Anyone that knows me very well knows that I change out some of my accessories for the seasons. One of the questions I get asked is,
"How do you do that?"
Trust me when I tell you that it is not hard at all, in fact if it was hard I probably would not be doing it.
Since my home is not overly decorated with a lot of stuff that does help me out in placing some of the seasonal changes. Over the year I have developed a method to my madness.
(My fall mantel last year.)
Today I am going to share with you how I would add accessories to a clients home and this is how I have done it for years.
On decorating day I will have the client remove all of the accessories, only leaving larger pieces like table lamps.
I have found it is so much easier to have a clear vision once the room is void of any and all accessories.
I will have the client put their accessories in groupings of......
- Shiny textures, like glass, or mirrored pieces.
- Metal pieces
- Wood pieces
- Textural pieces like baskets
- Books
- Candles
- Plants
- Framed photos
Basically they are creating a shopping area for me. I will go to this shopping area to find what I need to decorate the room.
I always start with the larger pieces first and then fill in with the smaller or medium pieces.
The best place to start is you main focal points such as a fireplace mantel or a coffee table. Since these are the areas that will most likely set the mood for your room.
When choosing elements I like to vary my textures. I have found if a room has all shiny objects it becomes contrived and boring, just not quite right. Remember the 80's brass and glass era!? Oh my!!
It is also important to keep out the elements that are important to you, after all that is what makes your house a home.
One thing to always keep in mind is my little mantra.....
One of the biggest mistakes I see homeowners do is to have so many little pieces in the room that the eye does not see any of it because it creates constant movement, jumping from one piece to another, never painting a complete picture. The room is more like a puzzle that has not been put together yet.
Remember not every surface and/or wall has to have something on it. If you want your guest to stop and look at something put it out, or up on a wall, but if the wall is just a pass through area it does not necessarily need something on it.
The other thing I tell my clients when they are trying something new to them in their homes is to do the morning test!!
I have found this to be true in my own decorating life and many of my clients and friends can attest to this working as well.
If it does NOT pass the morning test I take it back or put it away.
Something else you need to have in your rooms to keep it fresh and alive is......
There is nothing better than plants or fresh flowers to add life to a room. Try to avoid faux flowers when ever possible. They tend to look old and a bit dated.
I know there are two camps on this subject and I am falling in the camp of no faux. Plants are so inexpensive to purchase these days and so are fresh flowers.
The one exception is a large tree for a corner, but be sure it passes the touch me to see if I am real test!!!
When adding your accessories to a table, mantle, or shelf it is always a good idea to work with odd numbers. I am sure you all probably know this, but for those that don't it is a good guideline to follow.
Here is a good example I found that shows how to vary heights and objects on shelving. This can also be applied on a mantel or a coffee table as far as textures and heights go.
Both were found HERE!!
Notice in the last picture how the same objects can look so much better by making sure there is an up and down imaginary line from one object to another.
The other thing I want to tell you is to NOT be afraid of making changes, have fun with your home, enjoy making it uniquely yours.
The other thing I want to tell you is to NOT be afraid of making changes, have fun with your home, enjoy making it uniquely yours.
Get ready to make some changes because Fall is right around the corner.
Here is another post that you might find helpful,
click HERE!!
3 comments:
This was a great post Kathysue filled with useful tips. I adore that basket on the bottom shelf your console table. Care to share if it is still available? Have a great weekend!
I'm getting there, I promise. I got the Fall floral arrangements set up outside on the front porch. Next up...decorating the great room & kitchen. It shouldn't take too long. I find myself doing less each year. By the time 2020 roles around I'll probably be just plopping a white pumpkin down on the center of the dining table & call it good enough. LOL
Great tips! I love Fall and only do a minimal amount of decorating, typically with natural things, like pumpkins, gourds, corn, etc.
Thanks for sharing.
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