The Art of Accessorizing

Think about the idea of giving a gift without the wrapping. Or donning a little black dress without the perfect wow necklace, or even eating a cake without icing, and you can begin to see the importance of accessorizing! It is the same about your home, accessorizing makes your space into a stylish and personalized home. Accessories are the finishing touches of color, texture and shape that impact your decor. The role they play is important. They reflect your style philosophy and pull your other décor selections together to create groupings that make design sense. Knowing how to accessorize is a must have modern home decor skill.  When starting the design process, it’s important to set aside a portion of your budget specifically for these elements because in the end, as JAC has seen time and time again, the home just doesn't look finished if the accessories aren't in place and layered in a way that feels natural. An issue that we've encountered often occurs when someone goes all out planning and selecting only the major pieces early on in the process, only to run out of steam (and finances) to fully complete the space. Accounting for accessories from the very beginning will ensure you stay on track along the way.  One of the best ways to learn how to accessorize your home is to start to think about accessorizing in terms of the style of your home, and also the "collections" you may not even realize you have. So, for example, if your furniture is modern and new, and yet you have a few random heirlooms from your grandmother, consider mixing in that vintage rug or old lamp (with a new shade of course) to add a layer of patina that makes your brand new modern decor a little more interesting and eclectic, something that sets it apart from a furniture store show room! Also, look around your home and take inventory: do you have more than 3 oil paintings? Do you have a series of portrait photos in old boxes somehwere? Or maybe you have a bunch of interesting shells scattered around the house which you've collected from exotic beach vacations. Sounds to me that you have a "collection" which you can highlight if you bring them into one location or area in your home. A "collection" can be literally anything as long as it's 3-5 or more of that item. Grouped together they are much more impactful and serve as ready made accessories that personalize your space with your personality, which is the the whole idea here. After you locate a few of your own "collections" then you can use as coffee table accessories or to fill in tabletops and surfaces and bookcases with newer accessories that you can be on the hunt for. I believe in the power of books, plants and ceramics which can literally transform almost any surface area be it a coffee table or entry console, the key is all about layering. Don't be afraid to play with texture and scale as well, some of our favorite modern home decor accessories is a floor lamp or overgrown fig tree in a lovely terra-cotta pot can literally transform a room. Textures can come in the form of cowhides on the floor and throw pillows and blankets that are nubby and cozy looking. Using accessories to help define an area in your home like bench seating near the front door to define a foyer or a sofa table and lamps to visually separate a living room from a dining room is all a good thing. just remember to use simple color coordinating for gentle impact and cohesion. We hope you have learned how to accessorize like a maximalist! And have fun!

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