Jennifer Sheahan: The details that add 'wow' factor to a home

You can elevate your overall interior design by paying attention to the finishing touches, says the Home of the Year winner

Jen Sheahan at her home in Rathmines. Picture: Moya Nolan

Sometimes, when you have planned out a room to perfection and put every carefully chosen item in place, you stand back anticipating the satisfaction of a job well done, take a breath and think: Huh. There’s something missing here. 

Beyond accessories such as cushions and throws, there are ways to elevate your overall design by paying attention to the small details, and oft-overlooked items that can be upgraded to take your home from “That’s lovely” to “Oh wow!”. 

Sometimes they are finishes that add a touch of subtle sophistication, and sometimes they are the little accents that add a unique flair. Sometimes they’re changes to a room you’re already happy with — minor upgrades that provide a little uplift with minimal effort. There are endless ways to add these little finishing touches. 

Here are some of my favourites.

WALL PANELLING 

Panelling is a super simple way to add extra texture and dimension to your design without having to mess around with colours or fabrics. Panelling is cheap — all you need are some MDF strips, a tool to cut them with, glue, and paint. The options for panelling are endless — you can go traditional with shaker-style panels; cosy with tongue-and-groove; luxurious with Georgian rectangles; or modern with your own geometric designs. 

Wall panelling adds depth and texture. Picture: Moya Nolan

You can do one wall, all walls, part of the wall — you can even panel your ceiling for some drama and an added sense of height. 

If your wall (or ceiling!) is just lacking a little something, but you don’t want to add more artwork or colour, consider panelling as an option to give that finishing touch.

SKIRTING, ARCHITRAVES, AND ARCHWAYS 

The often overlooked mouldings along the floor and around your doors and windows provide an excellent opportunity to bring in some contrast and interest. Most of the time, these are painted in a standard white or perhaps varnished wood. 

However, for an added flourish, they could be painted a complementary or contrasting colour to your walls.

Paint your archways for a pop of colour, advises Jennifer. Picture: Moya Nolan

How much of a colour pop you want here is up to you — you can keep it sophisticated with a different tone to your wall colour; match it to another item in your room such as your bed or couch; or go full wow with a bold statement colour that really stands out. 

I recommend painting your doors the same colour — or adding additional intrigue by painting the panels in your door. The same principle applies if you have an archway without a door — paint inside it for a lovely, unobtrusive colour accent. Wallpaper is another great option for adding colour and interest to an archway.

SWITCHES AND SOCKETS 

Most light switches and sockets are so plain and ubiquitous that they fade into the background — we don’t even see them after a while. These are excellent little opportunities to mix things up and add some accents. 

You can, of course, go shopping for new switch and socket plates, and there are some excellent options out there. I generally like a brushed brass plate, or for really fun colours and styles check out the Swtch colours range (www.swtch.co.uk). 

Swtch colour from www.swtch.com.

Etsy is also a great place to check out unique plate covers — just make sure they meet safety standards. New plates can become expensive, but the good news is you don’t have to buy new ones — you can upgrade your existing ones with paint or contact paper!

Remove the plates from the wall first, then paint or cover with your favourite paper to get the perfect colour and style for your space.

RADIATORS 

Radiators are another item that can tend to fade into the background — or take up an awkward amount of space, if you’re unlucky — but that can be easily upgraded to elevate your style. Of course, radiators can be ripped out and replaced, and there is a range of styles available to suit most budgets. 

But if that sounds like too much hassle, you can also easily upgrade your existing radiator for minimal cost. Paint is the obvious answer, and I love a radiator painted the same colour as the walls. 

Again here you could choose a complementary colour for added interest or a contrasting colour for a wow-factor colour pop. 

Another option to upgrade your radiator is with a radiator cover. Radiator covers are available in lots of styles, and of course, you can paint these too or cover them in contact paper — or even wallpaper for a quirky twist.

HANDLES 

Handles are super easy to swap out on almost any item — kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, drawers, sideboards, wardrobes, etc. They are a cheap and easy way to instantly uplift any item and to add subtle accents of your preferred colour and style. 

Swap out handles to elevate the look of your bathroom. Picture: Moya Nolan

I added handles from Superfront (www.superfront.com) to transform my Ikea bathroom vanities and love them; I’ve also seen beautiful handles from Dowsing and Reynolds (who also have gorgeous switch and socket plates — www.dowsingandreynolds.com), and Rockett St George (www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk).

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