It’s All In The Details

Cape designer offers a few helpful tips on creating beautiful, cohesive interior design.

Photograph by Dan Cutrona

When putting the finishing touches on a room, whether in a summer home or a year-round residence, Irina MacPhee of Pastiche of Cape Cod advises homeowners not to overlook the final 20 percent of a given project, the few critical—yet often overlooked—items that can help tie a room together and draw the eye.

“Lighting in the form of table and floor lamps or even overhead light fixtures, accessories such as oversized pillows and throws, and even art are the things that make up what I call the last 20 percent in a room,” says MacPhee, who owns the West Barnstable-based company with her husband, John. “Fresh flowers or everlasting florals are also a nice touch and part of the ‘20 percent’. These are small things, but they make all the difference in the look and feel of a room.”

MacPhee suggests using what she calls a “plumb line” when selecting colors for the home. This means choosing a color that will appear in every room, thereby tying the individual rooms together to create a sense of cohesiveness throughout the home. The color does not have to be exactly the same shade in each room, MacPhee says, but tonal variations will do the trick.