Design is in the Details

You've painted the walls, re-arranged the furniture, and moved all of your DVDs into your media console, but your room just doesn't feel done. Why? Normally when a client asks this question it's because their room still isn't done. What makes a room feel finished and purposeful in its design? I would say there are a couple of key items that push a room from "yawn" to "Wow!". Specifically, every room needs: window treatments, art and accessories.

Window Treatments:

Window treatments frequently come with your home in the form of blinds, shades, or something equally functional and utilitarian. These are fine in that they keep the sun out of your space and allow you some control of whether or not you're going to be sleeping in on Sunday. But a room doesn't really have that finished quality until the windows have been thoughtfully dressed. Be it a tiny valance in your bathroom, or formal drapes in your dining room, window treatments can be the difference between bland and beautiful.  Fabric treatments are a great opportunity to add color, pattern, and softness.  I love installing window treatments because of the reactions I get from my clients.  They are usually amazed by how much difference they make in a room and how it elevates the whole design of the space.

Art:

Sometimes I go into a client's house and find art or pictures on every single available wall space, but more often I go into a space and find that there is very little art. Art is one of the last things we place in a room, and it is oftentimes the most personal. Family portraits and your art choices give a sense of the people who live in a house. Choose your art carefully, art is one of those things where quality shows.  So buy the best art you can afford, buy something you love, and hang it up!

Accessories:

Like art, sometimes I come into a home and every available surface is used for display, often this gives the impression of clutter. More often, however, I go into a home and find that there are empty bookshelves, bare coffee tables, and empty cabinets. Just as the right earrings or a great pair of shoes can make an outfit, great accessories can take your room to the next level.

When working on your home remember not to stop at furniture, or paint, but to finish what you have started. A home is a place you spend time in, raise a family in, and live life in, it should be a place where you feel happy and complete.