Accessories are such an unique addition to your home that their successful use sometimes involves compliance to decoration rules and at other times, defiance of them.

When selecting accessories, keep in mind these principles:

• An inspired deviation from the usual could be what your room needs.

• The recognized rules for accessorizing a room are the same as for balance and scale.

When choosing accessories, consider their contribution to the room in terms of shape, size, texture, mood and color. Usually the most pleasing accessories are those that act as an extension of the room scheme in miniature form. Their sense of belonging enhances the decor. For instance....In a room with a solid colored sofa and brightly patterned draperies, you might add a collection of pillows on the sofa that repeats the individual colors of the draperies. If the sofa is squared off, then puffy, round, or triangular pillows included with the standard squares will make a more interesting arrangement. You can go further by varying the textures of the covering from one fabric to another.

Style and motifs of accessories should relate to the room as well. One advantage of using traditional accessories is that they often are scaled properly and are in a compatible motif for the furniture. Should you want to introduce an eclectic, modern element, use the traditional accessories as a guide for shape and scale of modern pieces.

The degree of formality of your room is another consideration. The same piece of hand crafted pottery that is right in an Early American Family Room, could be crude looking in a Louis XV styled living room. Although accessories need not be from the same sources as furniture, they should be equally formal or informal.

Accessories are the punctuation of your personal design statement. From the literally hundreds of different accessories that you can use in your home, the combination that you develop will be uniquely your own. In fact, it would be practically impossible for two people to accessorize the same room in the same way, even though they may choose the same furniture pieces.

Take full advantage of this decorative opportunity to incorporate those items that are nearest and dearest to heart. They can be an appealing way to show the tastes and interests of your family. Accessories can spark your room to life by adding the humanizing touches that make a room warm.

Your accessories should always be objects that you love. Never choose them solely to go with your furniture. However, you will want to make sure that any accessory is compatible with the environment in which you use it. Although accessories are only bit players in the total design scheme of your home, they are vital for achieving balance and harmony.

If accessorizing your room creates any questions or confusion, please let us help you find the balance and harmony within your room.