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5 Tiny Design Details You’ve Likely Overlooked That Make Your Home Look Super Locked In
There are some homes that just seem to have it together. You can’t quite put a finger on why. Maybe the furniture is spaces apart just right for the ultimate flow and comfort. Maybe the art is way cooler than anything in your own home. Maybe the lighting is perfectly layered. Or maybe, the micro design details you’re not meant to notice, are super locked in. Today, we’re exploring the latter, because it’s these little moments that can take a beautiful room and turn it into something truly special.
The best part? Most of these do not cost an arm and a leg. Sure, upgraded wall switches and plates can add up to be quite pricey if you do them all over your home (see point #2), but if you do it little by little, or use them sparingly for maximum impact, you can turn up the quiet luxury knob of your home…even for as little as $9. Yup…keep reading.
#1: Decorative (Or Camouflage) Air Vents & Floor Registers
Unless you’re a luxury home designer or architect frankly, one of the most overlooked details in your home is the air vent. Anything builder grade is going to have the most basic (a.k.a.) cheap cover in place. And while they are completely fine to live with and no one is going to throw tomatoes at you because you have them, it’s one of those things that a beautifully designed home has figured out. They are, of course, fully functional and needed in any house that has central A/C or heat, but we can do so much better than the white metal slats you find at The Home Depot.
They make them in beautiful designs and metal finishes to stand out, or in the same (or similar) wood tone of your floor or ceilings to disappear. While they aren’t the easiest thing to find inspiration photos of—because they are often just photoshopped out of images for publishing—here are just a few examples to get the gist:
Look up and you’ll see a beautifully designed air vent in this bedroom’s ceiling. These are wood to blend in but have a trellis design for that custom touch.
Blink and you’ll miss this one in this wildly gorgeous modern home by NB Design Group. This wood vent is made out of the same wood and seamless so it doesn’t steal from the architecture of the views.
I happen to love a metal register or vent, because it takes something that’s “ugly” and turns it into something quite beautiful. They work especially well in more traditional homes, in my opinion, like this one by blogger 136 Home.
There are numerous companies out there that will make custom sizes and designs for you, but I found some ready-made options here, as well. Each of these are offered in an array of shapes, size ratios, and material finish.
1. Flush Mount Wood Register | 2. Honeycomb Brass Wall Register – Antique Brass | 3. Astoria Brass Wall Register – Brushed Nickel | 4. Giovanna Vent Cover – White Collection | 5. Square Pattern Register | 6. Modern Solid Brass Floor/Wall Register – Antique Brass
#2: Upgraded Light Switches & Plates
That same builder that grabbed the basic air vent cover also probably got you the most basic light switches and a 10-pack of white plastic plates. Again, completely fine, but this post isn’t titled “5 Completely Fine But Very Vanilla Things You Builder Picked For Your Home” is it? Nope! Antique-style switches are very popular right now both by designers and DIY decorators because they seriously level up the lighting experience. If you’ve never touched the luxe tactility of a brass dimmer knob, let me explain it to you: it’s one of those itty bitty, nearly imperceptible details that make living in your home that much more of a pleasure. Let’s get inspired before doing a little shopping.
So often, I see these upgraded switches and plates in antique or polished brass, but wow are they gorgeous in a chrome or polished nickel. I especially love this finish for a modern Parisienne style home (like this London pad above by Christian Bense), or something a bit more contemporary.
Buster & Punch makes beautiful options that you can customize to your lighting needs. The one above seems to be both silver with brass details, which is a nice touch.
Here’s another look at Buster & Punch’s offerings in this gorgeous bathroom.
Forbes & Lomax is an EHD favorite (you can buy the brand through Rejuvenation, as well as directly). On top of the standard metal finishes, they also have paintable plates like the one above for something more inconspicuous.
Here are a few more I’m loving (how cute is the vintage dome switch plate, #2??):
1. Forbes & Lomax Rotary Dimmer | 2. Retro Green Polished Porcelain And Brass Dolly Switch | 3. Grove 1G Toggle Switch Bronze 52252 | 4. Lewis Single Push-Button Switchplate | 5. Build Your Own Switches + Outlets | 6. The Brass 3-Way Rotary Dimmer Switch
#3: Ceiling Medallions
Gosh, I love a ceiling medallion. Once a thing of grand palaces or intricate brownstones, you can find ceiling medallions gracing the base of chandeliers even in very stylish studio apartments. Traditionally made of plaster (though you can find them now made of all kinds of material like wood, metal and even plastic), I always thought they were designed just to make a lighting fixture take pride of place in a room, but as it turns out, they had a purpose. I found this on an article I came across on Apartment Therapy:
“Before the light bulb, all forms of indoor lighting — from candles to whale-oil lamps to gas and kerosene lanterns — involved a flame, Winkler says. ‘The byproduct of all of those was soot, and the medallion, the center, helped conceal what could have been a ring of soot on the ceiling,’ she says. ‘That’s why the medallions got to be so large — they’re three dimensional in the way in which they’re formed, and the reason is to kind of hide the soot.'”
Medallions can be as simple as a few concentric rings, or as ornate and large as you can dream up. Let’s take a look at a few.
Ceiling Medallions are like a statement earring: you can’t wear them with every outfit; best to choose the right moment. They were traditionally used in the parlors of Victorian homes (though had a presence prior to that period, as well), but today, can be seen in dining rooms, kitchens, primary suites…basically in any room you want to make a big impact in.
If you think they are just for traditoinal and classically designed homes, you’re wrong! Adding an ornate ceiling medallion to a modern space causes tension (and you know how much I love that).
There doesn’t seem to be any firm and set rules for ceiling medallion sizing, but some things I found around the web suggests they should be as wide as the widest point of your light fixture (or at least 3/4 of it if it’s particularly large). Something else I read was that if you are using them in a small room, they should be a little smaller than your lighting as to not overwhelm the eye. That rule plays out in this gorgeous salon by Brownstone Boys (on the third slide).
You’ll find some that are intact (like #1 and #6) which need to be installed before the light fixture. There are also some that are split (#2) which can be installed without removing an existing chandelier.
1. CM16MLFRF Melonie Ceiling Medallion | 2. Melonie Ceiling Medallion | 3. Restorers Architectural 16 Inch Florentine Wooden Ceiling Medallion | 4. Delecroix Ceiling Medallion | 5. Art Deco Plaster Ceiling Medallion | 6. Royal Oval Ceiling Medallion
#4: Gallery Lights (Or Art Sconces)
There is something so grown up about a gallery light. In my mind, they were always things used for “real art” and that Paris canvas I bought at IKEA just like 2 million other people in my 20s just wasn’t going to cut it. But guys, WHO CARES. Add an art sconce above any piece of art you want, whether it costs $20 at Home Goods or you sourced it from a prestigious gallery.
Gallery lights are meant to bring attention to a work of art, and are best left for either a clean grid of frames or a singular hung piece. They are really elegant, and anytime you add to your lighting layers, you’re going to elevate the look and feel of your room.
I love how the placement of this art light (a room by Zoe Feldman) brings the eye up so high and emphasizes the ceiling height.
For any large artwork over a sofa, a gallery sconce really brings it home, especially in a rich, luxurious room like this one by Anne Pulliam Interiors.
Most gallery sconces are thin, horizontal fixtures, but don’t forget that you can always use a regular sconce above a frame, as well. Summer Thornton did just that in her office’s lounge to great affect.
Like any other lighting fixture, price ranges vary greatly. On the plus side, there are a ton of options such as hardwired, plug-in (#1, #6), and even battery-powered (#3).
1. Julissa Plug-In Sconce | 2. Remi Black Metal 2 Light Gallery Wall Sconce | 3. allen + roth Prichard Brushed Gold LED Battery Picture Light | 4. Curved Arm Direct Wire Slim-Line Picture Light | 5. Montague Picture Light | 6. Fifi Picture Light
#5: Skiffers
Finally, we reached the inspiration for this post: Skiffers. When Jess and I toured the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, we noticed these little brass corner brackets in one of the rooms. I had never seen them before, and immediately dove into researching what they were because I was obsessed with them. These sweet metal details are meant to protect the corners of baseboard from scuffs, chips and general damage and are often used in high-traffic rooms. They can also be used on kitchen cabinetry and even furniture. I actually used to have something similar on the edges of a Campaign-style cabinet I once DIYed, and still love the look today. Micro details add up, folks!
Wow, is it hard to find photos of these things that aren’t from a catalog, but the above, by UK lighting and ironworks company Broughtons, gives you a taste.
And just as styled, pulled back imagery of rooms with skiffers being used are rare, so are variations in design. You’ll often find them in a similar look to the above (or #2 which is from a US company called Stairrods), in a more cleaned up silhouette like #1 or super decorative, such as the leaf shape of #3.
1. 2.9″ SET of Solid Brass Corner Protector | 2. Large Skiffer Antique | 3. 85mm Set of Olive Fern Corner Protector Solid Brass Skiffers
And there you have it! An exploration into design details you may have not known existed, or simply just don’t spend the time thinking about. Once your furniture is selected, your walls are painted and papered, your linens are just-so…if you’re looking for more little projects, I just unlocked five more for you! Enjoy, and see you next time!
Opening Image Credits: Designs by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM, Photos by Kaitlin Green | Left From: The HIGHLY Anticipated…Farmhouse Living Room Reveal | Right From: The Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal And All My Thoughts And Feelings About It
I need some skiffers! New word for me and an adorable, useful detail.
Check out Corston Architectural for clear lucite switch covers (more UK than US sorry) and Pooky (US too now but maybe not all products) for battery-powered art sconces.
Oh I’ve seen Pooky! I forgot about them. Thanks for the poke!
I personally feel allergic to putting a ceiling medallion into a space that it wouldn’t be appropriate for in terms of the architectural period. I’ve always admired them, but only now do I think it can be achieved in my home because I’m actually in a late Victorian property, so even though my specific Victorian would not have had medallions originally, it doesn’t feel off to put them in. Crown moulding is a little bit more flexible but I think even a simple plain looking medallion will look off in a place that was built in 2012.
I live in a home built in the 80s and was grateful to be able to use a ceiling medallion when we switched out a hideous light fixture. We are on a budget and using one allowed us to skip an expensive drywall repair because the new light canopy was much smaller than the old. We picked a very basic/simple medallion from Home Depot that was MUCH cheaper than the ones pictured here. An ornate one would look silly in our house but the one we used looks great.
Never knew I loved a skiffer until today !
That’s how I felt until I discovered them.
I love this so much – the details truly matter. Thank you !
My house is a mutt (a little craftsman, a little farmhouse, a whole lot of 1912 middle class Southern vernacular), and I put ceiling medallions in the main rooms (entry, living room, dining room, bedrooms) when I upgraded the lighting. I have a few traditional fixtures and some more modern ones. The more affordable medallions are super lightweight, and to make them look as old as the rest of the trim work, I followed Daniel “Manhattan Nest” Kanter’s lead and mixed paint with a bag of plaster of Paris, then kinda glopped all that onto the medallion. It makes the details look less finessed, and immediately ages the medallion, of that makes sense.
Now to add some skiffers!!!
Oh yes that’s a great idea for the plastic medallions. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to do it! Like another commenter, when I swapped out light fixtures, I had all kinds of paint marks and weird-shaped holes that the new canopies didn’t cover. The medallions did a heavy lift for me!
I love our metal registers and am so glad for the designer touches that were inexpensive but make us feel like a million bucks!
Yes exactly! Sometimes, the fancy hand soap or the nice light switch can make you feel better about your home than the big (expensive) things.
Love this post! To quote Charles Eames, “The details are not the details; they make the design”. Also, just a heads up that there may be a typo in the description of the skiffers. You used “aren’t” instead “are”, so it was a bit hard to follow. Thanks, Ladies! Keep the great content coming.
Thank you! And yes, love that quote. So true.
I saw skiffers for the first time this weekend at a home in the Utah Valley Home Parade! My friend and I commented on them and had no idea what they were or were called. This post is in perfect timing! They are so beautiful and functional. 🤍
Love this post. If you think of more, please post.
Ouch! That last line is a killer. Until I saw it, I was all set to go snoop around the early 20th century block of houses being taken down near me. Maybe I should stay home and finish the projects I’ve already started instead.
This is a great post!! Thank you! Skiffers blowing my mind.
I found some dream items here.
I didn’t know they were called skiffers but I love them. My partner finds it hilarious when I take photos of door handles, vent registers and face plates when we go to stately homes and museums. Several time I’ve been stopped by staff that no photography is allowed and they look very puzzled when I say that I can’t buy the photo I want in the gift shop because they don’t have postcards of the door handles!
I love the idea of upgrading vents for an impactful look without too big of a price tag and so fast and easy of an improvement! Also, I have never heard of a skiffer before. But now I want them!