Accessories
Accessories are the finishing touches that make your house a home. Just as purses, shoes, scarves and ties enhance the look of an outfit home accessories take your room from ordinary to extraordinary.
Accessories include flowers, baskets, bowls, books, candles, plants, pictures, mirrors, sculptures and vases. When choosing decorative items for a room, pick pieces that will match the style and color of the room. For example is the room traditional, contemporary, country or decorated in an ethnic style.
It is best to group accessories in odd numbers, such as ones, threes and fives, while also having a variation in the height of objects. For example, an end table next to a sofa or chair can have a lamp for reading, a pot of flowers and a knick knack as a grouping.
Pictures should be hung so that the center of the picture is at eye level, approximately 60 inches from the floor. Artwork should be no more than 8 to 10 inches above the back of a couch. Large artwork will act as a focal point; it can be hung over a couch, behind the dining set, over a fireplace or on a feature wall. Small artwork can be grouped together using similar or matching frames and matting to make the grouping more pleasing. Arrange the grouping on the floor first and hang after you are satisfied with the look.
Using mirrors as on walls is a great way to expand a small space. Mirrors as accessories can also be hung over a side table, chest or on a fireplace. Choose square or round shaped pictures and mirrors to hang in square spaces and rectangular or oval shapes for rectangular spaces.
Pillows are great to soften the corners of a sofa and to add a splash of color to a room. Vary the colors, patterns and sizes of the pillows especially on a bed to spice up a bedroom.
It is easy for a bookcase to end up with a cluttered look, but less is better unless it is a library. Remember to group accessories in odd numbers. Large items such a bowls and baskets can be a grouping of 1, and family pictures should still be at eye level.
When in doubt get examples from pictures depicting beautifully decorated spaces such as decorating magazines or furniture stores.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an interior decorator and the owner of http://www.my-home-decorating.com