The Art of Accessorizing Your Home

We all know accessories can make or break a space- they are the “icing on the cake”, the “finishing touch” to a room. Accessorizing is also one of the most difficult decorating skills to master, here are ten tips to keep in mind when working on your own spaces…

1. Know When to Say “When”-Too many accessories can overwhelm a room- not enough, and a room feels empty- strive to find a good balance.

2. Bigger is Sometimes Better- A lot of little accessories can look very busy, try to select some larger-scale items to give your space a focal point and more impact.

3. Books and Bookshelves- When working on bookshelves- arrange groups of books and greenery first, THEN fill in decorative accessories in the empty spaces. This avoids a “gift shop” display of all accessories.

4. Group “Like with Like”- If you have a collection of many similar items- display these together for greater impact. This goes for artwork as well.

5. The Rule of “Threes”- When arranging a vignette, group items in groups of three- something large, something medium, and something small, this adds visual interest and variety.

6. Use Living Things- Live plants, greenery, flowers, herbs, a bowl of apples or lemons all of these items make wonderful accessories and add authenticity to your space.
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7. Use Functional Items- Your accessories can do double duty as storage solutions with beautiful functional items such as glass canisters for your counters, a large wooden tray for remote controls and magazines on a coffee table, decorative hooks, and shelves in a hallway.

8. Use Seasonal Accents- Fresh flowers in the spring, seashells in the summer, fall foliage and gourds in the fall, poinsettias in the winter- always try to celebrate the seasons in your home.

9. Use Personal Things- Photos of your family and loved ones, a childhood collection, passed-down antiques, treasures from your travels- personal items give your home PERSONALITY!

10. Use a Professional!! Many designers offer an Accessory Service to assist clients in re-arranging their current accessories as well as adding a few new pieces- hiring a professional interior designer will give your old things a fresh new look!