Just like putting together a great outfit, details make all the difference when decorating your home. When you have your furniture in place, you might feel like something is missing. To construct a space that feels polished, the right design accessories are a must. It doesn’t take a lot of pieces, because choosing the right accessory (or three) can bring a room together. Here are some ideas for finishing your decor and creating rooms you’ll love to spend time in.

Lamps

Lamps create the right mood and serve multiple functions. Having good lighting is vital to making a room functional and inviting. Lamps also serve as decorative pieces. Just like jewelry, lamps can match numerous looks and styles, depending on what you want. The right lamps can make a room feel modern, traditional, eclectic, or minimalist, even with few other changes.

Window Treatments

Window treatments, from soft, flowy curtains to masculine, wood blinds, can also serve both functional and decorative purposes in your home. Heavy drapes keep out drafts and block light, whereas cellular blinds can help insulate your home for better energy efficiency while letting in soft, diffused light. There are endless styles and weights of window treatments you can choose from. The possibilities are vast. Heavy curtain fabric lend a sense of richness to traditional decor, while sheer panels make a room feel light and airy. Window treatments also give you the opportunity to play with color, either by using shades that complement to your walls and furniture, or by adding a contrasting pop of color to wake up the room.

Area Rugs

Rugs are a great way to add balance to any room. Just like curtains, you can use rugs to contrast with the rest of your living space. If your decorations are calm and neutral in color, a brightly colored rug can be the perfect pop of expression. If you have bold colors on your walls or furniture, a neutral rug can keep the room from becoming too overwhelming. Rugs draw the eyes throughout a room, imbuing it with a sense of greater space than rooms without them. You can use one large area rug in a room, sized slightly smaller than the actual floor dimensions to make the room feel larger, or you can use smaller, separate rugs to define areas of a large room, such as a conversation area with comfortable furniture or a cozy reading nook beside bookshelves.

Mirrors

Mirrors open up a space of wall, and help tie a room together. Mirrors add extra depth by giving the impression you’re looking “through” a mirror, even though you are only seeing reflected parts of the room itself. In a minimalist room, a large mirror can serve as a bold decorative piece, especially if it reflects color or light back into a room. Mirrors placed to reflect windows give the illusion of extra windows in a room, greatly expanding the sense of space and increasing the amount of light. You can also use mirrors in interesting frames as an alternative to artwork, putting two or more on the wall in a pleasing arrangement. When using this technique, follow the same guidelines you would for choosing artwork and select pieces proportionate to the size of the wall where you will hang them.

Throw Pillows

Throw pillows are a way to add extra comfort to a room as well as add in splashes of color and texture. Instead of a pair, try using an odd number of pillows on a couch placing one at each end, and a complimentary one in the middle for decorative punctuation. Small pillows will blend in better, while large ones will make a dramatic statement. To get more color in your room, pull accent colors out of your artwork, window treatments, or rugs to repeat in your throw pillows. Pillows in simple patterns and colors complement a modern look, while ornately patterned pillows are more suited to traditional decorating styles. You can also play with a wide range of fabrics in pillows, such as rich velvet, linen, silk, cotton and faux fur. A mixed set of pillows, in both colors and fabrics, can give a room a fun and eclectic look. Choose one coordinating element—either a similar color palette or size—to unify the pieces in a mixed set.

About the Author

Jennifer Prugh Visosky grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Even as a little girl, Jen had an eye for interior design. Having been blessed with parents who were their rules on what she could with her room, Jennifer changed it weekly. After many years of interior design and real estate development, Jen has founded Grace Home Design, where she focuses on naturally dramatic and strong-willed interior design projects.