Finishing touches make a house a home

“They’ve set the date, so now I’m panicked,” my client texted me a few weeks ago regarding her daughter’s upcoming wedding.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure the ceremony will be lovely,” I replied.

“I’m not nervous about the ceremony, we need to finish this house!” she exclaimed.

I understood exactly what she meant.

My clients have been enjoying their newly built home in Colleton River for about a year. Since it currently is a part-time home, we had not accessorized each nook and cranny.

The basics are there. We spent a year during construction developing the furniture arrangements and fine-tuning the fabric selections for each room. Hard finishes (tile, granite, cabinet stains, paint colors) were carefully coordinated with sofas, chairs, and other “soft” finishes including gorgeous area rugs under the furniture groupings. Natural textured draperies frame the windows and original art adorns many prominent walls throughout the home. In the sleeping quarters, luxurious linens dress the beds while subtly patterned wallpapers cover the adjoining bathroom walls.

But the home needs finishing touches.

Now it’s time to add some layers, if you will. We need a little decorating. Bookshelves need to be fluffed, tabletops need to be accessorized, glass cabinets need to be filled. Most importantly, it needs personal items so it looks like a home and not a sales model.

I am going to suggest adding some personal photos in frames grouped here and there. It is easy to overdo this, so I will err on the side of restraint. However, a few carefully chosen family photos, arranged in well-curated frames, will go a long way in adding a personal touch to consoles and tables.

Books are another way to add visual interest, whether placed on a bookshelf or atop a coffee table. In our modern world of Kindles and skimming headlines, books are becoming a rarity. That is a shame to me, as I find a room with books to be both comforting and seductive. When using books to decorate it is perfectly fine to choose them because of the color of their spines or the graphic quality of their covers. My coffee table at home is covered with books on architecture, photography, and travel.

Nothing adds to the decor of a room like a live plant placed in a really beautiful container. While I am not a fan of fake plants and arrangements, they do have their place — keeping in mind that not everyone has a green thumb. There are some rather convincing plants out there so if you’re going with artificial, be prepared to invest in good-quality one.

An interesting sculpture, hand-blown glass vase, candles, even an unusual set of drink coasters are items that can jazz up a plain table. Also consider grouping items on a large decorative tray for emphasis. Remember, it is all about composition.

Do not shy away from adding that extra layer of detail that gives your home personality and uniqueness. You want your home to look like something out of a magazine, not a mail-order catalog.

I am not worried about getting the finishing touches done for my clients’ home in time for the wedding ceremony in a few months. I am happy to pull the details together and help alleviate the stress. But I am going to text her and see if she has found that perfect mother-of-the-bride dress yet. No anxiety there!

This story was originally published April 17, 2016 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Finishing touches make a house a home."