Okay, so your house looks nearly identical to every other house on the block. You moved to the neighborhood for the good school district, the price was right, or maybe you thought the neighbor was really cute. Regardless, your house feels a little lackluster, and you’re looking for ways to add character and make it look more custom. Welp, you have come to the right place! Here are some of my tips for how to elevate your average cookie-cookie house to make it feel like home.
WALL TREATMENT UPGRADES
1) Panel moulding. It instantly elevates any room and is a relatively accessible DIY project that most people can do. The Chris Loves Julia blog has a great tutorial on how to install custom box trim. You can find the base cap moulding at your local Home Depot.
2) Bold wallpaper. People, stop adhering to the idea that wallpaper is dated and/or difficult to remove. We’ve come a long way since your grandma’s yellowed, floral curling-at-the-edges wallpaper from 1930. If you’re anxious to use wallpaper for the first time, I suggest starting with a powder room. They are a great opportunity to pack a punch with your design. Burke Decor has some of my favorite wallpaper options. Home Depot has some amazing choices as well, including the distressed gray abstract wallpaper (lower left-hand corner) and charcoal geo wallpaper (lower right-hand corner).
OVERHEAD LIGHTING UPGRADES
3) Statement light fixtures. Now I don’t know what kind of overhead lighting the builder stuck in your house, but I can say for certain that if it has a rubbed bronze finish with frosted white shades, then it must go. I personally love modern styles with a matte black and/or brass finish. Some of my favorite show stoppers include the looped bleach rattan chandelier, black Tilda chandelier, globe semi-flush mount light, and the modern six-globe chandelier.
4) Ceiling medallion. The ceiling medallion is to the light fixture as the tree skirt is to the Christmas tree. Without it, frankly, your ceiling looks naked, and it adds a nice custom feel. You can find a similar ceiling medallion at Lowe’s for under $35. Just make sure the medallion is the appropriate scale for your light fixture. If you have an ornate chandelier, then I may opt for a simpler medallion to balance it out.
MODERN PULLS AND PLUMBING FIXTURES
5) Updated pulls and fixtures. This is hands down the simplest swap you can make to upgrade your cookie-cutter house. I love the look of a matte black finish, including this matte black faucet and these matte black cabinet pulls.
Interested in learning more tips on how to upgrade your cookie-cutter house? My tips along with sixteen others are featured in Redkin’s blog article From Cookie-Cutter to Cutting Edge: 17 Simple Ways to Upgrade a Cookie-Cutter House. Go check it out!
Questions? Comments? Let me know in the comment section below!
INTERIORS BY BECK 