A home can have everything, from expensive materials to beautiful furniture, but still feel incomplete. The reason is not often the major design choices – it is in the final stages of decorating, when the finishing touches are overlooked.
The smaller details of any home update project can influence how polished, balanced and intentional a room feels. Leaving them out of the design can make your home feel unfinished, even though you have worked hard on the design and spent a lot of money.
To help you on your journey and feel good about your home, here are some of the most overlooked finishing touches that make a noticeable difference in modern homes.
Sockets and switches
One of the biggest design mistakes that people make is poorly positioned electrical outlets and switches, and/or not updating them in line with the rest of the room design. A perfectly styled room can lose its appeal when lamps aren’t able to sit where they should, or extension leads are visible. It is often something that is noticed too late.
Interior designers often plan the layout of furniture placement alongside electrical positioning long before the project or decorating starts, so they are integrated rather than an afterthought. This includes things like media units, lighting, and charging areas.
Curtains to frame the room, not just cover windows
Many homes put up curtains as a functional item, rather than a design feature, which can quickly dilute the visual impact of a room. Curtains that are poorly fitted or even just too short can make windows look smaller, and ceilings appear lower. A common technique that designers use is to move the curtain rail higher than the window frame and put up longer curtains. This naturally draws the eye upward and creates the illusion of a bigger room.
Carpets should connect furniture
One detail people regularly misjudge is the type and size of the carpets they install in each room. Carpets should extend far enough to sit underneath main furniture items such as sofas, chairs or tables. When furniture appears to float around a rug instead of connecting to it, the room often feels fragmented. Different carpet sizes can either make rooms feel visually heavy, while others can create a cleaner and more spacious appearance. A new carpet should be of a high quality, and anchor the room without overdominating.
Wall art is often hung too high
Wall art is an excellent finishing touch to a home, if it is hung correctly. Many people remember to add visual appeal to their wall, but position it too close to the ceiling, which can disconnect the art from the furniture. It can also leave a room feeling unbalanced.
Designers will often place artwork lower than you would expect, typically around eye level. It should feel connected, especially if it is hung above a sofa or bed. This helps you to avoid art that is left just floating.
When finishing touches are handled properly, the entire space appears more thoughtful and professionally designed.