It's The Little Things

Kim Chilton Griffith
Aug 4, 2020
3 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

We’ve all heard the phrase “it’s the little things,” but I’m not talking about the kind gestures or fleeting moments that brighten your day.

I’m talking about the design details — those special finishing touches that transform a house into a home. The personal pieces that speak quietly, yet say everything about who you are.

Bring your boudoir, your living space, or even your en suite to life with the “little things” that represent you — the objects, memories, and visual cues that bring calm, joy, and connection to your soul.

For the World Traveler

Travel is more than an experience — it’s a narrative. And when you return home, your spaces should continue to tell that story.

For my fellow globetrotters, think of your adventures as design inspiration. Enlarge favorite photos, print them in black and white, and display them in a gallery wall that doubles as art and memory. A vintage map, a curated postcard wall, or a few treasured souvenirs placed intentionally on shelves or within an armoire all weave your journeys into your daily rhythm.

Even old suitcases or travel trunks can become beautiful design elements — a nod to the timeless romance of exploration. For those of us who are true hodophiles at heart, surrounding ourselves with reminders of where we’ve been keeps wanderlust alive in the most elegant way.

For the Book Enthusiast

Photo: Chilton Griffith Style client project

There’s something deeply soulful about a space filled with books — each one a marker of thought, time, or transformation.

Whether you’re an avid reader or simply someone who loves the tactile presence of a good story, display your books with intention. Stack them by color or size to create visual harmony, or group them by mood to echo how they make you feel.

Hardcovers can anchor a console table, while a few paperbacks on a tray or nightstand add a touch of lived-in warmth. Books don’t just fill shelves — they add texture, intellect, and personality to a room.

Design is storytelling, and your library is one of your most personal narratives.

Photo: Chilton Griffith Style client project

For the Fashionista

Photo: Chilton Griffith Style client project

Who says your fashion favorites belong behind closet doors?

If packaging and presentation make your heart skip a beat, bring those icons into the light. Stack a few Hermès orange boxes in an empty corner to create a visual vignette. Display your Tiffany blue boxes or vintage hat boxes as chic décor. Even a signature handbag can become sculpture when placed on a pedestal or styled shelf.

Personally, I love using a dress form to drape statement necklaces — turning my accessories into art. It’s a small detail that reflects my design philosophy: beauty isn’t just something you wear; it’s something you live with.

In the words of the great Coco Chanel, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street… it has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Fashion and interior design are, after all, kindred spirits. Both are deeply personal expressions of taste and identity.

The Story Your Home Tells

Next time you welcome guests, pause and take a look around.

What story does your home tell?

Does it reveal what you love, where you’ve been, and who you’re becoming?

Add the little things that are meaningful to you, and you’ll create a space that not only feels curated — it feels alive. Because in the end, it really is the little things that make the biggest difference.