explore your options, get clarity, or begin mapping out your 2026 project with intention.
Schedule Your Design Consultation Here
Let’s make your home your sanctuary.
—
Nikki Bruty, NDICQ Certified Designer
Mindful Design SWFL
Feng Shui-Informed, Wellness-Focused Interior Design
Sunday, December 12, 2025
Colorful watercolor background with the Mindful Design logo featuring a rainbow-hued tree over a moon. Below it, text reads: ‘Nikki Bruty, NDICQ Certified Designer • Mindful Design SWFL • Feng Shui–Informed, Wellness-Focused Interior Design.’
