Accessorize the Right Way

Placement makes perfect when the focus is on function, grouping and minimalism

By Kit Davey
CTW Features

The creative placement of accessories can add appeal and value to any home. Design flaws and lack of personality can be lessened and a sense of harmony and beauty created if you use your treasures to enhance every room. If you have lots of accessories but don’t know how to place them, consider the following guidelines.

Display objects that reflect the room’s feel, style and color scheme. Every room gives off a message or feeling, and the space will feel more peaceful if the accessories say what the rest of the room does. A modern chrome bowl enhances a room with Bauhaus-like dècor but would not be in harmony in a romantic, country setting; a red vase filled with yellow flowers would jar one’s senses in an all pink room. Interpret what each object conveys to the space and weed out accessories that don’t communicate the same message.

Keep function first. A creative display of your possessions can become a disagreeable pile of junk if it keeps you from using the surface. Leave enough space to set down your coffee cup, put up your feet or rest your glasses and a book. Don’t block conversation; there’s nothing more irritating than chatting through the fronds of a huge floral display or trying to catch a glimpse of your host around a sculpture piece.

Less is more. It’s best to show off a few choice pieces rather than clutter-up the space with an overwhelming quantity of enhancements. Limit your accessories and exhibit the ones you are proud of. Potential buyers will feel more relaxed in a room with fewer visual distractions.

Group like objects. Things that have something in common will have more impact when shown as a related group. Look for commonalties and blend objects. For example, cluster natural materials such as wicker, bamboo or wood, or gather all your fishing memorabilia together. Display your small brass or silver pieces on a tray, or devote a zone to your coffee table books.

Creatively cluster objects. Accessories grouped in odd numbers tend to look more dynamic than even-numbered groupings. Layer your treasures – place the tallest item in the background and cascade the rest toward the foreground. Avoid lining up your knickknacks in a stiff row, unless all of the pieces are exactly the same size and shape. Play with your treasures until you get an arrangement that feels right.

Avoid staging no-nos! When trying to sell your house, creating unity and decorative cohesion is more important than displaying stuff that only you think is cool. Do not display family photos, political or religious items, firearms or other weapons, dead animal skins or heads. Stash personal items such as bath products, jewelry, diplomas and awards. Avoid displaying collections: Do you want people to remember your thimbles or your house?

If it looks wrong to you, it probably is. If you get a funny feeling when you look at the bowling trophy next to your porcelain poodle, respect your gut feeling. Change or remove displays that look weird, out of balance or jarring.

Kit Davey, an interior designer based in Redwood City, Calif., helps clients redecorate their homes through the creative use of their existing furnishings. E-mail Kit your questions: kit@ctwfeatures.com

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