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Refined details can help elevate your condo from regular to outstanding. Many people think all condos in a building will look the same, but by changing a few minor details, you can make your condo reflect your personality. Here's how:

1. Ceiling treatments

They can make rooms feel smaller and more intimate or more expansive. Installing a barrel-vaulted ceiling in a bedroom or living room is an excellent way of giving the impression of greater space.

If you can't do this, create a similar effect by recessing part of the ceiling to form a tray ceiling. In addition to increasing the perception of height, this creates architectural interest and is often highlighted with built-in lighting. Depending on decor, more or fewer architectural details to the tray can contribute to your overall look.

Key spaces for ceiling details or treatments are powder rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. For instance, a tray or other recessed ceiling treatment over your kitchen island can highlight this culinary focal point.

Adding a cove to the ceiling-wall joint is another simple way of adding interest to a room and making it look more finished.

When carefully applied, a cove ceiling draws the gaze to the perimeter of the room, giving a sense of increased space. Again, the level of complexity of the coving needs to be appropriate to the overall level of architectural complexity, and plaster coving is definitely the way to go.

Another ceiling treatment that can have lots of impact is a plaster medallion to highlight your chandelier. This, as well as other plaster detailing, can be off-the-shelf or custom-made.

Remember a small recessed detail with trim or a simple cove application can have a huge effect.

2. Baseboard mouldings

If scaled to a significant size and elegantly executed in wood, baseboards can warm up your space. If your condo is modern, you might decide to pass on mouldings, or at least use simple versions painted to match the walls.

Although good baseboards can be expensive, they are orth it if well executed.

3. Custom doors

Opening or closing a solid mahogany door will continue to delight you for years. Appropriately selected, doors can create a sense of warmth, character and security. To enhance space and reduce noise transfer without disrupting the visual line from room to room, consider French doors. These can be embellished with bevelled glass or etching, if privacy is a concern. When contemplating which door to install, think solid. Also remember that there is no end of possibilities for wood and French doors.

4. Hardware

The better the quality, the greater the user satisfaction. For starters, hinge quality should be matched to that of the doors. A poorly hung door will not feel right year after year.

For an elegant touch, add finials to the hinges. These range in style from simple to ornate and should match the style of the condo's interior.

Since you will be in contact with the handles or knobs, check these out carefully for feel and quality. A door knob that does not fit comfortably in your hand may not be the best option for your bathroom door, for instance, as this is an often-used space.

While some fittings are very expensive, you may be able to find similar quality at lower cost if you shop around online.

Don't ignore knobs and pulls on drawers and cupboards; these can contribute significantly to a condo's character and quality. Remember hardware makes a statement and, although subtle, can be very effective.

5. Glass and mirrors

Glass and mirrors will increase the perceived size of your space. Glass doors or a glass wall can open up a small space and the reflective qualities of mirrors work wonders to create the illusion of a larger space.

Think of different glass textures and match them to your requirements. Seed glass and antique mirrored finishes are stylish options, and antique finishes come in a variety of textures and qualities.

6. Niches and pillars

Wall niches can be created with flat backs to showcase paintings or with curved backs to highlight sculptures. Subtle lighting should be used to show these architectural details to their best advantage and LED lighting is the most current. Foyers often have niches, pillars and columns.

7. Lighting

Nothing changes a space faster than lighting. It can create ambience from utilitarian (house cleaning, routine cooking, getting ready for work) to romantic (getting cosy with a book or relaxing in the bath).

Multiple, lower-level sources of light are better than a few bright lights, as this gives many more moodcreating options.

And every light deserves a dimmer. This will ensure the versatility of a space - from doing work to entertaining.

Original source article: Seven ways to add personality to your condo

Refined details can help elevate your condo from regular to outstanding. Many people think all condos in a building will look the same, but by changing a few minor details, you can make your condo reflect your personality. Here's how:

1. Ceiling treatments

They can make rooms feel smaller and more intimate or more expansive. Installing a barrel-vaulted ceiling in a bedroom or living room is an excellent way of giving the impression of greater space.

If you can't do this, create a similar effect by recessing part of the ceiling to form a tray ceiling. In addition to increasing the perception of height, this creates architectural interest and is often highlighted with built-in lighting. Depending on decor, more or fewer architectural details to the tray can contribute to your overall look.

Key spaces for ceiling details or treatments are powder rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. For instance, a tray or other recessed ceiling treatment over your kitchen island can highlight this culinary focal point.

Adding a cove to the ceiling-wall joint is another simple way of adding interest to a room and making it look more finished.

When carefully applied, a cove ceiling draws the gaze to the perimeter of the room, giving a sense of increased space. Again, the level of complexity of the coving needs to be appropriate to the overall level of architectural complexity, and plaster coving is definitely the way to go.

Another ceiling treatment that can have lots of impact is a plaster medallion to highlight your chandelier. This, as well as other plaster detailing, can be off-the-shelf or custom-made.

Remember a small recessed detail with trim or a simple cove application can have a huge effect.

2. Baseboard mouldings

If scaled to a significant size and elegantly executed in wood, baseboards can warm up your space. If your condo is modern, you might decide to pass on mouldings, or at least use simple versions painted to match the walls.

Although good baseboards can be expensive, they are orth it if well executed.

3. Custom doors

Opening or closing a solid mahogany door will continue to delight you for years. Appropriately selected, doors can create a sense of warmth, character and security. To enhance space and reduce noise transfer without disrupting the visual line from room to room, consider French doors. These can be embellished with bevelled glass or etching, if privacy is a concern. When contemplating which door to install, think solid. Also remember that there is no end of possibilities for wood and French doors.

4. Hardware

The better the quality, the greater the user satisfaction. For starters, hinge quality should be matched to that of the doors. A poorly hung door will not feel right year after year.

For an elegant touch, add finials to the hinges. These range in style from simple to ornate and should match the style of the condo's interior.

Since you will be in contact with the handles or knobs, check these out carefully for feel and quality. A door knob that does not fit comfortably in your hand may not be the best option for your bathroom door, for instance, as this is an often-used space.

While some fittings are very expensive, you may be able to find similar quality at lower cost if you shop around online.

Don't ignore knobs and pulls on drawers and cupboards; these can contribute significantly to a condo's character and quality. Remember hardware makes a statement and, although subtle, can be very effective.

5. Glass and mirrors

Glass and mirrors will increase the perceived size of your space. Glass doors or a glass wall can open up a small space and the reflective qualities of mirrors work wonders to create the illusion of a larger space.

Think of different glass textures and match them to your requirements. Seed glass and antique mirrored finishes are stylish options, and antique finishes come in a variety of textures and qualities.

6. Niches and pillars

Wall niches can be created with flat backs to showcase paintings or with curved backs to highlight sculptures. Subtle lighting should be used to show these architectural details to their best advantage and LED lighting is the most current. Foyers often have niches, pillars and columns.

7. Lighting

Nothing changes a space faster than lighting. It can create ambience from utilitarian (house cleaning, routine cooking, getting ready for work) to romantic (getting cosy with a book or relaxing in the bath).

Multiple, lower-level sources of light are better than a few bright lights, as this gives many more moodcreating options.

And every light deserves a dimmer. This will ensure the versatility of a space - from doing work to entertaining.

Marilyn Wilson has been selling real estate for more than 24 years and owns Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties Inc. Brokerage, Exclusive Affiliate of Christie's International Real Estate. She can be reached through dreamproperties.com.

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