6 simple details that will elevate the style of your home

If you’re anything like us, you love checking out the latest styles and trends showcased across interior décor showrooms, magazines, and online. How do they manage to achieve that perfectly stylish yet livable look that makes you want to run out to the story to replicate it at home? The truth is, the secret to a perfectly designed space is attention to detail.

So how do you get that polished look at home? The first thing to remember is that the spaces you see in magazines were staged and kept in place for the photoshoot. No room that is actually lived in can stay perfect all the time. Which leads us to our number one tip for adding stylish details to your home:

Design for the function of the room

When choosing and arranging furniture and other large pieces in a space, keep in mind the natural walkways leading into/out of the room as well as the function the space will serve. Is it a play room for the kids? Or a place for adults to relax by the fire? Maybe it’s a little of both – that’s okay. The key is to make sure items are placed in a way that makes the room easy to use for its intended function and easy to tidy up afterward – an important but surprisingly easy detail to forget.

Use fixtures to add stylistic balance to a space

Themes can be fun – when they aren’t overstated. One way to avoid overdoing a particular style and instead add your own fresh take is to choose a few details that differ from the overall theme – door hardware, lighting and plumbing fixtures are perfect for this. If you’re designing a mostly contemporary, modern space, add some ornate Victorian fixtures in a modern finish likes bright chrome. Don’t be afraid to mix styles – variety adds balance!

Look at lighting in a new way

When choosing overhead lighting, pay attention to scale – in other words, the size of the room compared to the size of the light. The key, as always, is to maintain a sense of balance – an overhead light with long, hanging embellishments isn’t best for a wide room with low ceilings.

Lamps are great because simply repositioning them can add a fresh feel to a room you’ve become bored with – without spending a dime.

Don’t shy away from unique items

If you want to create a space unlike any other, you’ll need items that are unique to you. It may be your favorite worn old teddy bear from childhood, or a handmade item you bought during a special trip. Keep in mind there are many facets to your personality, so a hodgepodge of eclectic items can work.

Meaningful items, like heirlooms, often have a place, even if the style doesn’t immediately seem to mesh – we are often so used to looking at them that we forget their potential. Try asking a friend how they would place the item.

Pull inspiration from your surroundings

Is your home near a lush forest? Try adding some natural elements of wood or shapes that mimic wild, untamed growth, like vines.

A beach or lake house is a no-brainer – go straight for that beachy or nautical style if it’s what your heart desires, but use restraint and add details that are specific to you. Maybe the beach house features a vintage fifties surfer style with pastel colors and faded driftwood. Your lake house could invoke your Irish heritage with rich greens and classic novels like Moby Dick lining the shelves. Be creative!

It isn’t the size of the space, it’s what you do with it

Don’t focus only on the large spaces of your home – turn an eye toward all the little nooks and crannies. The brightly lit but empty corner by the window could become a cozy reading nook. A striking new color of paint and a few new shelves can make an old, boring closet fresh and fun.