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If you have followed my blog for any amount of time you may have noticed that I do like accessories. I find that when I view rooms, whether in a magazine or online, I zero in on the accessories.
I’ve been known to get tired of them (accessories) when they start to feel more like clutter than enhancement, but for me it’s the little things that can make a room, add interest, invite me to sit and stay awhile. It’s an ever-changing interior landscape that I have fun wit.
I prefer accessories with a story, like, “oh, I picked this up when we visited __________”[fill in the blank], or, “my kind, old neighbor gave them to me”. These stories make a room feel like a home (as opposed to just a ‘house’), don’t you agree?
The “little things” can also be adding something small, but new, to a room. New throw pillows, a new-found horse statue, complete with acquisition story, an used coffee table book from Friends of the Library.
My friend recently had new pillows made for her living room, the yellow Pierre Deux-like fabric livens up and enhances everything in the room, great job, Linda.
We used to call Linda the “vignette queen” because of her talents with arranging items. Another example of her skill is this little vignette that she has in her master bath in their home on Bainbridge Island. More of Linda’s house and this magical island next month!
The lavender, painting, jars for soaps and such, all together make such a pretty spot in her bathroom.
The smallest item can be something that draws you to a particular area in a room.
I discovered this little horse statue at a flea market I attended with my future daughter-in-law, I will always remember that fun day when I see this…stories such as this I like to weave into my own home accessorizing and enjoy hearing about from other homeowners.
We are fortunate to have a used book store inside our library. I’ve found a lot of old books there for usually less than $5.00. The little bronze Scottie dog was a gift from my friend Carla.
There are few table tops in my home that don’t have some kind of vignette.
This flower man statue was a birthday present years ago from my friends of the birthday group, the little pewter sugar cellar with greens came from my friend, Gretchen. These accents have spent time in nearly every living space in our home. For me that is the fun of mixing things up.
I bought this antique side board some years ago before one of my favorite sources for antiques went away, Bill (Kottler’s Antiques) retired, darn! The Napoleon Staffordshire statue, which had been repaired before I purchased it, was made into a lamp by Custom House Lighting. Napolean was recently relocated from our family room to the dining room for the fall/winter months—he needed a vacation.
Even the French coat rack in the entry can’t escape, The binoculars in the old leather case were my father-in-law’s, the small pair next to the case were given to my mother by a dear friend, I ultimately inherited them. The antique riding cap was acquired on one of the many antiquing trips Carla and I used to make before I rejoined the corporate world of full time work. The Pendleton wool blanket, while new, is a favorite since, with it’s carrying strap, it seems vintage (a Christmas gift from our oldest son and family).
The kitchen is a room that often goes UN-accessorized, yet I’ve seen designers hang paintings in kitchens with great success. Our kitchen doesn’t have the wall space for more than one painting, but I did manage to put a small, silver antique horse (that I had made into a accent lamp) next to the stove.
There are design stores that use accessories within the vignettes they stage. I know that I am always drawn to each detail of this kind of marketing and I would guess it helps them sell the furniture.
Mary Ann of Classic Casual Home posted about a design studio, Elizabeth Benefield, that did a beautiful job of staging. (Below).
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I always delight in the stories many bloggers share. It’s fun to hear how they acquired some of the pieces featured in their homes.
This sweet statue has a great story behind it finding its way into my blog-friend, Victoria’s home. {If you’ve never visited Victoria Elizabeth Barnes blog you are in for a treat, she and her husband are renovating a 1890 Victorian home outside Philadelphia. Her posts are witty and entertaining}
I am forever seeking inspiration and ideas for accessories. I enjoy changing them up by season and when the creative mood hits me. I revisit certain blogs for a seemingly unending supply of decorative inspiration and one of my all-time favorites is for the love of a house. Joan and Dan renovated a historic home in New Hampshire, this after moving from Texas! If you enjoy a good before and after you will thoroughly enjoy the ongoing tale of their work on this home.
Joan used to own an antique store and each item in their home has a story, the memories of acquisition are wonderful treasures for those of us with an interest in home decor.
One of my other favorites for accessory placement inspiration is Charles Faudree. In his book “Details” he provides ideas by the area you are specifically in need of help with…mantels, walls, table top, etc.
Charles Faudree is the king of French and English rooms of this style. I especially love his Cavalier Spaniels that appear in so many of his rooms. Pets, for some, are the ultimate accessory {guilty as charged}. Side note: I met him once at a book signing and he is such a nice, Southern gentleman.
Do you enjoy accessories or do you prefer the clean lines of “less is more”? It’s the little things in life, never the giant issues, that provide contentment, right?
