What says "quality" to you?

[MaudieDonkers]

We been renovating a tiny Cotswold cottage and I'm now having to choose the internal features, everything from flooring to taps, kitchen to multi-fuel stove. I want a really high standard of finish and a quality feel but don't want to go overboard by buying the most expensive of everything (even if I could afford to) if in reality one type of 'say' light fitting/paint/bannister rail is much like another. So ... as the question says, what are the quality features you look for in a house? Any recommendations on suppliers would also be really appreciated.

Real materials so if it looks like wood it should be wood, granite marble etc.

With fittings I'd say stick to one finish so e.g. everything in brushed stainless steel

Go and handle everything you're thinking off and see if it feels good quality, does it feel like you could accidentally break it? Does the paint look like it'll start flaking off?...

Less is more, too..nothing fussy, just good clean lines and understated elegance always looks more expensive

In a cottage? Real materials definitely. Plain lines. Substantial feel. Avoid blond wood, laminate, lots of chrome, big flower pattern walls, other 90s/naughties DIY looks. Pine is ok if you have it dark wax rubbed to bring up the grain, but nothing orangey obv.

On trim, (if appropriate) high skirting boards (MDF is ok here once beautifully painted), deep wooden windowsills, substantial architrave. Not fussy or elaborate, just substantial and wooden.

Super matt paint (hardwearing trade paint like Leyland HWM is now supermatt enough, just get it mixed to match a chalky matt "heritage" colour from F&B or Little Greene etc).

Flush lightsockets. Brass is back atm if you want brass, look at worldofbrass.

Agree with above - natural materials and simple and elegant. BUT whatever you use it has to be a fantastic finish ie no gaps, paint runs, wonky plugs..

I always, always look at the finish of things. Doors, plastering, skirtings and even the radiators. The neatness of the house if you like!

The finish is what matters to me after the people have their belongings out!

practicality. No butler sinks, no poncey free-standing baths against walls thus creating a huge dirt trap, ditto sinks that look like bowls standing on surfaces.

no wooden worktops that need maintenance. Kitchen cupboards well thought out so things actually fit. No dust traps. Light fittings without unnecessary extra bulbs, placed so they actually illuminate. Curtains that keep heat in and light out when closed, but get out of the way when open. And so on.

hard floorings that will take being walked on and are easy clean.

Windows in a style and material appropriate to the period of the house. Nothing says "crappy and cheap corner-cutting refurb" like uPVC.

Authentic materials - real wood, real granite, real marble. The same materials used consistently. Three different colours of fake wood flooring downstairs suggests they're bargain bin-ends, not a design feature.

Real doors, made of heavy wood, not pre-formed hollowcore and heaven knows what.

Preserved or properly restored decorative plasterwork.

Muted colours.

The thing that always shouts "expensive" to me (because it is, very) is bespoke joinery. Really well made kitchens, bathrooms and shelves make me green with envy.

Thank you so much for all your comments. We are fortunately having a handmade kitchen (weird shape so had to) and granite. I do have a couple of bits of pine furniture that I'm fond of but not too much. Good note about things like the window sills, light fittings, etc - best not to leave anything to the builder. Fortunately the decoraton should be professional - I'm not doing it!! There is just so much to think of hence my plea for help. Thank you.

Good quality lined generous curtains
Good quality plain carpet
Lots of storage so it's clutter free
Proper wood floors
Plain bathroom suites with a great shower
Everything finished properly

Specialsubject you could be describing my house - it is lovely but has most of those features!!

Good quality curtains more than anything else
Proper solid wood doors

I find its the little details - deep skirting boards, for example. Cornicing, even plugs that are slightly rounded over the basic square ones. Nothing gimmicky, just making sure everything is the best quality it can be. (For example, in our last place, i was ahead of fashion without realising and really wanted metro tiles. For all the space that was being covered, the basic ones from B&Q were perfect, and so very cheap).

Thank you all. I have to try and source everything while we are over 200 miles away in Cornwall. Mad or what.