If your decor doesn’t feel finished, that’s a good thing – here’s why the best homes never do

Welcome to the first installment in a new column series by Emma Beryl Kemper – designer, author, and founder of Emma Beryl Interiors – joining Homes & Gardens’ By Design. She shares her insights on how to create rooms that feel effortlessly modern yet timeless.

Before you even hire me, you’ll ask how long the process takes from start to finish. You’ll want a clear timeline – when the contractors will finish, when deliveries will arrive, when your home will finally feel 'complete.' You’ll say you understand delays and lead times, yet it’s natural to feel frustrated by them anyway. You’ll ask me to lock in an install date so we can bring in your beautiful new furniture, hang the art, style the bookshelves, and tie every detail together.

But what you’re really asking is simple: When will my home be finished?

And I hear you. Especially today, in a world overflowing with perfectly curated Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards, it’s easy to feel like every room should look styled and photo-ready at all times. That pressure can make a home feel 'unfinished' until it looks like it belongs in a magazine – and that’s a feeling I see often, even among the most seasoned homeowners.

Of course, there will come a point in the design process when we wrap up. The contractors will leave. We’ll roll out your rugs, hang your window treatments, and arrange your furniture. In that moment, we’ll all feel excited that your space is ‘done,’ ready for you to enjoy. Your home will look beautiful, feel new, and that milestone is worth celebrating. But honestly, that moment isn’t my ultimate goal.

I see my job as laying a thoughtful foundation for your space. From there, it’s most important that your home feels like yours – alive, personal, and evolving. Maybe we didn’t find the perfect piece of art during our time together – and that’s okay. One day, you’ll stumble upon something that resonates with you, something that recalls a flea market adventure with a friend or a special trip. That connection, that story behind the piece, will mean far more than anything I could have sourced just to tick a box and declare the room ‘finished.’

When we design, we intentionally leave room for growth – for you to rearrange, revise, and revisit your surroundings over time. It’s human nature to collect, evolve, and fall in love with new things. Whether it’s a vintage mirror you inherit or a finger painting from your child, these layers are what make a house feel like a home. If a space is designed so rigidly that nothing can be added without disrupting the ‘look,’ then we haven’t built a home – we’ve built a showroom.

A home should never feel frozen. Over time, you might want more color on the walls or fewer throw pillows on the sofa. That’s not a design failure – it’s a success. It means your space supports you, allowing you to grow and change without starting from scratch every time your tastes evolve. Your home should reflect who you are, and who you are is always evolving.

So yes, part of my job is to give timelines, manage contractors, oversee installations, and deliver a space you love when we put down our pencils. But my true goal – the part that keeps me engaged and inspired – isn’t about creating a static, photo-ready home. It’s about crafting a personal, adaptable space that welcomes change, invites memory, and celebrates not just who you are today, but who you are becoming.

Read more about how Emma Beryl Kemper designs spaces here