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Accessorizing a Room | A Guideline for Confident Decorating Decisions
Accessorizing a Room
Things to Hang on the Wall
- Art, prints, photos, lighting
- Plates
- Personal memorabilia, military medals, keepsakes, letters, collectables, framed collages
- Electric light sconce, candle sconces
Table Top Accessories
- Candle items
- Flower arrangements, silk or fresh
- Small framed photos, prints
- Small collections - crystal, glass bottles, tea cups, china pieces etc.... groupings flanking unusual ceramics, sculptures.... showcasing items
- Table lamps
Consider Accessories in the ...
- bedroom - shelving, dressers and night table surfaces
- kitchen - window sills
- dining room - (how to hang a chandelier, height, size) buffets, sideboards, servers
- home office - lamps, prints, decktop choices
- bathrooms - unique lighting, creative ways to deal with bathroom stuff, upgrading standard pieces (i.e. towel racks, toilet paper holders, counter top accessories), prints on walls, candles
- living room - mantels, coffee tables, curio cabinets
- family room - bookshelves, mantels, side tables, entertainment units, family photos
Things to Keep in Mind
- size and proporation - use a large piece to showcase or smaller pieces in a grouping
- proportion and effective lighting, going above plain and functional to highlight special pieces, art, etc.
- Consider seasonal accessories to keep a look fresh - throw cushions, area rugs, luxury throws and select table top pieces. (i.e. a medium blue room with plaids and prints and colourful pieces would look lively and cozy in the autumn/winter, but if you replace prints and plaids with whites and neutrals and simple pieces, a more serene look is achieved for hot summer days)
For the Kiddies
- shelving around a room will be home to kids' prize collections - dolls, trains, trophies, teddy bears
- floating art - display the child's art in ways that can be changed interrmittently (laminate mounting is a sturdier and more cost effective alternative to framing)
- bulletin boards for spontaneous creations
Display Surfaces
- fireplaces mantels
- shelving
- display cabinets
- end tables
- coffee tables
- window sills
Items to Accessorize With
- collections
- photographs
- art/prints
- plates
- quilts, tapestry. rugs as wall hangings
- bottles, coloured glass
"it doesn't matter if the knickknacks you love so much aren't valuable - sentimental value can mean just as much and may be less easily replaced. However, if you own or collect valuable pieces, you'll want to display them in the best possible way."
"A notice board made of garden trellis provides an interesting place ... to display cards, mementos ... "
Choosing Pictures
- well chosen pictures emphasize and reinforce your style of decoration
- choose only pictures you genuinely like
- consider the size of the room when choosing pictures - should look proportional
- consider grouping pictures
Bedrooms
- photo, art work
- throw cushions/blankets
- lamps
- flowers/plants
Living Room / Dining Room
"Living areas don't have to be impersonal just because they are on show ... they should reflect your own individuality."
- bold, well proportioned lamps
- plants, grouped - interesting planters
- coffee table books
- small collections
Arrange the Small Items
Begin by arranging practical items:
- lamp next to reading chair
- footstool next to a recliner
- freestanding lamp near the sofa
- afghan on the rocker
- throw pillows on the sofa
After you arrange the above practical items, bring in other small items: plants, silk flowers, candlesticks, books, fruit bowl, pretty dishes.
Using Plants in Decorating
- massed together to create a dramatic focal point
- create a natural screen in large windows
- large scale planter boxes
- arrange in decorative pots up a staircase
- group hanging plants together
Accessorizing a Room | A Guideline for Confident Decorating Decisions
