Difference makers: Simple elements change the game in home design
Above: Ready to Read
Books make a difference by adding history to a space and reflecting the family that lives in the home. This built-in bookshelf in the den is centered by a “window” to the kitchen and the breakfast room beyond.
Brick Blending
![Photo courtesy Ty Larkins.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Pg.-95-679x1024.jpg)
An arched brick doorway gets a special paint treatment to blend with the painted cypress beams to draw your eye from the family room to the living room beyond.
Window Dressing
![Photo by Melissa OivankI / Room by Claire Major.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Pg.-99-1024x698.jpg)
Think you can’t enjoy the great outdoors while you are taking a shower inside? Think again. All you need is a privacy wall and a little creativity. Here, a custom barn-style glass door was created for entrance to the expansive shower in the master bath.
Color Rush
![Photo by Chipper Hatter / Room by Karen Giffel.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Pg.-100-A-1024x949.jpg)
A bold use of color—on an accent wall or even on a throw pillow—significantly changes the dynamic of a room. In this sunroom, cabinets in a quiet weathered-wood faux finish allow the glossy orange tile backsplash to steal the show.
Bright Idea
![Photo by Chipper Hatter / Room by Jerad Gardemal of Beth Claybourn Interiors.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pg.-102-1024x986.jpg)
A trio of shaded chandeliers is perfectly aligned in the master bathroom and adjoining walk-in closet to keep the look clean and consistent.
Symmetrical Swag
![Photo by Chipper Hatter / Room by Ty Larkins.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pg.-103-1024x1016.jpg)
This room works visually, thanks in part to a pleasing symmetry. Seating in varied textures, including a velvet sofa and pairs of chairs in linen and leather, is part of a pale palette that brings the art collection to the forefront.
It’s Your Tone
![Photo by Chad Chenier / Room by Ty Larkins.](https://s42173.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pg.-104-105-B-1024x717.jpg)
Staying true to the same hue creates a cohesive space. The color scheme for the living room was derived from an antique tapestry that now hangs above the tobacco-hued velvet sofa. Two club chairs are covered in saddle-colored leather, and underfoot is a pair of patterned rugs seamed together to create a custom piece to fit the space.