We are excited to have journalist Chloe Taylor writing as a guest for our blog this week.  Chloe is a graduated journalist from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Beside all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time. 

One of the most important things in interior design is the finishing touches. These little details not only make the space look better, but they turn a regular house into a warm home. So, if you feel like your house lacks a few personal touches that will transform it from a simple living space into a cosy family nest, read this article and take notes.

Show the world who you are

The best way to personalise your home and show a bit of your unique personality is to pay extra attention to the finishing touches. Choose a few items for the living room or bedroom that have a special meaning to you and your lifestyle. This way, your decor will not only show your interior design style, but will tell a story about you, your interests, passions and dreams. So, if you’re an avid music lover, world traveller or a sports fan, don’t be afraid to show it (moderately, of course).

Group accessories

If you’ve found things you want displayed in your home, now comes the hard part. How are you going to display them? Most people choose to put only one object on one shelf, even though this makes the item look out of place. One better way is to take a few similar items and group them together to create a stronger impact and add weight to your decoration. There are no set rules on how to place them (you’ll have to trust your eye), but you should always use an odd number of items in a grouping to make the setup look more natural and effortless. Additionally, don’t just group three exactly the same pieces—make them vary in height, size, texture or colour to avoid looking too matchy-matchy.

Liven up your bathroom

Once you’re satisfied with your bathroom paint and furniture, it’s time to turn to accessories and decoration that will make your space look perfect. Bathrooms are usually not very spacious, so adding too many decorative pieces that serve no function will create clutter. So, the best way to choose bathroom accessories is to opt for something that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. For instance, if you think your bathroom could use a pop of colour, opt for interesting towels and other bathroom linen. You can also improve your hardware and fixtures. There are many interesting options, especially modern ones that go hand in hand with popular freestanding bathtubs. An oval contemporary bathtub accompanied with some chrome faucets, towel rails and soap dispensers will make your bathroom look modern and elegant, while keeping it functional.

Fluff your pillows

A great way to elevate your style is to use lovely cushions, but make sure to use the ones that look rich and high-quality. Pillows that are too small or too flat will look very cheap, so don’t hesitate to go big and fluffy. One easy and cheap way to achieve that fullness is to overfill your existing pillows. For instance, just stuff a 20-inch insert into an 18-inch pillow cover and you’re done! If you’re not sure how to combine your pillows, opt for a fool-proof method that involves one 20x20-inch, one 16x16-inch and one 12x12-inch pillow. No matter how you arrange them, these will look very thought-out when put together.

Bring in some nature

Sometimes, all you need to turn a house into a home is a simple hand picked bouquet of flowers! Just choose a few flowers with a similar vibe (think white roses and peonies) or opt for a sharp contrast (red dahlias and white larkspur) and arrange them loosely in a simple vase. Additionally, the arrangement will look more casual if you combine buds and open flowers!

Boost the textures

Speaking of textures, they are a great way to add interest and elevate your design with very little money and effort. For instance, boost textures by getting a chunky knit throw for your chenille sofa or get a faux fur blanket for your bedroom. These texture-rich elements will instantly lift your style and serve as nice finishing touches.

Spruce up your coffee table

If you think keeping dirty coffee mugs and stacks of mail and old magazines counts as a finishing touch, then you must be schooled in that department. An attractive coffee table styling will do wonders for the entire look of your living room. Tablescaping is an art form that needs to strike a delicate balance between aesthetics and functionality (you still want to be able to use your coffee table for placing your coffee mugs). However, one easy way to achieve this balance is with symmetry. For instance, put your flower arrangement at the centre of your table and balance it out with two displays of similar “weight” on either side. The objects don’t have to be same, they just have to balance each other out!

Give these finishing ideas a try and your home will instantly look like it was styled by a professional and you’ll enjoy your (not so) humble abode even more.