4 min readThe last thing you want is to spend ample time coming up with a decor scheme, spend money on beautiful pieces, and still feel like something is off in your space. While a home’s architectural elements and large anchor pieces can help bring a space to life, it’s ultimately the little finishing touches that create cohesion, a sense of comfort, and that luxe “designer” feel.
To help get you over that finish line, we spoke with six designers about the end-all, be-all finishing touch that instantly makes a room look more expensive—and everyone agreed on one major detail: layered lighting. They also shared some additional styling accents you can incorporate into your home to capture a pro-worthy look.
The Number One Finishing Touch All Designers Swear By
Layered lighting was consistently the interior finishing touch that came up repeatedly among the designers we interviewed. Not only does the right lighting make a space feel more expensive, but the wrong lighting can have the opposite effect, making a space feel undone and far less welcoming.
“Lighting is the jewelry of a home, and the most beautiful spaces rely on layers of light—not a single overhead fixture,” says interior designer Avery Carter. “The most dynamic rooms include at least three light sources—typically a decorative fixture, sconces or table lamps, and recessed lighting—each on a dimmer so the space can shift effortlessly from functional to intimate."
Melissa Dyckman agrees with that sentiment, adding that even an impeccably furnished space in the most beautiful home can feel flat when all the light comes from a single overhead source. Along with being dimmable, she adds that the type of light coming from your additional layers should have warmth—ideally around 2700K.
Layering your light and making it dimmable gives you full control over the lighting at any time of day or night. Interior designer Ashley Gallion says, “Being able to control the ambience of the room really sets the mood for the overall feel of your space.”
Additionally, layered lighting gives you an opportunity to introduce personalized details, Marissa Stokes says. For example, a table lamp with a soft linen shade or Tiffany-inspired stained glass instantly infuses texture, warmth, and character. Sculptural sconces double as art, glittering chandeliers add sparkle above a table, and a midcentury floor lamp adds drama with its unique silhouette.
Five More Finishing Touches That Make a Big Difference
Along with layered lighting, consider these designer-approved finishing touches that make any space feel more refined and welcoming.
Window Treatments
A curtainless window creates a stark feel, but once it’s dressed, the entire ambience shifts. Interior designer Rachel Gray says the right window treatments can make a room feel more expensive and more pulled together.
“Beyond their beauty, they can completely transform how a room is perceived,” she notes. “They can draw the eye upward to make ceilings feel taller, create the illusion of larger windows, and add a sense of texture and sophistication that furniture alone simply can't achieve.”
Original Art and Decor
Original art and one-of-a-kind decor details tell a story about who you are and what you’re drawn to. They also act as conversation pieces, and naturally infuse color, texture, and shapes into a space.
“No matter the budget of the home or the aesthetic, having a piece of art that is not mass-produced and sentimental to the homeowner is one way to really elevate the overall vibe to be unique and high-end,” says Libby Baker Speight of Baker Design Co.
She adds that while most associate original art with a high price point, you can often find an emerging artist or a secondhand piece at a more accessible cost. Gray agrees, adding that if a big piece of artwork still isn’t in the budget, you can layer in antique or vintage finds.
“Adding something with patina into the mix keeps things interesting and rich-looking, and can often be sourced at a fraction of what something new might cost,” Gray says. “Look for side tables, small chairs to tuck into a corner, paintings, or even just a cool vase to add this expensive layer to a room.”
Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers offer a finishing touch in two ways: beautiful greenery and a splash of color, and the vase itself.
“Fresh flowers are one of the simplest luxuries you can bring into a home, and I believe the vessel matters just as much as the arrangement,” Carter says. “I love placing blooms in antique ceramic, blown glass, or patinated metal vessels because they introduce history, texture, and soul.”
Dyckman says the greenery itself can even be something from your own yard. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive; just a simple arrangement in a beautiful vase can make the whole room feel more welcoming and complete.
Layered Textiles
Layered textiles added with a little confidence can make the difference between a well-designed room and one that feels truly finished.
“Once the foundational pieces are in place, I encourage clients to be a little braver with textiles,” Carter says. “A striped pillow, an unexpected floral, or a rich velvet introduces personality and gives a room the collected feeling that's impossible to achieve with perfectly matching pieces."
If you’re unsure where to start, Stokes says to start with pillows. They’re a low-risk addition that you can swap in and out as you choose. She adds that when she incorporates pillows into an installation, that’s usually the moment the entire room feels pulled together.
Home Fragrance
While visible finishing touches matter, don’t forget about what else contributes to the ambience. Lighting is a big one, and so is home fragrance.
Speight says, “Homes and interiors are always a sensory experience: the touch of luxurious textiles and layers of lighting. But one item some miss is the smell of the space when you enter! I love a beautiful, light-smelling fragrance to top off the look.”
