As my good friend and fashionista Maria said "Never be afraid to accessorize, accessories are the flare! A simple black dress gets that extra punch with a statement necklace and brilliant clutch. The same can be said for that beige couch you have been longing to cover, add some mismatched pillows and a colorful throw, et voilà, new again!" (Check her out at Frolic in Tulle.)
Accessorizing is what takes an outfit or your home from functional to finished. It adds your personality, your creativity and your point of view to any room. And the best part is there is no right or wrong way to do it! But here are some ideas for how to get started...
First sort through and collect items you already have...pictures, vases, books, plates, bowls, candles and candle holders, items from your travels, really anything that catches your eye. Think about colors, textures and height as you put your pile together. Then pick a room or space in your home. How about we start in my entryway. (I always start with items I already have and then fill in with a little shopping.)
Think about a theme or a feeling for the space. In my entryway I wanted to use items inspired by nature. I knew I needed height to balance out the space in between the table and the picture collage on the wall so I stared there. I already had the tall tin container, glass vase and green bowl. All I needed was stuff to put in them. So keeping the nature theme in mind I bought the tall reeds (actually I have no idea what to call these) for $6 at JoAnn's Fabircs, the 3 wicker balls at Pier 1 on sale for 98 cents each! and the flowers from my local grocery store for $4.99. So in all I put this together for $13.93. Impressive right?!?
Let's check out my dining room. (Yes, another opportunity to oogle at my latest Craig's List find...did I mention I love it!) This space is all put together from pieces we have been given as presents over the years - from our wedding to Christmas gifts. Dig back through your stuff. You will be surprised at what you find! Actually I did purchase one item, the little bird on the dresser. I found this at Marshals for $4.99!
Side note - The home section at Marshals and TJ Maxx are great for accessories...but the ultimate supreme place is Home Goods! (It is all owned by the same company.) Do you have one close by? Is so you HAVE TO go! In California we had one right down the street. Now the closest one as 1.5 hours away. Oh how I miss it.
So moving on, here are a few more shots of other accessories I have in my home. Remember it takes time to collect and accumulate all of this stuff. I tend to want to fill spaces so I sometimes run out and buy stuff only to bring it home and realize it doesn't feel at all personal. My husbnad reminds me we don't want to live in a Pottery Barn catalogue...WHAT! WE DON'T! I know, shocking! But as always he is right...we want to live in our own version of a Pottery Barn catalogue - just as beautiful but personalized to our tastes, our family and our experiences. BTW- I hate admitting when he is right.
Laughter is so important in my home! Now if we could only agree on who is funniest.
Yes, even your remote controls can look nice!
I bought this white lantern from a grab bag for $5. I had no idea what I was getting, but decided no matter what it was, it was going up on the mantle. Luckily it wasn't something horrible like a cows head or a dirty sock!
So go on a little treasure hunt in your own home and have fun with it. Remember there are no rules which means no mistakes. Now that is my favorite kind of project!
