I love home accessories. I love them even more than fashion accessories. If I had a cool interior design shop next to an equally cool shoe or handbag shop, I’ll enter the first. And I am a woman. And I do like shoes and handbags. But I adore homes with soul.

Yes, a soul. Accessories give an interior the not easily defined something. The personal touch that distinguishes a home from a furniture showroom. When accessories are done well, they tell the story of the home owners’ lives. The story about their passions, background, friendships, travels, etc.

I found out that accessorizing is a challenging task for many. Being unsure of what to include, what to leave out and how to arrange the things that remain. What to acquire so that it fits into the already established home scene. It helps to have a bit of a structure in the accessorizing process.

First –  collect potential accessories, objects, collectibles, books, anything you love and would like to have on display. Things that make you feel good and bring happy memories. Or any other memories that you want to remember. Things that make you being YOU. 

Second – Group your accessories and have a little session with them about where would you like to have what. Living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, patio etc.

Third – Make a shopping date with yourself, targeting interior design shops, local antiquities shops etc. to get an inspiration and perhaps also to invest in something that catches your interest.

Fourth – There are some helpful principles and once you apply one or a couple of them, you can have fun with the accessorizing process:

Principle #1

Sometimes it’s not the thing itself, but how you display it, that counts. For example, natural objects like stones, shells make great accessories — if you gather enough of them and display them in an attractive bowl.

Principle #2

Vary the size of pieces and display odd numbers of objects to create dynamics.

Principle #3

Arrange the items in a pyramid, from highest to lowest, with the tallest object in back. If an item is small, group it with other small items on a tray or in a bowl. If it’s too low, put it on the top of a decorative box or books.

Principle #4

Think about an anchor. The anchor is usually the most prominent object in the grouping. I like tall candles to be one.

Principle #5

Scale factor. The accessory arrangement shouldn’t be too big or too small for the surface it is on. And you don’t have to fill up every tabletop, sometimes less is more.