So, you’re styling your home, and you’ve got everything in position. The walls are painted or papered, you have the carpet or tiling you’re after, and the furniture fits the theme you have in mind. Finally, you can take off your paint-splattered overalls and set your tools aside. Everything is complete. Right?
Not so fast. You may be content if you’re a minimalist, but even minimalist spaces can have that extra little something-something. What’s missing is accessories! These fancy finishing touches may well add more character to a room than anything else in a furniture catalogue.
So, how should you style your home with accessories? That will depend on your overall aesthetic. A good rule of thumb is to choose accessories with colours or materials that complement, contrast, or bring texture to a room. So, without further ado, let’s discuss some common accessories and decor you can use to spruce up your space.
Assorted items for the lounge room vignette
If you’re styling your home, you’ve got to add a vignette to your coffee table. The centrepiece of the lounge room, this display will set the tone for guests as they enter your home. If you’re scratching your head over the word ‘vignette’, we’re not talking about short prose, although the four or five items comprising your display will tell a story. Think of the vignette as the way you want to sell yourself and your home to visitors.
The Sadie Tray hosting a green-themed vignette atop a small rattan coffee table. Image: 1825 Interiors
A trinket tray can be an excellent anchoring template to get you started. It will help you determine the dimensions you’re looking at. Of course, vignette size is also proportional to coffee table size. A small arrangement atop a larger coffee table, for example, would look obscure and minuscule, just as a larger display would look crowded and unsightly atop a smaller coffee table. When choosing a tray, find something that will hold about four or five items in a size that complements the coffee table. Whilst a neutral tone is the safest bet, an accent tray can be a bold and beautiful choice.
Items with a neutral base (including the Gomez Timber Bead Edge Oval Tray) combine to form a vignette that colour-matches the room and somehow tells a horsey tale. Image: 1825 Interiors
Next, think about which four or five items encapsulate yourself or your home. Ensure that the items are about the same size, at least somewhat colour-matched, and revolve around a theme. Remember, a vignette tells a story, so you want the items to connect rather than appear as an eclectic assortment of trinkets. You also want them to appear pretty symmetrical, save for the final larger object that ‘rounds off’ your items. Be it a large book or a tall plant, think of this as the full stop on your story that balances all components without distracting from them.
Playing into theme and colour
If you’ve already styled your walls, floors, and furniture, chances are you’ve already established a theme or colour scheme. Choose accessories that offset or play into that theme. For example, if your home is a ‘Hamptons house’—or blue-on-neutral, to be more neutral—you could emphasise any blank spaces with bold decor of navy blue and white. Ginger jars and trinket boxes work well:
Image: 1825 Interiors
In the above photo, we have balanced out the display with some cement fruit sculptures to match the white surface and wall. We’ve also brought a touch of the outdoors in with a houseplant in a thematically linked pot. This all comes together in a beautiful climax of blue and white to enhance what would otherwise be a somewhat dulled space. If you’re not such a fan of the ‘bleached’ living space, however, perhaps you’d prefer wooden floors and bright botanicals:
Image: 1825 Interiors
Reminiscent of trees, unadorned wood brings warmth to any room. Houseplants or botanical patterns in any colour spring forth from their wooden ‘roots’ in a way that’s beautiful and organic. 1825 Interiors’ Botanical Green And White Book Box (above) would be an ideal addition to a green-thumbed book lover’s lounge room vignette.
Ready to accessorise?
As you can see, accessorising is an art. If you think it’s just about plonking random items in random locations, think again. Whichever accessories you add to a room, ensure that they play into the theme of the room itself. Think of the colour wheel, and consider which items should complement their surroundings with similar colours, and which should offset with a pleasant contrast. When choosing an accent piece, choose wisely, as anything too bright could clash with—rather than add a final glimmer to—the room. We’re aiming for a room consisting of components that communicate in harmony.
The Boho Moroccan Tribal Display Plate. Image: 1825 Interiors
If you’re feeling inspired, check out 1825 Interiors’ elegant accessories. From sculptures and trinket trays to vases and ginger jars, their collection has everything you need to adorn a house with touches that make it home. Browse their range and start styling your own space today!
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