Shop around

Left to his own devices, and in an attempt to meet a budget, your builder will install a £20 flimsy door, the usual cheap brass door handles and so on. If you don't want these, ask him to price for putting in elements, such as doors and door handles, but not for the items themselves - this leaves you free to choose your own pieces. Go shopping - a salvaged solid wooden door can look quite amazing in a contemporary interior, for instance, and brushed steel, nickel, or stainless steel door handles look stylish and go almost anywhere. Architectural Hardware on the Naas Road has a good selection of door handles. Knobs and Knockers also has nice handles - or check out your local hardware store. If they don't have what you want in stock, ask if they have any catalogues you can order from.

Radiate style

The other items you'll be given, unless you specify otherwise, are white panelled radiators. There are plenty of alternatives to choose from. Try Heating Distributors which has contemporary radiators, or Ideal Bathrooms and Elegant John which stocks the innovative Bisque range. There are some beautiful salvaged radiators for sale around the country. Contemporary choices include long, low radiators, or tall, thin ones that run up the wall. These can be made to fit your space rather than having your interior and the placement of furnishings dictated by conventional, utilitarian radiators.

Sanitary ware

By contrast, with sanitary ware the plain white standard items are usually the most desirable. Bathrooms are prone to being stuffed with washing paraphernalia and towels so it helps if sanitary ware and taps are unfussy. Sanitary ware manufacturers tend to get carried away with their own concept of luxury when designing for home bathrooms - but most also have a plain, white, standard range which they've been stocking for years. Also, have a look at their industrial ranges, designed for hospitals and other institutions, which contain interestingly shaped basins and baths with simple lines - for this, you may need to contact head offices. It's difficult to beat classic chrome cross-head taps which can be bought new or from salvage outlets.

Mix and match

When choosing furniture it's restrictive to try and match pieces exactly with other elements in the room. A matching three-piece suite and curtains will mean that when you replace one you'll probably have to replace the other at the same time. With every room it helps to balance elements made from various materials, in different colours or perhaps varying shades of the same colour.

Focal points

When placing furniture, think about how you actually use the room and whether it has a focus, such as a television or fireplace. How many times have you visited someone's house and felt out on a limb in an isolated armchair while everyone else seems to be happily snuggled up on the sofa? We have a tendency to place items of furniture too far from each other, yet this isn't conducive to human interaction. While furniture must look good, comfort is key to making you and your guests feel at home.

Wild wood

Matching wood is a very risky business. A knotted pine floor with knotted pine fitted kitchen, tables and chairs may make your room look like a sauna or shed. Lots of different types of wood can match each other so if you╣re having many items in wood, mix the species and, perhaps, eras. New wood breathes and has a bit of life and energy to it while older wood has a certain smoothness and wiseness that comes with age.

Electric avenue

With electrics you need to ask your builder or electrician to chase all wires into the wall. If you don't specify this, you may end up with ugly white conduits running along the surface of your walls. Other details to consider are whether you want the usual white plastic cables running to pendant light fittings or would prefer something else, such as twisted fabric-covered wire. Do you want the usual plastic light switches and sockets? If not, try brushed stainless steel toggle switches.

Golden oldies

If you are drawn to older styles, think about why. Sometimes it's because older pieces are worn and so have that comforting, human, lived-with feel to them, or sometimes it╣s because it's what we're used to, what we grew up with and we know that our families and friends will feel comfortable with such a style when they visit. Before replacing anything, such as worn plasterwork, with new pieces think about why you╣re doing it. If you fall into the "lived-in" category when it comes to older pieces, then keep a worn cornice or, if it's totally beyond repair, don't replace it and just have a flat ceiling. Only put in a new one if you truly love it as an object and not just because it's what you feel should be done. Authentic is authentic while poor copies are pastiche. If you do decide on a new one then get the most expensive, faithful type you can afford (or better still, have the old one properly restored). The Dublin Civic Trust can advise you on this.

Brain drain

This level of attention should even extend to the drain pipes - look around your neighbourhood at the horrors that run down the exteriors of buildings. The most ridiculous are those which run across windows and around the sills. Aluminium, zinc or cast iron drainpipes last well and, if placed sympathetically, can look good.

Take your time

If you do decide to break away from convention, take your time over developing your own style. Perhaps paint all your walls white until you get a feel for your home and then choose colours. Don't be tempted to go for bright, garish colours you see on makeover programmes. Ask yourself whether the designer would have that colour in their own home or if they are just doing what will look good on camera. Most architects have unfinished houses, or what they jokingly refer to as a "work in progress" - this allows experimentation and the opportunity to wait years for the right item of furniture to come along. William Morris said: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful", and it's a good mantra to live by, but sometimes needs must. Living in a semi-completed and designed home is fine - having bare walls and floors is preferable to living with the wrong wallpaper or paint because you felt compelled to complete the whole house at once and that was all you could afford at the time. White paper light shades (from lots of outlets including Habitat) are cheap and look good, so they will tide you over. Adapt horrible furniture in a quick, quirky and creative way so that people realise that you don't take it seriously. For instance, you can spray wood-effect, Formica-veneered coffee tables with silver car paint to keep them quiet until you are able to buy (or commission) a new one. Then treat yourself to what you really want as and when you can afford it, even if it takes years.