How to Make Your Home Feel Custom
We live in a fast-paced world where homes and entire communities are built in a matter of months. If you live in a new suburb of a city, chances are you’re living in a house that is quite similar to your next-door neighbors. How to curate a home that speaks to you and reflects your and your family’s style is one of the biggest questions we get. And it makes sense, injecting your personality into your home design is a surefire way for your home to be something you’re proud of. We all want to stand out! When it comes to introducing elements that feel custom into your home, it’s all about the details. The quickest and easiest tip we have is to focus on the small things. Whether you’re building from the ground up, own a tract home, or are remodeling, here are a few things Shea and the design team recommend to make your home feel unique and bespoke. Here are our go-to tips for making your home feel custom.
No. 02 | Swap Out Builder Grade Lighting
No. 01 | Wall Treatments
Adding wall treatments to your home is one of the best ways to make your home feel custom. “Wallpaper, paint, paneling details, any sort of moulding or trim,” Shea suggests. Not only do wall treatments bring instant character to your space, but they also add a textural element that makes any room feel more thoughtful and dimensional. Something as simple as adding a shiplap to the back of a built-in or incorporating some fun millwork can give your home a custom feel. Never underestimate the power of a re-paint, accent wall, or even statement wallpaper to bring more character, personality, and hue into your surroundings.
No. 02 | Swap Out Builder Grade Lighting
“You can do this anywhere from your kitchen island to inside a closet,” Shea notes of the tip. Lighting is one of those elements that always make a more significant difference than you would think. We’re believers that elevated lighting can elevate a whole room. Even switching out a row of flush mounts could transform a simple hallway into one of your favorite moments in your home. One of the lighting tips Shea incorporates into her design projects often is switching out can lights for a grid of flush mounts.
No. 03 | Upgrade Bathroom Mirrors
“So often you see a piece of glass glued onto a bathroom wall,” Shea shurgs. “Take it off the wall and get new mirrors and your bathroom feels instantly upgraded.” Switching out the bathroom mirrors in your home can add a subtle designer detail that makes a home feel curated and thoughtful. There are so many beautiful options out there for bathroom-grade mirrors, and in powder baths, you can get even more creative with a statement mirror. Use this moment to inject personality into the bathroom space. You can use different colors of hardware, a mirror with rivets or a wood frame, or install your bathroom sconces on top of the mirror for an elevated look.
Take a tour of Studio McGee’s first-ever spec home’s bedrooms and bathrooms for bathroom mirror inspiration.
No. 04 | Change Your Hardware
A little bit of hardware goes a long way, but there is more to switching out hardware than replacing the pulls on your kitchen cabinets. Choosing your own hardware for everything from your interior door handles and hinges to your sinks can help bring your home to life. We like to think of hardware as the finishing detail rather than a forgotten element.
No. 05 | Don’t Forget to Look Up
“Add beams, a coffered detail, a moulding profile,” explains Shea. When designing, it’s easy to focus on the elements that are in your regular viewpoints, like furniture and walls, but spending the time and budget on bringing personality to your ceiling is a good tip for making your home feel custom and uniquely your own. If you have existing beams, wrap them, or if you have a vaulted ceiling that’s falling flat, add tongue-and-groove.
I love these tips! Thank you!