Decorating Tips: Wall Decor

If you're looking for a different way to decorating your walls - take a look at these wall accessories. Instead of the usual paintings or prints, go for three-dimensional accessories.  Above we have a variety of floral decor, the silver and red flowers are made from metal and available from Joss & Main. The turquoise carving is from painted teak. Below we have colorful ceramic tiles with a raised sunflower motif - from Hayneedle. 

For a classical theme, try plaster relief panels.  This graceful urn from Restoration Hardware could top a fireplace mantel.  If you want an exotic theme, turn to this intricate Islamic pointed arch plasterwork from Hayles & Howe.  The panel can placed over a door or simply by itself on a wall. 

(Urn Plaster from Restoration Hardware)

Islamic arch from Hayles & Howe

If you really want creative control and a variety of configurations to choose from, take a look at the Wallter panels from Inmod.  These are light weight shapes that can be painted and positioned into different designs. Below is the Retro Hex shape and the Retro Teardrop shapes. 

Wallter Panel from Inmod

Wallter Panel from Inmod

Interested in learning more about accessories?  Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design.  At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.

http://www.inmod.com

Mirror, Mirror on the Floor!

(Perth Mirrored Chest from Hayneedle)Which furniture is the fairest of them all?  All right, it’s not Snow White but since Hollywood has been churning out endless remakes of this fairytale, I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and transform it to an interior design fairytale – my kind of bedtime story!

My client, Miss Dina Dithering, (all names changed to protect them) can’t decide on the style of furniture she wants in her home.  First she wants contemporary then she wants classic.  Last week she loved the silver colors; this week it’s only true blue.  Do you have one of these clients?  We can’t move forward; we’re stuck in a murky, sticky swamp.

I offered her some tempting styles:  how about Scandinavian? Georgian? Arts and Crafts?  NO! She cried, “That style is too cold; that one is too expensive; the other is too heavy!”  And down the line, she crossed them all off.

(Mirrored Chest from Elizabeth Austin)Oy vey, help me. And then like a fairy godmother on speed dial, my vendors came to the rescue!  I was showered with some glorious photos of mirrored furniture. Ahhh, glamorous, contemporary or classic, and they reflect any color in the room. Here were some selections that I showed to my client. The above two were chests: the Perth chest from Hayneedle a more neoclassically-styled chest and the Elizabeth Austin chest, a contemporary version with etched circles.

(Amelie Lingerie Chest from Neiman Marcus)To introduce some old-world glamour into the bedroom, I showed her the Amelie Lingerie chest from Neiman Marcus.  The lingerie chest has a warm golden burnished finish.  Another classically-styled furniture is the Bethel Mirrored Vanity which shows off Greek swags and rosettes with gold painted details.

(Bethel Mirrored Vanity)After some further hemming and hawing, Miss Dina Dithering finally picked a few of the pieces to complement the rest of her furniture in a very eclectic design.  When you want to provide a touch of glamour and an unusual contemporary note, go ahead and bring in mirrored furniture to mix with the usual wood pieces. You may finally get a happily ever after! 

Interested in learning more about furniture?  Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design.  At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories. 
 

Top Ten Accessories

One of the questions I get frequently asked – how can I perk up a room without spending too much money?  My answer? Accessorize!  Find something you really love and see if you can work it into your room. 

Now, this doesn’t mean you should bring home that life-size taxidermy trophy of your favorite wild animal or the blinding multicolor needlepoint wall hanging that doesn’t go with anything.  You should take a snapshot of your room first with your digital camera before you head out to the stores and find that special accessory.  This will prevent any buyers’ remorse later on. 

Here’s my top 10 accessories – I picked a favorite in each category of accessories. 

1. Afghan Pillow from Wunderley - The pattern on the pillow is from an old Afghan pattern but it's been modernized with a bright pink pop of color - great for brightening up an old tired sofa or bed.

(Afghan Pillow from Wunderley)

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