Home Decor Accessories - How to Create a New Look in a Room

Apart from complimenting your newly painted walls with soft furnishings and effective flooring, home decor accessories in a room are just as equally important. Accessories ranging from flowers in a contemporary vase to art pictures hanging on your walls, all add the finishing touches to any room. Above all, accessories add personality to a room, they inject your own personal touch making your home unique to you and comfortable and inviting for you and your family.

Decorating with Art Pictures

You will be surprised at the important role that art pictures play in home decor accessories. Not only do pictures add your own personality into the room, they absorb noise and can actually help change the illusion of a rooms' shape if placed in the right places. For example:

• horizontal landscape pictures help widen a room;
• Portrait floral pictures help give the illusion of height; and
• one large picture reflected through a mirror gives the sensation of additional broader space.

Creating Art Arrangements:-

For a maximum effect and to make interesting wall arrangements that can become a dynamic focal point of the room, try to hang smaller pictures in a cluster.

If you hang an even number of smaller prints tightly together in a cluster, this will help balance out a large space and give a window effect in a small space. Remember to hang the prints together tightly to create one unit and one focal point.

For larger pictures, place them in proportion to the furniture. For example, hang a large picture approximately six to nine inches above a sofa or at eye level. By hanging a larger print too high above any piece of furniture can leave both pieces feeling disconnected.

Tips Before Hanging Art:-

Before hanging any art on a wall, try different combinations of arrangements. Use painter's tape and brown paper bags and keep rearranging the bits of paper on the wall until you have come up with a great picture arrangement.

Always hang prints at eye level and use your hand in between pictures as a guide to space large and medium sized pictures.

Create Illusions with Mirrors

Mirrors are great to help create the illusion of space. By cleverly placing mirrors on an adjacent wall to a picture or something which is interesting in your room, will reflect the image and add a sense of space.

For darker rooms, hang a decorative mirror near a window. The light will then bounce off the mirror into the room portraying more natural much-needed light back into the area.

To give the illusion of depth in a room paint one of your walls in a darker contrasting color to your other walls. Then hang a mirror on that darker wall. This instantly gives the additional sense of depth to the dimensions of the room.

Lighten-up with Light Fixtures

Light fittings are one of the most important elements of home decor accessories as they set the ambience of the room. By using different types of lighting you can create different moods on different areas of the room, at different times of the day.

For example:-

• accent lighting such as a spot light is used to emphasize wall paintings, ornaments or other interesting areas in a room;
• soft lighting used by small wall light fittings or table lamps, help create a gentle romantic mood;
• general lighting such as a ceiling center light, strip light or bright wall lamps are used for everyday purposes.

Tip: use a dimmer switch to create different moods with your lighting.

Adding Color with Flowers & Plants

Fresh flowers are always a wonderful accessory in a home. They are easy to blend in with any rooms accent and you can swap and change the color, type of flower and position at any time. They are such an easy and adaptable accessory to have. If you are allergic to flowers, try silk flowers instead - sometimes it is hard to distinguish between real flowers and silk ones...

By placing plants throughout your home helps add natural color, texture, and also softens the area making it more appealing to spend time there. Don't forget to use attractive plant pots and containers for your plants - they are a home decor accessory too!

Area Rugs and Textiles

Area Rugs:-

Area rugs add warmth and texture to a room. They help soften wooden or hard floors and add contrasting colors and patterns into the room.

First you must determine what you want the rug for - is it a focal point? or do you want to group furniture on it? Secondly, you must measure what size rug you need before you go shopping.

Other Textiles:-

By using other types of textile home decor accessories, you can create additional comfort and softness in using:-

• scatter cushions made with different types of material;
• throws on your sofa or lounge chair;
• napkins, place mats and tablecloths in the dining room or kitchen;

Summary

Home decor accessories play a crucial part in your home decorating. Even if you don't need to repaint your walls, you can still change the look of your room. By rearranging furniture and wall pictures, adding soft light fixtures, flowers arrangements and plants, the placement of an area rug and using different textiles in a room, all help create a new look to reflect you and your personality.

Claire Bowes is a freelance writer and the owner of flower-pictures-n-posters.com and landscape-pictures-n-posters.com. In addition to fine-art prints, these two sites offer landscape photography prints and flower posters.

---

Ceiling Fan Blades

The blades of a ceiling fan make all the difference. The amount of airflow a fan generates depends on the type and size of blades it has.... Read More

The English Grandfather Clock Tradition

Like the storied countryside of England, grandfather clocks from that country are rich in history and tradition. The first known pendulum clock was made in 1656. Grandfather... Read More

Candle Making Supplies

Candle making can be a fun creative hobby. It can also be a great business opportunity.There are a number of methods used to make candles. Molds, votives,... Read More

Decorating Kids Bedrooms - Get Them involved!

I believe kids are born creative. Unfortunately living life usually squelches most of that creativity unless it is carefully nurtured. You can help your children maintain their... Read More

Vintage Enamelware Takes Us Back

Enamelware is a trip down memory lane. White jugs with blue trim and laundry tubs with red trim all bring us back to a simpler time. It's... Read More

Resourceful Redecorating - Budget Friendly Home Decorating

Spring is here and for many of us it's the perfect time to organize and decorate. As winter passes into spring, it's out with the old look... Read More

An Introduction to Shutters

Window shutters can serve many purposes. In areas of the country prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, or other natural disasters, the shutters are fully functional. They can be... Read More

Thomas Chippendale and His Legendary Chairs

Chairs crafted by Thomas Chippendale were dazzling examples of quality furniture in their day. Today, they remain extraordinary examples of antique furniture. Chippendale style, ball and claw... Read More

Gourmet Fruit Gift Baskets

Gourmet fruit baskets quickly emerged as a way to deliver a gift of special items that the recipient would never buy for himself, but would probably enjoy.... Read More

Great Tips for Choosing Furniture

You're finally going to do it! No I don't mean tie the knot, I mean your finally ready to buy that new furniture you've been dreaming about.... Read More

Buying Down Alternative Comforters

When the frigid winds of winter arrive, many people turn to lavish bed comforters to stay warm. Because of their luxurious feel and unbeatable warmth, down comforters... Read More

Cleaning Granite Countertops

Homeowners who are seeking to increase value to their homes enjoy the durability and easy maintenance when upgrading to granite countertops. Granite is the most durable of... Read More

The Value of Antique Grandfather Clocks

These days, everything from ovens to telephones silently mark the minutes in glowing red and green letters, rendering the "tick tock" of the mechanical clock increasingly unnecessary.... Read More

Choose The Right Colors and Placement For Your Flowers

Some people have a natural artistic ability when it comes to home décor and design but for most of us we need a little help. A few... Read More

Creative Ways to Decorate Your Walls

Moving into a new house can sometimes cause a quandry. You can stand and stare at large... blank spaces for weeks wondering just what to do with... Read More

Decorating Kid?s Rooms On A Small Budget

Now if your children are like mine they want to change the style and look of their room about every other week. One way to make them... Read More

The Advantages of Ionic Exchange Water Softeners

It can be difficult to decide which method for softening hard water is best because there are a number of choices available. Cost of a water softener... Read More

Starting Your Own Redecorating Business: The First Key Steps

Are you a compulsive furniture rearranger? Do you make distinctive vignettes with accessories? Been complimented on your beautiful home? Give friends and family decorating suggestions even if... Read More

Pendant Lighting Layout - How To

Pendant lighting has gained a great deal of popularity for use in kitchens over the last few years. A common place to install them is over an... Read More

Bar Stools and Counter Stools Complete Your Space

There is something to be said about a space that has been lovingly designed down to the very last detail. Oftentimes, it is the small details, not... Read More

The Benefits of Waterbed Sheet Sets

It is a good idea to purchase a full set including a comforter when buying waterbed sheets. Buying waterbed sheet sets is more economical than buying all... Read More

Beyond Paint: Decorating Walls With Stencils

Painting walls in various colors is a quick and easy way to decorate any room in your home. But when you're looking for something a bit more... Read More

Feng Shui Interprets Exposed Beams

What constitutes a balanced room according to feng shui theory involves not one, but several aspects. Some of those aspects are non-obvious while some aspects are immediately... Read More

5 Ways In Which You Can Make Simple Changes To Your Home Decorating

Home decorating, ever wanted to try it, but hesitated because of time constraints or budget concerns. The following ideas will not only give instant results, but more... Read More

Are You Hiring The Wrong Florist?

Many people agree that flowers are one of the most important elements in your design. From big parties to small get-togethers, flowers can bring that added touch... Read More

Fireplace Screens - A Practical and Beautiful Addition To Your Home

There once was a time when the fireplace was the primary source of heat in most American homes. For those that could not afford a word-burning stove,... Read More