Five Elements of High End Interiors
When you are thumbing through your design magazines and drooling over the images, do you ever wonder “How can I get my home to look this polished?!” Here are five elements of high-end interiors to be aware of and how to incorporate them into your own home.
CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS
Nothing says basic and boring like white faux wood blinds or naked windows. I wholeheartedly believe that window treatments can be one of the most impactful upgrades for your home’s interiors. Yes, it is an investment but one that may last you for over a decade to come if choosing quality materials. Thankfully, it’s an investment you can see a return on when it comes to increasing your home’s resale value. We always consider resale value when making suggestions for clients’ home improvements and we bet your realtor would say the same. “I think that is a huge yes, especially for the luxury home market. Quality is key,” says Jen Zapalac at Norhill Realty in Houston.
When deciding to invest in custom window treatments, research workrooms in your area. We have a relationship with our local drapery workroom over the past decade and can count on one hand how many mistakes have come up on jobs. I can also count on one hand how many days it took to remedy these mistakes. Experience, reliability, and communication are key. And more than likely, you’ll want to order more shades later on for a new room or when you move homes. Another great reason to hire a designer is having access to a vetted and experienced list of trades.
Another thing to consider is that you get what you pay for when it comes to shades and draperies and you want to get it right the first time. Trying to save a few bucks using the big online retailer for shades could end up costing you more in the long run with repairs and replacement costs. A lot of these big retailers make promises of quick production times but cut corners with quality control which results in drapery lengths and shade widths being off, sloppy seams, or malfunctioning hardware.
An Understanding of Scale
Whether a minimalist modern penthouse or a traditional English country home, no space will feel right if the balance and scale are off. Understanding spacial awareness and appropriate sizing of furnishings require a trained eye (ahem, an interior designer or architect).
One of the biggest mistakes we see homeowners make are buying furniture that is too big and rugs that are too small. Having an understanding of scale and what size furniture is appropriate for a room will always yield a balanced and polished look.
For rugs, one rule of thumb to consider is that seating should either be all on the rug or just the front legs on the rug. Have a smaller rug you love and can’t bear to part with? Trying layering it on top of a larger rug. Sisal and seagrass rugs are great options to create a base layer and ground your room then layer with a smaller rug on top.
When it comes to your seating, think about where you want to place your sofa. Allow spacing behind your sofa so your furniture doesn’t feel crammed against the wall. There should also be adequate spacing to the sides to allow for side tables or floor lamps. Don’t forget about clearance around the coffee table so you have enough room to relax on the sofa without your legs feeling cramped; 18” is a standard but can be more depending on your living room size.
TIDINESS & ORDER
One of our favorite ways to make a space feel polished and refined won’t cost you a single penny. Can you believe it?!
Ruthlessly editing your “stuff” around the house will instantly elevate your space. This is especially true for tabletop and counter surfaces. Hide as much as you can in closed storage and put what you can’t in clean looking containers.
Do you have a collection of Staffordshire dogs or Limoges pill boxes? Instead of displaying them here or there, group them together for a large impactful display. Grouping like items elevates them from tchotchkes to refined collections.
Want to up the refund look even further? Raise an object up on a pedestal or acrylic block to instantly make it feel distinguished.
COHESIVENESS
An obvious element of a thoughtfully designed home is the cohesiveness that carries from room to room. Now this does not mean that every room needs to have the same color palette or “theme”. In fact, that would make for quite a boring house! What you should keep in mind are the colors and materials for the home as a whole.
Did you fall in love with some new red pillows only to realize you don’t have red anywhere else in your living room? Display some white florals in a red vase on your coffee table. We love mixing colors to create a fresh and vibrant look and always keep in mind how it relates back to surrounding areas as well.
While we love an eclectic mix in a home but it’s a much more thoughtful process than just selecting all different furniture styles. Think big picture and choose “complementary” over “matching” when pairing nightstands with dressers or armchairs with a sofa. If you have a rolled arm sofa, choose a chair that has complimentary curved features versus a square box-shaped chair.
Are you an antique and vintage lover? Find a good balance between old and new to avoid looking like your home was furnished entirely from an estate sale. Opt for new upholstery or refresh an old piece by reupholstering it using a more current fabric selection.
THOUGHTFUL LAYERING
No space feels complete without that final layering of accessories and finishing touches. Pillows, throw blankets, and baskets are easy ways to make a space feel more cozy and curated. A textural throw blanket like this lovely one from Rosemary Hallgarten brings feelings of comfort, warmth, and welcome. We prefer to use clean structured woven rattan or water hyacinth baskets over chunky floppy ones for a more polished less bohemian look. And adding a little bit of color and pattern with decorative pillows always adds some cheer and intrigue.
Never underestimate the affect plants and fresh flowers have in a room. Play around with different vases and planters and remember to keep consistency in material and texture.
On that note, I am all for being extra when it comes to our everyday useful objects. Spring for those Japanese floral scissors, decorative match striker, and I will always give my stamp of approval on refined countertop storage items. We’ve loved seeing the comeback of the pleated silk shade into the mainstream over the past few years and love the opportunity to use them.
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