Once you’ve figured out your home ‘style,’ the rest comes pretty naturally – including picking the right finishes for your house, inside and out. While choices are endless, from lighting to wallpapers, paint colours, hardware, and more, my best advice is to take your time and don’t feel pressure to solve every room all at once.
My new home build in Arizona has taken many months to come to fruition, and it’s still a work in progress because I love the process! Giving myself the time to source materials and think about how I envision the space is paramount to being happy with the result.
Here are a few tips on helping you decide which way you’re leaning towards when choosing the right finish for you!
Don’t be afraid to mix.
Say you have satin nickel finishes in your kitchen space, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re limited to using that finish throughout the rest of your home. You can still have satin nickel cabinet hardware in your kitchen and then move towards matte black hardware for exterior kitchen doors, or otherwise. From classic to sleek or contemporary, there is quite literally a perfect choice for everyone and their home.
Just don’t go overboard!
You can, and you should mix finishes, but don’t take it too far. Your best bet is for a mix between 3 or 4 finishes – total. Any more and it will start to look a bit like a dog’s breakfast, and more importantly, it won’t align with your overall home style. And in saying that, keep it to 2 different finishes within a room, mainly when it’s a smaller space (like a powder room or bathroom).
Take your time
I say this with everything related to home décor and design, but it bears repeating: Take your time and don’t rush through any decision. It can become paralyzing when you think about everything you need to do – including picking every finish for every room – so know that you don’t have to replace every doorknob and every hinge in a week! Slow it down and take your time, and move from room-to-room. That way, you know you’re making an informed decision and will end up with a look you love. Trust me when I say you will appreciate the process of making the right choices.
How to choose the right lighting for your home
Light fixtures have taken off lately, and the options and styles run the gamut from chandeliers to pendants, fan lights, sconces, overhead pot lights, and more. They can truly become the focus for a room – in particular, a dining room, bathroom, or above a fireplace mantle. I’ve broken a home down room-by-room to share some suggestions. (P.S.: Don’t forget, dimmers! They’re a fantastic way to change the mood of a room with a simple touch. I love them.)
Entryway
The right lighting for an entryway is critical because it sets the mood, and it can make your home look very inviting. A large lamp or chandelier can be lovely. If you have beautiful artwork displayed on your walls, accent lights can help to enhance their inherent beauty.
Living room
Used as a place to relax as well as entertain, you will need to figure out the right balance in this space because the room is in use quite often. There certainly are plenty of lighting options to choose from, like pendant lamps, chandeliers, floor lamps or sconces, so do a little gut check and remind yourself what your home’s overall style is – modern, minimalist? Classical, rustic? – and choose the lighting fixture that best compliments that. Also, don’t forget a dimmer switch! That truly makes all the difference.
Dining room
I think this might be the most accessible room to light because you have the dining table as the main focal point in the room, so that means one thing: chandelier. Although pendant lights have also been gaining momentum, so again, it goes back to your style. Consider adding a task lamp or accent lights, too, if you wish to spotlight a particular feature in the room.
Kitchen
The opposite of the dining room is the kitchen, which can be more complicated. Because there isn’t a single focal point in the room, it requires a more elaborate lighting “system” because of all the lighting the space requires. You will need overhead lights for your basic kitchen tasks, but you will also need extra lighting for areas like over a kitchen island or over the sink. I think spotlights and pendant lights both work here.
Bedroom
Warm, warm, warm is the name of the lighting game where you want your bedroom respite to feel restful and relaxing. Typically task lighting is used on bedside tables, but you can have beautiful scones as well. Accent lights could be an option, depending on what you have on your walls, and I’d also use a dimmer switch here, as you may in the living room. It’s all about ambiance!