
Throughout the course of any of my design projects, the bulk of my energy is spent on the big, fundamental aspects of the home or office. Designing room layouts, moving walls, configuring cabinets, selecting flooring, lighting, appliances and fixtures — these are the building blocks of every client engagement.
However, creating living and working spaces that fulfill functional needs, align with clients’ tastes, and offer a good return on investment is not all that differentiates each design. It’s the highly personal touches that truly make each job unique and raise each client’s “joy quotient.” These don’t have to be expensive purchases or customizations, just details that feel special every time they are seen or used. Let me share some of the examples that our clients totally love.
Kitchen Organization Nirvana
A kitchen is the nexus of home activity whether a client is a master chef or a take-out king. Based on how the kitchen is used, by whom, plus the personal style and habits of the homeowner(s), the meaningful extras could be:
- Drawer inserts for knives (to keep them out of sight, in size order and sharp) or customized to a specific array of utensils and serving pieces.
- Cabinet dividers that keep clunky cutting boards and baking sheets easy to see and access.
- Spice organizers that slide out so every jar is quickly found — especially if the more compulsive among us keep them alphabetized.
- A separate hot beverage station with designated storage or display for coffee beans, tea bags, mugs and, maybe, a minifridge for milk. Coffee machines can look sleek and attractive no matter the price point but some of the high-end espresso makers are works of art.
- One or two glass front cabinets to display favorite barware, art objects, bowls, cookbooks or knickknacks.
- A brightly colored standing mixer that is the center of a baker’s world!
- A refrigerator drawer for juice pouches and kids snacks.
Bathroom Spa-aaah
What elevates a basic bathroom experience? The possibilities are endless and it’s so much fun collaborating with clients to create a heavenly atmosphere for each time they bathe, shower, get dressed or, um, “ascend the throne.” A few of my favorite ideas:
- Heated floors which are easy to install and are completely programmable.
- Heated towel racks for a warm post-shower embrace.
- Give your routines a bright boost with a quality adjustable makeup mirror and a lighted medicine cabinet.
- Installing an adjustable shower head and maybe some extra jets to get squeaky clean and enjoy a relaxing water massage.
- Even a tiny bathroom gets a boost from some very ornate or modern statement hardware. You can go super luxe if you only need a few knobs or pulls.
- Enhance the glam by building in a dressing or makeup table with great lighting, a statement bench or stool, and storage for all your cosmetics and hair products.
- Having hand soap and other products in pretty bottles can add just that minute attention to detail that makes a bathroom look complete.
Don’t Sleep on These Bedroom Enhancements
With the bed being the central room element, I’ve shared my love of linens in previous musings, so you know how many options there are for upping the bed ante like:
- Buying the best quality sheets that make sense for your budget. Look for good cotton, eco-friendly bamboo, soft jersey flannel or crisp linen.
- Adding one or two fabulously different decorative pillows to draw in the eye. Vary patterns, tones, colors or textures.
Beyond the bed, how cool are…
- Built-in televisions that angle down from the ceiling or emerge up from a piece of furniture?
- Unique “statement” bedside lamps or sconces for style and comfortable reading?
- Awesome night table finds that are anything but ho-hum or matchy-matchy?
- Remote control blinds so you can check out the morning weather without leaving the comfort of your bed?
Happily Working, or Working Out
Making basement, attic, extra bedroom or other spaces into offices, gyms, and game or craft rooms is all about the special extras. Think about integrating these features harmoniously into the overall design of your home:
- Built-in cabinets that securely hold hand weights and store workout extras like bands and balls.
- Springy flooring.
- A sewing cabinet or fold up craft table.
- Surround sound Bluetooth speakers, either built-in or plug-in, high-tech or basic.
- Treadmill and variable height desks let you do your 10,000 steps while working on documents or presenting on Zoom.
Our collaboration and needs exploration with clients helps uncover their design and lifestyle dreams. The relationships we build inspire me to find the unique extras that differentiate their home from any other, delivering quality design that’s a step above — and LOVE — to their spaces!








