7 Most Overlooked Features in Well-Designed Homes
These small touches make a big impact.
What makes a home beautiful? While pretty wallpaper, a drenchable paint color, or cool furniture can certainly have some sway, a well-designed home is usually an amalgamation of the smaller details. You know, those thoughtful touches both designers and homeowners spend hours on, only for them to hide in plain sight.
These features might seem small and can often go unnoticed, but they shouldn’t be underestimated. In fact, they’re exactly what gives a home that touched-by-a-designer, photoshoot-ready flair. Of course, you don’t necessarily need to hire a decorator to craft the ultimate, well-designed home. Below, the pros are sharing their favorite details that give any home a thoughtful finishing touch.
Stealth Storage
Storage is non-negotiable for anyone who wants to make the most of their square footage, but don’t write it off as a purely practical detail.
“Thoughtful planning creates storage solutions that keep everyday life organized and functional,” says Julia Newman, an interior designer who splits time between Los Angeles and Minnesota.
Sidestep the store-bought bookcases and baskets for storage solutions that are (or just look) carefully integrated into the overall design. Newman says custom built-ins, lift-top benches, or kitchen appliances will keep your home beautiful and clutter-free.
Good Lighting
A statement chandelier grabs attention, but other fixtures are often relegated to an afterthought. “The lighting plan will make or break both the function and beauty of a space, although it’s something most homeowners don’t pay much attention to, which is why us designers obsess over it,” says Lindsay Thornton of Cornerstone Design Build in Toronto.
Haley Pleasant, a designer in Massachusetts, agrees and recommends zeroing in on task and ambient fixtures. “[They create] the unspoken vibe of every room and the number one way to add character to cozy up your space,” she says.
Meanwhile, Sarah Hart encourages you to think outside of the box. “There's a lot of fun to be had with an electrical plan that people often don't realize is an option,” the Charleston-based designer explains. “This could include pathway lighting in a hall that turns on as you walk, glowy ambient lighting in a built-in, or a thoughtfully-placed, subtle flush square recessed lighting.”
And please, Thorton begs, put all your lights on dimmers.
Intentional Hardware
The devil lies in the details, which is exactly why so many designers zero-in on a home’s hardware.
“It's the functional jewelry of a home, yet it's often treated as an afterthought because builder allowances rarely leave room for anything special,” says Ellie Christopher, a designer in Birmingham.
Christopher prioritizes knobs and pulls, but Dijana Savic-Jambert of MAREDI Design is a stickler for intentional outlets.
“There is maybe nothing worse than having an expertly crafted space, beautifully executed, only to see screws on the switch plates and vents that prove to be an eyesore,” says the designer, who splits her time between Chicago and France.
Savic-Jambert prefers screwless wall plates, but says a metal cover can also looks high-end.
Thoughtful Transitions
Lauren Lerner of Living With Lolo pays extra attention to the transition area between rooms.
“Thresholds, sightlines, where one flooring material meets another,” says the Scottsdale, Arizona-based designer. “When those transitions are handled with intention, a home feels calm and cohesive as you move through it.”
It’s a small detail, but Lerner says ignoring this spot can make your home feel “disconnected.” The biggest offender, according to the designer, is the floor.
“What I see most often is flooring changes that happen for no real reason, just because one room was tiled and another wasn't planned with the same eye,” Lerner says.
A transition strip or flush transitions can help improve your floor’s flow.
Inviting Scents
If you ask Deb de Vries, founder of HARA Home, a well-designed home is always multi-sensory. “Scent is one of those details people don't always think of as design, but it can completely change the experience of walking into a room. When someone says, 'Your home just feels so good,' they're usually responding to more than what they can see."
Looking for a well-appointed aroma? Reach for one of these candles Good Housekeeping editors love.
Striking Ceilings
Some call the ceiling the “fifth wall,” but who are we kidding? More times than not, it’s considered the overlooked wall. “We spend too much time looking straight ahead that ceilings are often forgotten,” says Krystal Reinhard of Old Soul Design in Philadelphia.
The solution: Give your ceiling the attention it deserves. Massachusetts designer Pamela Forman say millwork or wallpaper can turn this neglected spot into a visual highlight.
RELATED: Designers Say the "Fifth Wall" Is the Most Underrated Design Surface
The Baseboards
Wainscoting and beadboards might be having a moment, but Galey Alix says baseboards typically play second fiddle.
“The subtle difference between a standard seven-inch baseboard and a 10-inch baseboard instantly elevates the look of the millwork throughout every room,” says the designer and author of her debut book, You Can Do Beautiful Things.
A few extra inches can add an elegant edge, and if you want to do a little extra? Alix recommends finishing your baseboards with a bevel or rounded edge.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance journalist who has over a decade of experience in print and digital media. She covers interior design and lifestyle content for a breadth of publications, including Good Housekeeping, Country Living, House Beautiful, Veranda, and more. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
Readers Also Read
This Furniture Piece Anchors EVERY Living Room
6 Practical Ways to Repurpose Paper Towel Rolls
12 Items You Should Always Have a Back up Of
Experts Reveal How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
