Personalize Your Home with Fabulous Accessories

Furniture, paint and appliances make a home livable, but accessories make it yours. A recent Realty Times article discusses choosing accessories to create unique, interesting rooms.

Interior design has many components, and accessories are by far the most personal and unique. These items can tell a lot about your family, including what they are interested in, where they have been or what their personal style is. Although it’s easy to just accumulate items in a mish-mash sort of way, we will walk you through some tips on using accessories to their full advantage as part of your home’s décor.

Choosing Accessories

Accessories generally fall into two categories, decorative and functional. They can also be both. If you choose a unique magazine rack, it is decorative, but since you will probably use it to hold magazines or books, it is also functional. Functional accessories usually fulfill a specific need. Examples include mirrors, lamps, clocks, pillows, vases, spice racks or candles. You should be especially careful in choosing functional accessories, as in a small space, they can be responsible for completing the room. For example, a beautiful vase or bowl can be an attractive art object as well as a container for flowers or fruit.

Decorative objects are those items that have no purpose other than being aesthetically pleasing. These include items such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, flowers and collectibles. Although you just look at them, decorative objects play a very important role in enriching your home and your spirit. Think about how your home would look without any paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures or collectibles! Pretty bare and dull. When choosing decorative items, keep in mind that you may wish to move your existing decorative items around. Experiment with placement and order, and always keep an eye out for new things.

When selecting functional or decorative accessories, it is important to remember that you do not need to have a matching design or style, but your accessories for a room do need to be equally formal or informal. For example, an elaborate antique mantel clock may not complement a kitschy novelty sign. As you experiment with combinations, your eye will become more trained to see the most pleasing array of accessories.

Amazing Accessories

If you’re stuck for ideas for accessorizing your home, there are plenty of interesting items that can be found anywhere you go. One great technique is to be on the lookout for home accessories on any vacations you take. Not only will you have a memento from your trip, you will have décor that few others possess! Folk art is always a great idea for a vacation keepsake; it is produced in many countries and often has a special meaning to the locale’s culture. It includes any number of items, from glass blowing to basketry to pottery.

You may also be able to find some unique accessories by simply digging around in your attic. Family treasures, antiques and collectibles can make fascinating conversation pieces. For instance, if a family member was in the military, you could create a shadowbox using their memorabilia, such as medals, photographs and letters. If you don’t have any such items in your family, antique stores and flea markets are ideal for digging up fascinating treasures, such as old maps, vintage signs or antique tools. These can add interest to any room, whether your décor is modern or traditional.

Family photographs also provide great accessories, given the multitude of framing options available. Create a collage of framed photographs or pick a few to enlarge and arrange as focal points. Another idea involving photographs is to make your own art. Take photos of things that interest you, whether they are flowers or old architecture or funny signs. Online photo services, such as Snapfish.com, offer enlargements at minimal cost.

Natural materials can also create interesting accessories. You can dry flowers or collect seashells or pretty rocks to place in a vase or jar. Live plants are also great accessories, as they add vitality to any room and can be placed almost anywhere, including the ceiling, bookshelves or windowsills. Just make sure you select a plant that is appropriate for the chosen spot’s sunlight and humidity, otherwise your accessory may be short-lived.

Your hobbies and activities can also make for interesting décor. Try creating a display of your stamp or teapot collection. If you love sports, dedicate a corner of a recreation room to your favorite team, or, if you play a sport yourself, display your memorabilia, such as the golf ball from your first hole-in-one or your first baseball jersey. One thing to keep in mind with hobby- and activity-related accessory is to find the appropriate place. If you collect books, it may be very sensible to have a display in the living room or den. On the other hand, a display of stuffed toys may seem a bit strange in your dining room.

Pillows also make great accessories and can liven up a room or bring a room together. When selecting pillows, think carefully about their properties, including fabric, trim, color, texture, shape and size. If you have a few red accents in your room, red pillows may be just the thing to bring it all together. Alternatively, don’t buy distressed leather pillows if the room is predominately Victorian-themed.

They key to accessorizing your home successfully is practice. Keep an eye out for things you like, whether you are traveling to Africa or shopping at the local mall. Experiment with different placements and orders, and you will refine your eye’s feel for good design.

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