Icing on the Cake: How To Use Accessories in Your Home Decorating Project

When it comes to interior decorating, one of our favorite parts of the overall project are the finishing touches.  Things like pillows, vases, photos, artwork and other accessories are like icing on the cake of your overall design!  The finishing touches are critical to any home renovation or decorating project because they complete the look, tie in the details and make your newly decorated space a special part of your home.  Here are some of the ways we use accessories to help our happy clients love their homes!

Complete the Look

There are several basic components of any well designed room.  Color, texture and patterns in the fabrics, wall treatments, custom window treatments and furnishings are among these basics.  But when it comes to completing the look, adding the right accessories can make the room and its purpose stand out.  For example, if you desire a more casual feel, you can use pillows throughout the space for a welcoming, relaxed feel.  Using bright colored or metallic finished accents can give a punch to an otherwise neutral color scheme for glamour and excitement.  Don’t forget about table and floor lamps for illumination and area rugs to soften the feel.

Tie in the Details

They say that “God is in the detail" and we couldn’t agree more! Make your newly decorated space truly yours with meaningful artwork or sculptures to add color and balance.  Choose wall art of varying sizes and shapes to add interest and dimension for an eclectic feel, or for a more traditional look select artwork that is more balanced.  Well placed mirrors can give the appearance of more space to a smaller room, or a sleek, modern feel depending on the style of the mirror.  Add well-placed baskets for things like magazines, books and remote controls so your room is well organized and have their place where everyday clutter is out of sight.

Create a Special Oasis Truly Your Own

Personal style plays a large part in the accessories you choose for any room in your home.  How you live in your home should be all the inspiration you need for selecting the right accessories.  From your favorite colors to inspiring patterns and textures, everything you choose can reflect parts of yourself throughout the space.  We suggest shopping when you have time to look around and be more selective.  Make a list of things that you can envision working with your furniture and room theme and look for pieces that are not only the right size, but the best fit for your personality and lifestyle.

Accessories can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary in no time at all!  If you have a room that you would like to add interest, color and personality to, but you can’t seem to find what speaks to you, contact Interiors by John Henry today.  We can help you find the finishing touches that will transform your house into your home.  If you are thinking of custom window treatments or a kitchen or bath renovation, we can help with those too.  Feel free to contact us today for a consultation.

A Simple Guide to Interior Decorating Styles for Your Home

The first question many of our clients ask when we begin a new project is whether or not the decorating choices they make for their homes need to reflect the architectural design of their home.  This is clearly a subjective topic, but for us, it usually comes down to personal style and taste.  Each client, and every home are unique, with different lifestyles and preferences.  Inspiration can come from many sources, but there are some basic decorating styles that can be tapped into for the best overall look for your home.  We wanted to share with you some of these styles:

Architectural design styles:

Art Deco – this was popular in the 20’s & 30’s and feature rounded fronts, streamlined and geometric style of furnishings with sleek lines, wood, chrome and glass materials.

Arts & Crafts – a style that was prevalent between 1910 & 1925, featuring simple form with no extraneous decoration.  Made popular by architects Frank Lloyd Wright’s craftsman style of architecture and bungalow style by Greene & Greene., Arts & Crafts often uses local materials in the design.

Asian – inspired by design elements from Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand.  Asian style fuses natural fibers and elements like bamboo and colors from nature to create a relaxing, calm, natural environment.  The furniture of Asian-inspired design is usually lacquered or hand-painted.  The addition of brightly colored accessories or statues of animals and mythical creatures is widely used to complete the look.

Contemporary – these designs feature sleek lines, solid colors and muted neutrals with bold punches of colors.  Furniture can be lower to the ground and often features metal frames and straight legs with basic shapes and forms.

Geographic inspired designs:

Coastal – inspired by all things from the ocean, this decorating style looks to create a light and breezy feel by utilizing light fabrics for window treatments and beach-themed accessories.  Blue and white tones with gold accents are most often the center of coastal palettes.

Country – rustic elegance with extensive use of white wood paneling and soft floral panels makes this a soft, yet beautiful style for any home.  Muted hues and pops of red, black or pure white accents with handmade, rustic features of floral and stripes are basic in country style.

French – Ornate and fanciful, French design utilizes colors that range from rich to softer, muted shades characterized by rich details and extensive use of gold, bronze and gilt.  Layering antique or heirloom furniture with dramatic window treatments and lots of fresh flowers finish the design.

Mediterranean – inspired by the coastal regions of Spain, Greece and Italy, this decorating style favors colors that echo the sea and include terra cotta, yellow and lavender.  Short furniture pieces with turned legs, heavy hardware and burnished finishes bring a richness to the overall feel, along with velvet, linen and textured fabrics, as well as textured walls.

Everything in-between:

Eclectic – has been the trend for a catch-all of styles with unlimited possibilities that focus on the basic building blocks of design:  color, pattern, texture, composition that make Eclectic designs anything but thrown together.  Eclectic spaces are quite cohesive and inspire imagination and surprise with unexpected contrasts.

Mid-Century Modern – originated in the 50’s & 60’s and epitomized by the Rat-Pack days of Palm Springs, this decorating style has a heavy influence from Scandinavian design and architecture that characterize simplistic, yet functional styles.  Minimalist design with use of glass for walls with pops of deep colors like orange and olive green to top off quirky furniture styles.

Traditional – with furniture styles usually from the 18^th-century English and 19^th century neoclassic, French country and British colonial, this classic style creates calm and orderly décor.  Utilizing mid-tone colors and muted fabrics featuring simple florals, solids, stripes or plaids to create symmetry in any space.

Transitional – inspired by both contemporary and traditional this style usually focuses on updated furniture designs with clean lines and a deep-rooted sense of history in some pieces. 

So, the question begs, do you need to decorate your home around the specific style that fits the architecture? We feel that home decorating is about exploring your creativity and passion, and less about the style of the home’s design.  For instance, just because you live in a colonial style home doesn’t mean you need to decorate in a traditional style.  Here are three simple steps to choosing your home décor:

1)   Research different design styles in decorating magazines and cut out pictures of the room designs that please and inspire you.  Pay attention to the colors and textures of each style, as well as the details of the furniture in the pictures that appeal to you.

2)   Make note of the architectural details in your home that make it unique or challenging for decorating.  Are your rooms small or large?  Are your ceilings high or low?  Do you have moldings or other details? Consider window and door locations as well.

3)   Choose a color palette, fabric patterns, window treatments, furniture pieces and accessories that best suit your taste and personal style.  We recommend creating an account on Pinterest or Houzz.com to “pin” or create “idea books” that include the items that inspire you and make you feel good.  Use these as inspiration when you go shopping or when you meet with your decorator.

Interiors by John Henry helps our clients combine the colors, textures, fabrics and furnishings that make their home a reflection of their personal style, while working with the space and architectural features of the home to highlight the best features and downplay the challenging areas.  For more information about choosing a decorating style for your home, custom window treatment options or any kitchen or bath remodel or renovation, contact us today.

Sources:  http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/design-styles-defined/pictures/index.html