5 Impactful Design Details
There is a famous quote by Charles Eames, an amazing architect and furniture designer, (most famous for his Eames Lounge Chair) saying “The details are not the details. They make the design.” I couldn’t agree more! The details are what finish off a design. They are not always noticeable or high impact, but without them, your room will feel lacking and unfinished. It takes just a little bit of thought and planning to transform your home to the next level.
Moldings are one of my favorite design details. They are not only practical but also make a huge design statement. Moldings are used functionally to cover transitions between walls and floor or ceiling as a crown or base molding and are also used for decorative elements such as chair rails or wainscoting. Moldings are important in that they are one of the biggest connecting elements between different rooms of the house, starting with the home entryway and continuing throughout the rest of the home. They can be understated or grand, come in many different sizes and styles, and set the tone for the whole home aesthetic. How moldings are used and what profile you choose, are one of the biggest decisions you can make. Everyone has moldings in their home, but if you take the extra time to go beyond simple stocked options, the moldings you choose can have a huge impact!
Moldings have so many uses and are so diverse. To start we have crown molding which connects walls to ceiling and base molding between the wall and floor. These are the most commonly used moldings. They cover up any mistakes or imperfections especially when you have two different paint colors or are tilling a floor that may not come out exactly even. A small trick that most contractors do not do is to add a small shoe base molding to the bottom of the base molding that not only gives an extra layer of design but further helps hide imperfections.
The fun begins when we start adding wall or ceiling molding as a more decorative element in a room. Of course, this is not for everyone. If you have a very sleek and modern home you are going to want to keep to minimal ornamentation. If your style allows for some decorative surfaces, think about creating a pattern on a ceiling, creating a coffered ceiling, adding wainscoting to a dining room, or paneling a foyer and hallway.
Top tips for choosing molding for your home!
Next up… cabinet knobs and pulls.
Every door or drawer needs hardware. This is not only the front door but any furniture piece with a compartment that opens. The main purpose of knobs and pulls are of course functional but they are also elements that we see and use every day. When choosing which hardware belongs in your home, take the time to choose thoughtfully and keep within your whole home aesthetic. Typically we use knobs for doors and pulls for drawers, but there is no hard and fast rule. I have seen handles and drawers and knobs on doors. There is no right or wrong. To be honest, in general when it comes to design there are no hard and fast rules anywhere. Rules are meant to be broken, that is how we explore and find our unique niche.
What I have seen time and time again is when there is a mix of shapes and/or sizes of hardware in a room, the space looks more thoughtful and designed. There are so many new intricate designs, textures, and materials (leather!) that make cabinet hardware fun and so much more interesting.
Fact: Lighting makes a room. It provides a room with both ambiance and functionality. What is usually overlooked and under-appreciated is the practicality and elevation of layered lighting. It’s a no-brainer to add in high hats or spotlights, but it takes a lot more thought and planning to understand the placement and usefulness of accent lighting such as floor lamps, table lamps, picture lights, and sconces. These lights highlight specific areas of the room, i.e. artwork or a reading nook, and help delineate areas for specific activities. Lighting can be used to create a soft ambiance, make a statement, or provide better functionality in a room.
The type of activities that take place in any room will determine the type of lighting as well as the strength and temperature needed. I do feel that lighting needs a whole essay to delve into all the different types, uses, and functions but that will have to be another time. To keep things short, ask yourself these questions. What activities are taking place in the room? Will task lighting be needed for reading, writing, cooking, or washing up? Are there any focal points in the room that need accent lighting? Is it a relaxing room (family room, bedroom) that needs soft/warm light or a working room (i.e. kitchen, bathroom) that needs bright/white lights? Most rooms have a variety of activities or lighting needs which is why they will need multiple and varied sources of light.
Grills and outlet covers are the biggest (or smallest depending on how you look at it) overlooked design opportunities. Sometimes a room does call for the sleek and simple white switch cover, but other times it is not the best choice for the design. If you are painting a room a dark color, why would you want a white switch plate to stand out? The same for vent grills. There is no way around them, we need them but why not make them beautiful or seamlessly invisible to the eye?
Another trick of the trade: put outlets under cabinet trims and in baseboards. When it is not possible to hide away, make it part of the design. Many companies have gorgeous options in different colors and finishes and it is just about finding the right one and making it look like it was planned all along.
Yes, this last one is not a small detail but it is often overlooked or designed as an afterthought. There is a reason the ceiling is often referred to as the fifth wall. It has as much surface area as one of the other four, and just as much possibility. Think lighting, molding, paint, and wallpaper to name just a few. Each category on its own can add depth and when you put them together? The results are breathless.
Food for thought: Why not make the ceiling the center of the design and design it as the feature “wall”?
Now that you have read through my top five design details I would like to bring in another school of design; Less is more. While there is so much possibility with every room of the house and so many opportunities to add more to the home, If you overdo it the design will start to subtract from itself. Design is all about balance. Give yourself the chance to explore and discover what works for you but no need to overthink it. If it feels overwhelming or complicated, reach out to an interior designer. We are here to help.
