Evolution of a Room- Accessorizing/Finishing Off Your Space

Hey Friends!  Happy Friday!  Today I am finally revealing B's living room in it's entirety!  As you know, we have gone through the design process step by step.  We have covered:

- Creating Your List

- Assessing Your Time, Space, & Budget

- Creating Your Plan

- Bring in Your Passions and Personality

- Implementing Your Plan

And believe it or not, this is where most people stop in the design process.  But to really make a room sparkle, you must accessorize!!  So today I am going to show you just how important the accessorizing phase is with a simple before, during, and after sequence!
  

This is the before, the very first time I saw B's space. . .

This is the during, when almost all the furniture was in place but no accessorizing had begun. . .

And this is after all the accessories were put in place and styled just right. . .



A few more afters. . .

   

Here's another during photo from a different angle. . .

And an after photo from the same angle. . .

Another during. . .

And after the accessories were added to the space. . .

Can you believe how big of a difference plants, pictures, and pillows make?!  Accessories bring a room to life.  They convey the fact that people actually live in the space.  Pillows and throws are a great way to bring texture, color, and functional comfort to a design.  I am starting to implement plants into a lot of my designs as well.  I feel like the green foliage and colorful flowers bring energy to a space and can be seemlessly integrated into any style.
































Of course pictures and art pieces are wonderful ways to bring personality to your room.  This is probably the easiest way to tell your story in a space. . .but remember, you don't always have to be so direct when telling your story with photos/art.  Pictures of family members are great, but also add in some things that are a little more abstract (like our hurricane art which hints towards the story of how B and her husband met!)

 

Mirrors are another great thing to accessorize with.  I find myself placing them in almost every room.  Mirrors bounce light around a space and add an extra layer of depth. I love this mirror behind the Juju (if you missed the DIY Juju post, click here) because as you walk around the room, the light reflecting in the circles changes.  It almost seems like the piece is bling-blinging (is that a word?) like a diamond!  Very elegant, very B! :)






















Trays, coffee table books, vases, and sculptures are all things you can bring in to add personality, interest, and texture to a space. 

 

When I say "finish" off a space, I don't really mean finish.  The great thing about accessories is that they can keep changing.  I add to, take away, and move accessories around all the time.  It keeps a room feeling fresh without redoing a whole design.






















Here's a tip for you:  When you're accessorizing or styling your space (whether it's a mantle, table top, or tray) I always overlap my items.  For example, in the photo above and below, the glass jars on the mantle & the frames on the fireplace are set one in front of the other.  Placing these pieces with a space in between them would look awkward. The overlapping allows things to visually flow together.  The only time I don't overlap is if I am creating a grid or a set up with a grouping that will have an even amount of space between a number of items.




 



Well, that's it!  B's living room is officially finished!  I hope it was worth the wait!  :)  Next, we're onto her dining room. I love my job!! :)

Thank you B for being an amazing client!  Your constant encouragement and gratitude made this project incredibly gratifying for me.  I am honored that you chose me to come into your house and make it your home!  Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity to work with you and your family.  :)