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When planning a custom home, you can incorporate all sorts of really cool things that are important to you. We have durable, easy to maintain surfaces, granite with fabulous details, a stainless steel kitchen sink, lots of storage space, and a simple design. But you can't bring in every neat detail you find. If you try, you'll likely end up with a hodge podge mess that has no main theme and way too much going on.

Take countertop design, for example. I would love to have a green soapstone surface and a butcher blog countertop. But with all that's already stuffed into my supreme kitchen, where do I add those items without detracting from the design?

In the yard, there are so many beautiful flowers I love. But how can I include such a huge variety without making the garden look like a random weed patch?

Often, in design, less is more. Choosing a few luscious pieces and letting them shine does mean leaving many really-nice-but-not-amazing pieces out. That's the opportunity cost of home design.

Now, I just have to figure out how to fit a white wicker rocker, a wrought iron bench, and an adirondack chair onto the same patio!

Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.