Decor accessories make a home
Remove all the personal items from a home and you're left with a room that is sterile and unlived in. It's the little things that make a house a home, and decor accessories, soft furnishings and personal touches are what make a big difference. Not to mention the fact that, when mixed with a few of your favourite collectibles and treasured pieces, a few additional décor items allow you to set the scene, lift the mood, or just add some colour to a room.
Put together a collection of accessories to create the perfect tablescape. Your current fave read and a potted plant or two are really all that are needed for a coffee table that gets used by the family, but in a formal setting you can use a coffee table to display a vignette of items brought back from travel or pieces that you mean something special to you.
You don't need to spend a fortune to create a dressed coffee table. A visit to your local home decor store, or keep an eye out for special offers and end-of-season bargains, and you are sure to pick up a few select accessories that will add the finishing touch.
Bookcases and display shelves require just as much personal attention. If not hidden behind closed doors, style your bookcase or display shelves to match the rest of the room. Keep books neatly arranged and include one or two decor accessories that blend with the existing decor in the room.
Art is the perfect way to inject a dose of personality into a home. Whether you create a gallery of kids' paintings, love to collect posters, or frame your family photographs, art is a versatile way to add interest and individuality. If you're not sure what frames to add mix it up for an eclectic wall gallery.
For a more formal setting keep the frames in one colour, be it black, white or metal, and if you're looking to add a dash of casual style, gather together a collection of picture frames in different styles and sizes and paint them in a single colour.
With the trend towards recycling continuing to increase, there's nothing wrong with finding a piece of reclaimed timber or a piece of board and creating your own work of art.
In small living spaces make full use of mirrors and reflective surfaces as part of your decor. Mirrored, glass or perspex don't intrude on the space but still provide a way for you to add your own personal touch.
Crystal, glass and mirrored accessories bounce light around a room, so incorporate these as much as possible in rooms that don't have lots of natural light or where you want to up the glamour level.
Table lamps and floor lamps can be considered as decor if they look good. Don't just think in terms of practicality, but rather shop of table and floor lamps that stand on their own in terms of design.
Dramatic lighting can be the focus point in any room, requiring that only a few small decor accessories be added for that personal touch. One of my favourites is to cut a couple of Philodendron leaves and place these in a vase of water. They not only look good - they last for ages, adding a touch of fresh greenery wherever they are placed.
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Adding personal touches to make a house a home doesn't necessarily mean that you have to dig deep into your wallet. Shopping around for best buys and bargains, or even making your own home decor accessories allows you to keep the look fresh and trendy simply by swapping around for seasonal changes or when you want a new look.
At the end of the day, decor accessories reflect who you are and add character to a home, so don't be afraid to proudly display your collectibles and treasured grandma's china!