As a Style Spotter for High Point Market and author of the Designer Detective blog, Shay knows a thing or two about using details to pull a project together. Today she’s sharing this advice with you. Enjoy! xo, Tobi

It’s all in the details…

I often hear people say that they just can’t pull a designer look together or their room feels like something is lacking.  Designing a room is not just about space planning & selecting furniture. The best advice I can give my clients is to make sure they allocate room in their budget for those designer details & finishing touches. Lamps, rugs, art, draperies & accessories are what tie your whole design story up into a finished pretty little package.

It’s those designer details that turn a ho-hum room into something that looks well thought out and designed. They can really bring a room to life. Details should be carefully chosen. Too much going on can throw a room off & be distracting & displeasing to the eye. Use pieces that have significance. You may have art or accessories that have special meaning to you because you picked them up during your travels.

Or, you might have your designer use a Greek key tape as the leading edge on drapery panels to dress your windows and subtly draw attention to your gorgeous golf course view. Accessories can be used to add pops of color and varying textures and finishes to your story. 

You can add fun details to your furnishings as well. Use a contrasting band or welt cord to spice up a simple chair. Nail heads can be used to make designs on ottomans, chairs or upholstered headboards. Certain chair frames allow for using multiple fabrics where you could have a solid fabric or leather on the inside & a coordinating pattern or print on the outside.

Monograms are a fabulous way to personalize a space.  Add them to pillows or center your monogram on a headboard.  I’ve also used monograms on cornice boards for draperies in kid’s rooms.  You could even monogram the backs of your kitchen table chairs.

These designer details will distinguish your home from your neighbors’ and help tell the story of who you are and how you live.

I hope you enjoyed this bit of advice and that you’ll follow me on these channels throughout the web: My Blog, Pinterest, Twitter and Houzz.

-Shay