Sometimes the simplest little
additions can take something from plain to dressed up. Whether you intend to do a little dressing up
at the end of this month or not, here are some ways to jazz up some things at
home now.
Accessorize an upholstered side chair
by folding a throw blanket into a long column about half the width of the seat
and cleanly drape it centered over the back of the chair, across the seat, and
down the front, and then top it off with a slim lumbar pillow where the back
and seat cushions meet. If your couch
has one throw pillow on each end, add another in a complementary print to
either side, and then throw off the visual balance by adding a third smaller
embellished pillow to just one of the ends.
When you have the dining room table
covered with a tablecloth, accent the top by using two table runners or two
other matching tablecloths folded in narrow sections, and run them across the
width of the table, dividing it into thirds.
To add extra layers to each table setting for a nice dinner, stack it
high with the tablecloth, a placemat, and a charger below each plate, and top
that with a folded napkin. You can also
go oversized with place cards for a holiday meal by adding each guest’s name to
the front of blank folding note cards or printing each on long strips of
cardstock.
Instead of a large glass or ceramic
bowl or wooden or metal serving tray sitting empty or stored away, top them off
and set them out for display. Use fresh
fruit, glass ornaments, greens, dried naturals, stones, or pillar candles,
figurines, small book stacks, or champagne flutes, always creating a scene
where you place them. Follow the same
idea to dress up your coffee table, kitchen island, foyer table, buffet, or
side table.
Fill a basket or bin with short log
segments and set beside a seating area.
Add a folded quilt across the end of the bed. Use sections of green moss or spindly branch
pieces to fill in around decorations or picture frames on the mantel or a
shelf. Place a small round tray, water
carafe, and glass on a guestroom nightstand.
Fill a clear glass canister with unwrapped bars of soap and add to the
bathroom counter.
A little something extra can be a
sweet touch in any room. Which reminds
me, add a can of apricot nectar to a pitcher of orange juice, and enjoy a
delicious dressed up glass at your breakfast table.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 13th.
