The Importance of Finishing Touches

Styling is among the last and most critical elements when completing a design project. It also tends to be a project's most fun and creative part of the process!

If you want to make your house feel truly like a home that represents you - It’s the finishing details that do just that. Whether it's your favorite art pieces or accessories, the finishing touch is key for tying a room's design together and making the space live-in-ready and personalized. It’s what brings the design to life! We’ve gathered together our top tips on how you can finalize a space with these styling ideas. Not to mention these are a great way to give an existing design a bit of a refresh.

Bring life into your space with greenery

Greenery is a great way to bring the outside in and create a natural feeling of home. Adding a tree in the corner of your living room or dining room is an excellent way to make a space feel refined yet cozy. The same is true in smaller spaces. Think of a small potted plan on a shelf surrounded by books or on top of a credenza mixed in with other accessories. It is a simple yet effective way to bring energy to an otherwise simple space. No matter where you place it, the addition of plants instantly elevates the decor and creates a moment of interest.

For those who do not wish to take on the full responsibility of looking after multiple plants, consider utilizing a mix of live plants and dried flowers or branches in a vessel. Do not be afraid to forage in your own backyard for interesting tree branches or flowers in your neighborhood. The options are endless and create high impact.

Add mood lighting

Lighting has the power to dramatically transform a space. But it needs to be intentional; it’s important not to skip or rush this step, as the light of a room is central to creating the desired feeling of a space. As a rule of thumb, we suggest incorporating dimmers into every room. If you want to avoid additional electrical work, you can purchase a dimmer extension cord from Amazon that easily plug into a floor lamp or decorative lamp that can be controlled manually.

You can also take this finishing touch further with dimmable, app-controlled LED bulbs instead. LED products are a little more of an investment than a dimmer switch, but they last for years and allow you to adjust your lights from your device or screen (some even allow you to change the color if that is the desired impact you want to have in your space!).

If you have fancy fixtures with tons of bulbs, you might pass on these for cost and practicality reasons, but they’re great for making a floor or desk lamp with a single bulb have more impact.

Make a statement with art

Art is a great way to add personality and a sense of self to your space. Choose pieces that speak to you and complement the intention of the room. A well-curated art selection is also an opportunity to define space. The artwork gives focus to a room; it draws attention - so think about what sort of attention you’d like to attract! Whether you focus on color, texture, or imagery, use art to express yourself and add a personal touch to your interior.

A gallery wall is one of our favorite ways to integrate art into your home. We particularly like a gallery wall in a family room for a formal living room. As a rule of thumb, you should hang the art between 8-12 inches above the back of your sofa. Play around with different heights between the pieces when creating a gallery wall. We suggest starting by laying your art on the ground before installing so you can get a visual of what a potential grouping may look like.

Do not be afraid to mix different art styles in the same space, but be mindful of placement; each piece should have its own space. Often negative space is just as critical as groupings; many pieces are more striking when hung solo.

Show off your personality

Finishing touches aren't all about aesthetics. If you have items that you feel connected to, whether it’s a photo, a piece of pottery, or a memento - it is worthy of incorporating into your design because it brings a unique quality to a space. Chances are, it will probably catch the attention of your guests too!

Family photos are another way to tell the story of who you are and the life you live within your home. Choose pictures you love and bring them in as part of your design.

Maybe you have certain books that have deeply impacted you; use this as a finishing touch to a reading nook or office space. Whatever it is, be intentional about adding unique finishes to your design that tell the story of who you are.

Create a Vignette

What is this, you may ask? A vignette in interior design is a small, curated styling statement made up of a group of objects displayed on a shelf, a table, or elsewhere in the home. You may even have these dotted around your house without even knowing it! A little trick is to style items together in groups of 3; this tends to feel the most aesthetically pleasing. Stick to odd numbers and different height levels; this helps make your vignette look more intentional, as opposed to random objects being stored together on a shelf.

Your home is much more than just a place where you eat, sleep, and work. It’s a physical manifestation of your self-expression and a way to show off who you are and what brings you happiness.

While choosing furniture, light fixtures, and paint shades that speak to your personality are the standard design aspects, there’s a good chance you’ve not considered the final touches. Should you need more help styling your home to make it feel more like you, we would love to help!

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