Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.
There’s a very particular moment in any renovation when the chaos starts to ease and you suddenly realise you can see the home you’ve been working towards. With the new extension now feeling more liveable - and a couple of rooms upstairs almost complete - we’ve finally reached that phase where pockets of calm are beginning to appear, even as the original part of the cottage enters its own transformation. The walls are painted, the floors are down, the plaster dust has been tamed (mostly), and we’re no longer tripping over tools on the way to make a cup of tea.
We’re not finished, not by a long way, but the space is starting to feel… close. Almost there.
Nearly “done,” whatever that means in renovation terms.
As we edge into the festive season this year, it’s reminded us that a house rarely feels finished because of the big milestones - the new kitchen, the fresh plaster, the shiny bathroom - but because of all the small, thoughtful touches layered on top.
1. Textiles: The Instant Softness Fix
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that bare rooms feel unfinished, even when structurally complete. And nothing transforms a space faster than textiles: a rug, a runner, a pair of curtains that actually reach the floor.
We’ve added a few carefully chosen pieces as rooms have started to come together - a textured rug in the living space, curtains in the bedroom, a beautiful woven light shade over the dining table - and each one has instantly made the space feel calmer, more settled, more “us.”
Even if you’re not ready for full room styling, one or two textile layers can carry an almost-finished room surprisingly far.
2. Lamps and Low Lighting (The Atmospheric Cheat Code)
Good lighting has been our greatest ally this winter. When you’re still finishing woodwork or waiting on new doors, nothing hides imperfections quite as beautifully as a lamp.
Table lamps, floor lamps, wall lamps - anything that casts a low, warm glow instead of a harsh overhead blast. We’ve been relying on them heavily in the evenings, and the effect is instant: cosy, considered, atmospheric.
If you want a home to feel finished long before the renovation is, ambient lighting is the easiest win.
3. Styling Pockets, Not Full Rooms
This has become our decorating philosophy while we work through phase after phase of the renovation: don’t style the whole room - just create a few thoughtful pockets.
A shelf. A console. A bedside table.
One tiny area that feels intentional and complete.
Not only does it give your eye somewhere calm to land amid the ongoing work, it also creates the illusion that the room is far more polished than it really is.
We’ve been doing this instinctively for months: the vintage stool we use as a side table next to the sofa, the stack of books and lamp on the bedside table, a framed print propped up on the kitchen shelves. Tiny, low-effort touches - but they anchor the space emotionally.
4. The Warmth of Vintage and Preloved Pieces
Vintage has been the heartbeat of our home long before we even bought this cottage, but its role during renovation has surprised us.
There’s something grounding about old pieces in a new (or newly rebuilt) room. They soften the fresh paint, they add soul to blank walls, they distract from the bits still waiting to be done.
A vintage chair in a half-finished hallway feels purposeful.
A second-hand mirror leaning against a new wall adds instant character.
A thrifted lamp can warm up a corner of the kitchen still waiting for skirting boards.
Vintage brings personality when everything else feels a little bare.
5. Hardware, Handles and the Power of ‘Finishing Touches’
One of the quickest ways to make a room feel complete is to finish the tiny decisions:
- fitting handles on cupboards
- hanging the mirror that’s been leaning on the floor for three months
- putting up that coat hook you keep forgetting about
We’ve found that tackling these little jobs - even in rooms far from finished - gives us a huge sense of progress.
Renovation teaches you that the final five percent isn’t actually small at all. In many ways, it’s what turns a space into a home.
6. Plants and Greenery (Real or Faux - We Don’t Judge)
A room with a plant looks lived in; a room without one looks like you’ve just moved in.
It really is that simple.
Even one leafy moment - on a windowsill, on a shelf, in a corner - softens edges and adds life.
And if real plants aren’t your forte right now (renovation dust is brutal), a good faux one still does the job.
Greenery brings warmth and movement, especially in rooms that are still taking shape.
7. Small Seasonal Touches (Not Full Decorations)
Even though this isn’t a Christmas article, there’s something about December that makes us all crave a bit of softness and sparkle.
For us, that’s meant adding a sprig of eucalyptus here, a candle there, and letting the festive touches stay subtle - thoughtful accents rather than full displays.
It’s enough to acknowledge the season, without demanding a fully finished space to carry it.
The Real Secret to a “Finished” Home
The longer we live in a renovation, the more we realise this: a home doesn’t feel finished when every job is complete. It feels finished when you start to claim the space - through small choices, meaningful layers, and personal touches that signal comfort and belonging.
A room with finished ceilings, painted walls and gorgeous joinery can still feel unfinished.
A room with half its to-do list left untouched can feel perfect with the right lighting, a cosy rug and a vase of something green.
And as we begin work on the original part of the cottage, it’s the small, intentional details in the extension that have kept the whole house feeling like home - even while the next chapter unfolds around us.
Progress isn’t always about the big stuff.
Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.
