what makes a room look finished? Where is the balance between character and tidiness?

[greenfieldsaroundhere]

Maybe everyone on the housekeeping threads are too busy decluttering to answer my thread but I posted over there and am doing a cheeky duplicate thread to see what you guys all think.

I remember reading that Wallis Simpson made a point of ensuring that after they were exiled from Buck House, that their Paris apt was full of flowers, mirrors and candles for light and to "finish" a room.

What other things "finish" a room? crucially while also giving the impression of tidiness...

I have noticed that a lot of interiors photos show "a moment" eg table is laid for a meal or a book is left open on an armchair or a pair of shoes casually left about.
ButI like a clear table between meals (except perhaps a vase of flowers if I am organised) The same with my kitchen island.

I would love to hear what you do.

Nice lighting is the key for me. I love a good lamp.

Art. It doesn't matter if its posh stuff or not but pictures give rooms character and visual interest

Leaving shoes out? My husband would rejoice! No thanks

Definitely art.
Things on side tables - candles etc
I love a good plant too

Framed art prints, either on the wall or leaning against the wall on a surface. Coffee table books, a wire basket with throws chucked in, old gin bottles with fairy lights in

When we had our house photographed for a magazine, the photographer very briskly put a pan on the stove and the cat on the bed. It's a bit Marie Celeste -- I think the idea is to show a house in a moment, as you say. Intimacy. I always have completely clear kitchen counters and he didn't like it at all. He put two (clean) cups in the sink!

(He also took down all our coats and hats and things and put them out of sight. Fair enough -- we live in the hills so just rather practical coats and muddy old trainers are probably not very aspirational.)

Lamps, definitely. Also some well chosen framed art. Doesn’t need to be expensive.

Pinterest is really good for inspiration, as is Instagram.

I love cushions, throws, pictures on the wall, bit of clutter made up of things I really love. I've tried to be minimalist but I like stuff around me - not random stuff I've gone out and bought, but stuff accumulated over years and years.

Houseplants, cushions, books, pictures.
I like to see lots of pictures stuck to the fridge with magnets - perhaps not stylish but definitely cheering.
Lamps rather than overhead light.

Clean, well fitted curtains, art, mirror, low light and house plant

Plants can transform a room.

I also have the odd bowl or vase dotted around. One large table houseplant.

For me it's good lighting and table centre pieces like candles or a nice table runner. I think blankets and cushions can finish a room. I have alot of blankets placed on sofas and chairs.

I like signs of life in a house but nicely done, for example I love my umbrella stand by the front door with nice wooden handles umbrellas in it, (not scrunched up multi coloured ones) and dog leads on attractive hooks, I also love baskets of logs by my woodburners, throws in wicker baskets etc.

Cushions. Art or photos. Throws. Candles and lamps to layer lighting. Plants.

A cat or two , just lending their elegance and superiority to the venue .

If you can, two jet black ones are good

A few cushions (I bought some new ones for when the Christmas cushions went away , my old ones were well passed it)

I don't like plants though. One is fine but no more . (My DMum is a hoarder and has collections of "things" . She used to just buy as many of the "thing" as she could , so at one point every surface had a plant or container propagating cuttings)

Mirrors
Candles
Pictures

I had a fruitbowl that I loved (white ,yellow and blue like Monet) had it for years. Cat broke it .
Used a glass Ikea one . Cat broke it .

I have no fruitbowl now . The cat said fruit is bad for me !

Plants
Art
Candles
Some ornamentation
Books
Mirrors

Notice which bit of the room catches your eye first when you walk into the room, and focus there.
As long as that area is pretty , the rest of the room can be either more cluttered or austere and get away with it.
As pps have said, lighting is key.

That's a good point I think my eye lands on the clutter though