inside surf road: Why focusing on the details of your home project can make a big impact.

While the Serena and Lily hanging basket seats might be the showstopper that catch your eye when entering a room, the hardware that’s holding them up has equal importance. When we begin to conceptualize a design project, it begins at the bare bones and grows outwardly, like moss eventually covering every square inch. These small details matter a lot and should be a part of the thought process the whole way through.

Caulk and Grout and Jolly Trim, Oh My!

Recently, our team made a trip to Old Port Specialty Tile to select grout for a tiled bathroom. It would be an understatement to say that the variations were vast, and its not surprising so many people get overwhelmed with these types of decisions! When you’ve thought about grout in the past I’m sure it hasn’t occupied a large portion of your brain - right? It’s grout, we think of it as being white when it’s clean and gross when it’s not and that’s it. Wipe your hands and leave the grout thoughts behind. Well, we are here to tell you that there is much more to grout than clean or dirty. There are many tones of white, grey, even color matching for tile. If the ultimate outcome is for the grout to hide wear and tear, going with a darker option is key.

Let Your Cabinets Tell A Story With The Perfect Hardware

Let’s use hooks, knobs, and handles as an example in choosing the perfect accent pieces for your space. Most furniture comes with very standard hardware, which is fine and functional, but this is an area where little tweaks can really make a space your own. You want to feel like your home is an extension of yourself and it's also just fun to express yourself through design!

With the media stand shown below nobody would look twice at the default hardware - no offense. If your space is full of vibrant warm tones and patterns that may be a good thing ( You never want to have too much going on and overwhelm the eye ) However let’s say your entertainment room has lots of cool tones in the paint and textiles chosen. You may want to warm things up with brass or gold finishes such as the options below.

We're Here To Help!

For many of our clients, it's these little decisions that cause them to reach out for help. Choosing a beautiful stone for your countertops or that perfect heirloom rug in the living room is easy. It's when the contractor is asking you for decisions on the garbage disposal button, door hardware, and grout color where many clients throw up their hands. Without an interior designer, they make quick, misinformed decisions and often live to regret them! Unlike the majority of people, we LOVE these decisions. Give us all the questions, let us make the tough calls. Then all you have to do is sit back, relax, and look forward to that first cup of coffee cozied up in the Serena and Lily swing chair. Contact us if you want to set up a free consultation with our team.