Accessories
Accessories are one of the most important items in making a house a home. After all, accessories express the personality and individuality of a home owner. They can include unique decorative items, cushions, throws, lamps, mirrors, plants, flowers, candles, artwork, screens, sculptures, heirlooms, collectibles etc.
One of the keys to bringing the decorative look together is to have a balance of complementing items with contrasting items. For example, if you want to decorate a family room with a "tropical and worldly" feel about it, you may decide to place complimenting cushions decorated with palm trees on each side of the couch. and loveseat and add a contrasting cushion with pineapples (contrasting in pattern, texture and color) in the middle of the couch to add interest and finish off the look. *Group similar items together. If you have a variety of objects of similar color, shape and/or design, group them together to show them off. It is ideal to group items in combinations of three or five (or some odd number).
*Place items of varying heights together to add interest, placing the taller pieces behind the shorter pieces to add depth. *It looks better to keep collections (such as a collection of glass bottles) grouped together than to spread the items throughout the house. When collections are scattered, the feel and the look is more of a clutter as opposed to a lovely collection. *Use plenty of artwork and again, group artwork together (unless you have a piece large enough or masterful enough to stand on it's own). *Use mirrors to open up a space and make it look larger, however, always make sure that whatever the mirror is reflecting is something that is appealing to look at (not the ceiling or the back door etc.) *Use silk and/or fresh flowers to add color, vibrance and life to a room (and place the flowers in a decorative vase or jug). *Try hanging decorative sconces (with or without lights or candles) on either side of a piece of artwork or mirror. *Use decorative cushions (don't be afraid to use a lot) and throws to bring in texture, color and interest.
* Use lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, candles to add warmth and create a mood. *Avoid over-accessorizing with small items that will appear as clutter *When decorating a bathroom, don't forget to add accessories such as candle holders, candles, plants, vases, flowers, artwork, baskets with rolled towels, etc. to liven the room. *Books can be used as decorative accessories; a colorful coffee table book can be placed at an angle on a table to add interest or hard cover books (with their glossy covers removed so that the embossed print on the book can be seen) can be stacked or angled or used to elevate smaller items in a family room or office. Adding accessories to a room can be one of the most fun and rewarding parts of decorating because accessories can breathe life into a room and add color, warmth, texture, drama, personality and pizzazz. |