How to choose décor and design details that transform your house into a home

It’s the details that make all the difference. You can see it everywhere, from a unique wall light in a trendy restaurant to simple, yet elegant, hardware that elevates joinery to a new level.

Small touches that make a huge impact are the unsung heroes of an interior.

Subtle characteristics like a delicate trim on curtains, meticulously chosen lighting fixtures or the carefully curated placement of accent pieces may go unnoticed at first glance. Yet collectively, they contribute to a room’s overall aesthetic and ambience.

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The art of subtlety allows a space to tell a story, revealing layers of sophistication and intention to those who take the time to observe.

You can think of these little details as design hacks. They are especially useful if you have a small budget. For example, you might choose to install affordable flat-pack kitchen cabinetry to save money and then elevate it with unique handles and knobs.

Spend the time looking for items that are less mainstream and a little more special to turn your home from average to elevated. Thoughtfully selected details contribute in a big way to the visual narrative of a curated home.

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Tiny details

For joinery, consider the material, texture, colour and hardware, and details like curved edges and patterns.

You don’t need to go wild with paint. Minor updates like painting skirting boards a different colour or highlighting a design feature can go a long way.

The style of a curtain rod or the pleats and folds of a curtain can add character to a home.

Choose a unique modern lighting fixture or find an antique one – lighting provides ambience and can also become a feature of a room.

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Consider proportions, in the form of colour, size and scale of furniture and other design features.

Experiment with textures in upholstery, tiles and benchtops. Some stone has captivating sedimentary detailing.

As well as the art itself, think about how it will be framed and where it might hang on the wall.

Consider the arrangement, such as how objects are styled in a vignette on a shelf, or the layout of the furniture in a room.

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Details like how the bed is made up and the colours and style of the bed linen can have a big impact on a bedroom.

Cleverly concealed storage solutions and thoughtfully arranged bookshelves allow you to focus on the beauty of your surroundings without the distraction of clutter.

Personal accents such as a family heirloom, handcrafted ceramics, travel souvenirs, frames and photos of family and friends represent what is important to you and who you are.

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Finding inspiration

Thoughtfully selected details can have a big impact on the visual narrative of a curated home. Great places to seek inspiration for expressive details include commercial spaces, such as cafes, restaurants, hotels, clothing stores, art galleries, museums and furniture showrooms.

Online sources include social media platforms, such as Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok, and the websites of interior design magazines. Pay attention to the way that interiors, objects and details are arranged to make each space look unique.

I am one of those people who takes photos of wall textures, colour combos, floors, weird shapes, textures and nature. I have thousands of photos saved on Instagram. I print and cut out images that inspire me and pin them to my mood board in my office. I am always looking for tiny details that inspire me and trigger ideas for my home or the spaces I create for my clients.

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Appreciating the small things brings joy and inspiration. Investing time and energy into thoughtful details will make your home even more special. These small, detailed brushstrokes paint the most beautiful works of art for the home.

One thing I obsessed over (perhaps far too much!) when renovating my home was the details. I painstakingly researched joinery handles for several months, desperate to find something unique. When I finally struck gold with organically shaped brass delights, my obsession moved to the lighting and the profile of the timber windows.

No detail is overlooked in my home. For me, details matter because I want to live my life surrounded by beauty and creativity. I loved the creative process of the hunt, and living with beautiful design is the ultimate reward.

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Some of these details became a design signature, such as the curved edges on the kitchen bench, rangehood, fireplace, bathroom joinery and mirrors. Although curves are currently on-trend, I used them so that my young children wouldn’t bump their heads on sharp corners. But they looked so good that they became a motif throughout the home.

I love organic forms, so I found a beautiful paper pendant light that now hangs above the dining table like a floating sculpture.

I chose a walnut timber veneer for the kitchen and bathroom joinery and the wardrobes, but only after looking through many books of veneers to find the right timber tonality. I kept all the hardware consistent, using brass for joinery pulls, knobs and tapware and even on the kickboard in the kitchen.

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I wanted chunky handles for the double doors into the main ensuite. When I couldn’t find them anywhere, I commissioned a blacksmith to forge them in his workshop in the depths of dense bushland in rural Australia.

The floor in the main ensuite is the ultimate work of craftsmanship, and is my favourite feature of our home.

On my travels to Italy, a decade ago, I took photos of floors in Milan. I love the mismatched stone and marble patterns of Palladiana floors and I wanted to recreate it on a larger scale with a cohesive colour palette of warm neutrals. I knew it would look great, no matter how crazy everyone thought I was.

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The biggest challenge was getting trades people on board. It took six months to find someone willing to accept the challenge. My father, who is a sandstone mason, cut the stone with meticulous detail so that the tiler could lay it into a jigsaw pattern.

Once it was laid, grouted and polished, the floor was a masterpiece. It is one of my favourite features in my home. That project taught me that every detail is worth pursuing, no matter how big or small it is.

This is an extract from Curated Style by Kerrie-Ann Jones, published by Smith Street Books, available now.

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