Being an interior design professional can sometimes be a hazard…like when you walk into a friend’s newly renovated home for the first time. A renovation always makes a space look shiny and new, but my eyes automatically clock things that most people won’t notice. Don’t worry, I never say anything unless they mention it first.
That was what happened when I walked into one of my good friend’s homes right after she had completed a full gut renovation of the space and had refurnished it. On paper, everything was perfect–gleaming hardwood floors, fresh paint on every wall, and a gorgeous new sofa she’d saved up for. But as we stood there with our coffee mugs in hand, she sighed and said, “It still doesn’t feel like home. It feels like something’s missing.”
And she was right. The room was lovely, but it felt a little flat…like a beautiful stage waiting for the actors to arrive. There were no rugs softening the hardwood, no art on the walls to tell her story, and the few accessories she had picked up felt more like placeholders than personal treasures.
What she didn’t know then, and what I explained over that cup of coffee, is that creating a beautiful room isn’t just about buying the right sofa or painting the walls a trending colour. The secret lies in layers. Designers know that every truly beautiful room is built in three distinct layers, each one adding depth, personality, and soul.
And once you understand these three layers (and how to master them), that’s when the magic happens.
Images via Pinterest.
Layer 1: The Foundation (Function + Big Pieces)
This is the part most people think they’ve already done or can do on their own. And technically, they have or they can. But what I find is that most of the time they’ve often done it out of order, or without a real plan.
The foundational layer includes things like your flooring, wall colour, layout, and large furniture pieces like your sofa, bed, or dining table. These elements do a lot of heavy lifting. They set the tone of the room, influence how it flows, and dictate how the space functions on a day-to-day basis.
If your home were an outfit, this would be your jeans and t-shirt–you know, the essentials. Not flashy, but absolutely critical to getting the look and feel right.
The trouble is, most people jump into decorating their space by buying things piecemeal. Maybe they pick up a sofa because it’s on sale, or paint the walls before they’ve decided what else is going in the room. Then they wonder why it’s so hard to pull the rest together.
Here’s the truth: If the foundation isn’t right, nothing else will feel quite right either.
I’ve seen this with so many clients. Not just family and friends. They come to me after spending hours (and hundreds or thousands of dollars) trying to “fix” a room that still doesn’t feel good. But once we go back and address the foundation, maybe tweak the furniture layout, swap a piece of furniture, or rethink the wall colour, suddenly everything clicks and starts to look better.
Designer tip: Before you buy another accessory or paint a single wall, start with the basics. What do you need this room to do for you? How should it function? Then look at your big pieces and your layout. Do they support that function? Do they match the vibe you’re going for?
Because until the foundation is solid, all the pretty layers on top will just feel…off.
Images via Pinterest.
Layer 2: The Personality (Style + Finishes)
Once the foundation is in place, this is where you start to see your personality show up in the space. It’s also where people tend to get stuck or overwhelmed. Because suddenly, there are a lot of choices.
This layer includes things like fabrics, textures, drapery, lighting, accent chairs, and decorative finishes. It also includes the overall style direction, as in understanding if you are leaning more towards modern, traditional, coastal, or a mix of several influences.
The key here is cohesion. That doesn’t mean everything needs to match. But it does mean your choices need to feel intentional.
I once worked with a client who came to me completely overwhelmed by her Pinterest board. She had saved hundreds of images, all beautiful, but wildly different in style. She told me, “I like everything, but none of it looks good together in my house.”
That’s the trap of inspiration overload. When you love multiple looks, it’s easy to start buying things from each–a modern chandelier here, a farmhouse console table there–and before you know it, your space feels more like a furniture showroom with a mishmash of a bunch of stuff, than an inviting, warm home.
What designers know is this. Repetition creates rhythm, and rhythm creates flow.
Choose 1–2 wood tones. Stick to a defined colour palette. Repeat finishes like black metal or aged brass to unify your space. And don’t be afraid to edit. Not everything you love needs to be in one room.
Designer tip: If you’re drawn to multiple styles, think about which one feels most like you right now. Not your Pinterest self, but your real-life, everyday self. What do you want your home to feel like at the end of the day? Calm? Cozy? Energetic? Let that guide your choices.
Because personality isn’t about trends. It’s about designing a space that reflects you, and how you want to live
Images via Pinterest.
Layer 3: The Soul (Details + Styling)
This is the layer that breathes life into your space. It’s what takes a room from “nicely decorated” to deeply personal.
One mistake I often see is people trying to make their home look “done.” They’ll buy the art, the rug, the throw pillows–all in the same coordinated colour palette. Everything matches. But nothing means anything to them. They don’t love the art. They don’t feel connected to the any of the choices they’ve made. They have chose these pieces because they “go together,” not because they speak to them.
And the result? A room that feels overly styled. Almost like a set from a stage production. Instead of feeling soft, warm, and welcoming, it can feel hard. Forced even. This is not what we are after.
The soul of a room lives in the details. The throw pillows that soften a structured sofa, the candle that smells like your favourite vacation, the books you’ve actually read (or plan to), the art that makes you pause, the plant in the corner that’s somehow survived against all odds.
This is the layer that tells your story.
But here’s the thing. This is the part that most people skip.
By the time most people get to this stage, they’re tired of decorating. They’ve spent weeks picking furniture, agonizing over paint colours, and clicking through endless product pages. So they light a candle and call it a day.
Or they go in the opposite direction. They start filling every surface with “stuff” just to fill the space. Pretty things that don’t really mean anything. And the room ends up feeling cluttered instead of collected.
The sweet spot? That’s what designers help you find.
Designer tip: Focus on a few key groupings…like a styled coffee table, a vignette on your console, or a few framed pieces over the bed. Use the rule of three, mix up heights, and always include something organic like a plant, a wood object, or woven texture to soften the space.
And don’t forget–you don’t have to fill every corner.
Sometimes, a little breathing room is the soul.
Think of this layer like jewellery. You’ve already put on the perfect outfit (your foundation) and chosen your signature style (your personality). The styling is the finishing touch…like the necklace, the watch, the swipe of lipstick that brings it all together.
This is where your room finally feels complete.
Images via Pinterest.
Putting It All Together (How to Master the Layers)
At this point, you’ve probably started to see your own home differently. Maybe you’re realizing your foundation is solid, but you’ve skipped over the styling. Or maybe your accessories are beautiful but they’re sitting on top of furniture that’s never really worked for how you want your space to function.
That’s the beauty of this layered approach. It gives you a way to diagnose what’s not working and fix it with purpose.
Let’s recap:
- The Foundation: This is your layout, large furniture, flooring, and wall colours. It’s about function and flow.
- The Personality: This layer brings in your style through materials, finishes, and decorative accents that create cohesion.
- The Soul: The final touch. Styling and personal details that make your space feel lived-in, meaningful, and complete.
Most people decorate in the wrong order. They start with what’s pretty instead of what’s practical. Or they stop at step two, so the room looks good but still feels unfinished.
Designer tip: Start from the ground up. Lock in your layout, then build in your style, and then bring in the emotion. And remember, decorating is not a one-day event. It’s a process. Your home will continue to evolve over time, just like you do.
If you’re feeling stuck, unsure where to begin, what to change, or how to layer things in the right order– that’s exactly where I come in.
✨ Our Room Rx service is like a design diagnosis for your space. You’ll get a personalized video report that pinpoints exactly what’s off and what to do next — whether you’re starting fresh or layering on top of what you already have.
Because when you understand the layers, and how to master them, that’s when your space finally starts to feel like home.
