You don’t need to take on a full-scale home renovation to transform your space; in fact, small design choices can have a surprisingly big impact. Whether you’re working with a tight budget or want to splurge on one wow-worthy design statement, you’re only one decision away from an instant visual upgrade.
If you’re wondering which design choices have a big impact, you’ve come to the right place. We tapped professional designers from across the country to share the small design decisions that they believe make the biggest difference. From swapping out builder-grade design elements and treating utilitarian fixtures as visually important to applying paint to unexpected surfaces, the common thread is intentionality.
To give your home an impactful refresh, here are the six small design choices the pros say make a big difference.
1. Swap out builder-grade hardware.
“Swapping out builder-grade hardware with pieces that feel more elevated and personal is my favorite small design choice with an outsized payoff,” says Kathy Kuo, an interior designer and founder of the New York City-based Kathy Kuo Home. Some of her favorite picks include half-moon pulls on kitchen cabinets and sculptural ball knobs on bathroom vanity drawers and doors. As for the hardware finish, the designer often recommends unlacquered brass or polished nickel to her clients. “These living finishes develop a beautifully rich patina over time, so the room gains more and more character as the metal ages,” Kuo explains.
If you want to give your kitchen a quick, easy, and inexpensive upgrade, swap out the hardware—you’ll be amazed at how big of an impact that one small design choice will make. “After all, hardware is the jewelry of the room, and the right selection instantly makes cabinetry and case goods feel custom,” Kuo states.
2. Treat lighting as a major design element.
Lighting is often considered a practical room element, but one designer says it makes all the difference if you treat it as an intentional design statement. “One small design decision that makes a huge impact is treating lighting in a room as a major design element instead of a finishing detail,” says Craig Gritzen, the founder and principal designer of the Los Angeles-based Curated Style Collective. Gritzen shares that beautiful spaces can simply feel off when they rely on overhead lighting alone. “Combining overhead lighting, ideally on dimmer switches, with layers of light from wall sconces, floor lamps, and table lamps creates depth and atmosphere,” the designer explains.
Not only is it a great way to highlight the architecture of a room, Gritzen says layers of light set the tone for a space through the contrast between light and darkness. To give your home that collected, lived-in look, the designer suggests mixing new and vintage light fixtures. “Lighting is a relatively small decision, but it can really affect how finished, functional, and comfortable a space feels,” Gritzen states.
3. Try color drenching a room.
Paint is one of the most transformational design mediums available. If you want to make a statement, go all in by color drenching a room. “We love to use this technique to give a room some personality and subtly draw attention to architectural features like crown molding, box molding, and ceiling medallions,” says Brooke Fosburg, the co-owner and principal interior designer at Linden + Co. Interiors in Chicago. Color drenching refers to the technique that applies the same paint color on the walls, ceilings, trim, and moldings. “The effect is intentional and elevated—and it doesn’t cost any more than using white paint on your ceiling and trim,” Fosburg points out.
4. Paint the ceiling.
Speaking of paint, there is another small design decision that instantly changes a space: painting the “fifth wall.” “Something a lot of people ignore when renovating is the ceiling,” says Samantha-Jane Agbontaen, an interior designer and founder of House Designer. Rather than treating the walls as the focal point, go with an unexpected paint color on the ceiling for big impact and a memorable design moment. “A soft color instead of the default white changes a room completely, especially in evening light,” the designer says.
5. Extend the countertop material to the backsplash.
“In kitchen renovations we love installing our slab countertop material up the walls as a backsplash,” Fosburg shares. The designer explains that this one design choice makes for a seamless and minimal look, and allows the texture and the movement of the stone to truly shine. When it comes to the type of stone that works best for this countertop-to-backsplash look, Fosburg suggests trying a honed or leathered finish over something like polished marble. “It hides stains and etching better and in our opinion is the ‘quiet luxury’ finish in the natural stone world,” the designer shares.
6. Use a show-stopping wallpaper.
If you’re going to splurge on one design element, go with something that gives you bang for your buck. For Gail Jamentz, the principal designer at the Los Angeles area-based Soul Interiors Design, it’s wallpaper. “A small design choice that makes a big impact is a fabulous floral wallcovering,” Jamentz says.
If you’re itching to give bold patterned walls a try but you’re nervous about the commitment, try it out in a small, closed off space such as a powder room. It’s not a room that’s immediately visible and the small square footage means it requires a smaller financial investment. Plus, the designer says you don’t necessarily need to wallpaper a room from top to bottom for big impact. “A non-descript interior can instantly be transformed into a wow-worthy room by either installing one focal wall with a show-stopping wallpaper, or the entire room,” Jamentz says.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interiors — from paint colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.
