Here is a laundry list of
what you could be using to accessorize your home, starting with A:
Apples, both
real and faux, make a nice year round filler for both bowls and clear glass
vases.
Books are
great situated in staggered stacks on a shelving system or grouped by similar
spine color to make a pyramid base for a decorative piece on top.
Chevron is
still a go-to bold graphic print perfect for drapery panels, bedding, and throw
pillows, along with framed wall art and wrap-around canvas prints.
Dishes can
fan out beyond the kitchen and can turn a platter into an office tray and a
serving bowl into an entryway item stash.
Also, keeping a formal dining table set with linens and plates add more
dimension and lived-in staging to a less-utilized room.
End Tables
are the links between larger furniture seating and can be eye-catching all on
their own when they are unique pieces like drums and pedestals that house nice,
organized décor collections.
Fabrics are
important layers to give rooms depth and texture while adding a warm, welcoming
feeling. Throw blankets and square and
lumbar pillows give a simple couch and loveseat a cozy appeal. And an end-of-the-bed blanket and multiple
throw pillows dress up a bed and give it its snuggle factor.
Graphic
prints go hand-in-hand with those fabrics, as well as with wall art. Stripes, herringbone, quatrefoil, and
scalloped patterns are popular prints for rugs, comforters, window panels,
pillows, and framed prints for hanging.
Hostess
elements add a welcoming tone to the home.
Luxurious hand soaps, rich candle fragrances, stacks of appetizer
plates, monogrammed coasters, and fresh flowers all speak volumes about
inviting you in to stop and stay awhile.
Inspiration
is also a key thing to use when decorating.
What we see in magazines, online, on store shelves, and in the homes of
others can inspire us to create newness and change in our own spaces. It can be the simplest ideas that spark
creativity in our craftiness.
Jars remain
popular to serve drinks out of, anchor a hand bouquet of flowers, serve
individual portions of cold salads or pudding, and hold pens, pencils, markers,
and scissors in an office space. Form
and function meet in laidback glass jars.
Keys, the oversized
antique and scroll kind, are seen in framed prints, wall collages, and as added
elements to a grouping on a coffee or foyer table.
Lamps add
lighting in just the right spots and anchor end and sofa tables. They can help convey a room’s theme, whether
fun and funky or upscale and classic.
Mirrors are
a staple of wall space, as they incorporate light and reflection and can open
up a narrow area or room. Large portrait
mirrors and collections of smaller pieces both work well.
. . . And you will see the
second half of the alphabet next Sunday!
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 26th.
