Get Design Advice: Accent Pieces

Accent Pieces

Accent pieces refer to smaller furniture pieces that enhance a room's décor, such as chests, tables, curios, bookcases, hall trees and jewelry armoires. An upholstered piece or ensemble can also serve an accent function.

An accent piece will often be made of similar wood as the furniture in the décor, although it may have a different finish. A chest from a bedroom collection can accent an adjacent hallway. Similarly, an occasional table in place of a night stand will add a personalized accent to a master bedroom.

Bistro tables, bars and bar stools also work well as accent pieces in finished basements or small conversation areas.

Similar to mantels and pier units, curios can display collections of small or fragile objects that can be easily lost or broken if stored elsewhere.

Bookcases can also be added to hallways, living rooms and home offices for storage and display space. Arrange books on their sides and intersperse with objects, such as framed photos, bookends, vases and small sculptures, to keep bookcases and wall unit displays from looking too uniform or monotonous.

Chairs with patterned upholstery in a coordinating color, texture and print can accent a solid sofa or settee while adding a personalized touch to a living room or den. This is also an excellent way to introduce a dynamic color scheme to your room's décor.

Accessories

From functional items such as lamps, clocks and mirrors to eye-pleasing accents such as paintings, sculptures and floral arrangements, accessories set the tone for a room, making it formal, casual, rustic or whimsical.

Vertical Display

Items on a wall's plane are part of the room's vertical composition. This includes windows, window treatments, doors, fireplaces and even furniture placed in relation to a wall. There are a few fundamental guidelines for selecting and placing accessories in a vertical display.

The heaviest visual objects should be placed at the bottom of the vertical plane. For example, a sofa on a wall would be the anchor of a vertical display, so a painting hung above the sofa should be smaller in relation.

If there is no fireplace to anchor the wall composition, choose a major accent like a large painting, sculpture or mirror, or furniture such as an entertainment center with pier units, or bookshelves.

Window Treatments

Window treatments provide privacy, and they also protect your interior from harsh sunlight, which can fade furniture and flooring as well as affect your energy bills. Whether you choose wooden blinds or layers of sheers and curtains, window accessories add a stylish touch to a home, blending form with function and completing the look of a room.

Purchase window treatments that reaffirm and complement a room's style and its color scheme. Layers and top treatments, such as valances, cornices and swags, dress up a window, while blinds can give a room a sleek modern look or even a retro style.

Quality curtains and drapes are usually lined with a blackout fabric that blocks light and prevents fabric from fading. An additional interlining provides insulation for cooler climates. If the curtains or drapes are not lined, you can achieve a similar effect by layering. When using sheers in combination with thicker curtains or drapes, make sure they are 1" shorter than the face fabric. Although it is easier to layer curtains and sheers with double rods, single rods can also be used for layering by placing a thin tension rod inside the window frame. For a more tailored, masculine look, layer blinds and curtains.

Most importantly, make sure your curtain panels are wide enough to cover the window, not tautly stretched. The combined width of all (two or three) curtain panels should equal 1.5 to 2 times the total width of your window, producing a slight gathered, ruffle-like effect at the top.

Wall Décor

Wall décor, consisting of framed art, tapestries, mirrors and clocks, is often the most versatile and colorful component of a vertical display. Varying shapes, colors and textures gives a room a finished look.

Creating a custom look for your wall is easy. As with art, frames and mirrors come in various styles; they can easily be blended for an eclectic look. For example, an abstract charcoal painting can easily be paired with a more traditional textured frame. Similarly, a formal, textured oil painting can be paired with a sleek black or chrome frame. In general, wall hangings can add texture to an otherwise flat surface. Texture can come from both the frame and from the medium used in the artwork. Texture can also come from hanging tapestries or rugs on a wall.

Wall hangings can also serve as a unifying factor in a room or between rooms, either through subject matter or color scheme.

Be mindful of space while arranging hangings on a wall. Avoid placing intricate art against a busy background. One striking painting or print creates a singular focus, or you can arrange a grid of smaller works or a grouping of mirrors and artwork with matching or related frames and mats.

Decide on the level of formality you want displayed in the room. Symmetrical placement creates stately formality, while asymmetrical placement lends itself to a more casual or contemporary feel.

Hang artwork low enough (10" to 12" above a sofa or chair) to have a relationship to the furniture or to be at or near eye level for someone standing.

Horizontal Display

Accents on horizontal surfaces, including tabletops, shelves and fireplace mantels, are often referred to as tablescapes. Creating a tablescape and adding interest and beauty to what might be an otherwise boring plateau can be quite fun - the challenge is maintaining balance and avoiding clutter.

As with vertical displays, arrange items on horizontal surfaces close enough to display a visual relationship. Allow enough space around and between accessories so they do not look crowded, but avoid leaving so much space that elements lose any relationship.

Vary shapes, sizes, textures and colors of accessories for interest and dimension. Groupings of accessories should have one dominant element, such as candles of varying heights.

Statues and trophies, or larger items, should be placed with ample surrounding space to accentuate their importance. Spotlighting can further enhance the display.

TIP: Try reprinting color portraits in black and white -- they'll blend more easily with older family portraits and snapshots.

On a large surface, such as a square cocktail table, try mixing materials to create a pleasing contrast. For instance, pair a reed basket with glass fruit. Fill earthenware, crystal or silver bowls with potpourri, pinecones, seashells or other items. Stacks of books can also create a relaxed, homey look.

Lighting

Perhaps the most underrated element in home decorating, lighting can set a mood or add drama, all while serving a vital function. There are three types of room lighting: indirect, direct and accent.

Indirect, or ambient, lighting provides an overall level of illumination for the general use of a room. Sources include recessed or ceiling fixtures and wall sconces. Torchiere lamps bounce light off the ceiling, while table lamps with translucent shades (such as silk) diffuse light for a softer, ambient effect.

Direct lighting, also called task lighting, is designed for performing specific tasks such as reading, sewing or doing homework. Lamps with opaque shades concentrate light for these purposes.

Accent lighting directs attention to a specific item or area in a room, such as a painting, sculpture or fireplace. Varieties include downlights, track lights and small can lamps. Use this type of lighting sparingly, or the lighting will become too theatrical.

TIP: ACCENT LIGHTING CAN:

• Add an extra dimension to a room area (proper accent lighting makes a room look larger than it actually is.)
• Bring out the natural colors of a room and its furnishings.
• Highlight architectural features, art objects and furniture groupings.
• Emphasize bookshelves, entertainment and curio furniture.

Rugs

Varying by pile, size, color, style and manufacturing technique, rugs serve multiple functions. Rugs delineate space in traditional or open floor plans, protect the flooring below, conserve energy in the winter and add color and texture to the room's décor.

Pile

A pile, also known as "face" or "nap," refers to the visible wear surface of a rug or carpet, consisting of yarn tufts in loop and/or cut configurations.

Rugs with a loop pile configuration have yarns that are looped and left uncut. The loops can be level or have varying heights, creating a pattern and texture.

In a cut pile, yarns are looped and then cut to a uniform length, lightly twisted and heat-set so the yarns stand upright. There are three variations of cut pile: plush, Saxony and frieze (or shag).

As the name suggests, cut and loop pile is a mixture designed to create a variety of textures.

Size

The first thing to consider when choosing a rug is its size. There are three basic rug sizes, and each serves a specific purpose. Room-size rugs cover the entire floor, just like carpeting, but are not permanently fastened down.

The most commonly used rugs are known as area or accent rugs. Averaging 5' x 8' in size, area rugs can complement a room by serving one or all of the following functions: dividing space within an area, focusing attention on a furniture grouping, directing traffic, or providing a focal point for some portion of the room.

Throw rugs, scatter rugs and runners are smaller in size and are frequently used as a unifying factor between two rooms or as hallway and stairway décor.

Color

After deciding on the rug's purpose and size, turn your focus to color. Select a rug with a pattern and colors that will complement the room but won't limit other design options. Since lighting alters color, be sure to examine the rug and coordinating color swatches in daylight as well as artificial light sources.

Consider the location and how much traffic it will sustain. Patterns and color blends do not show soil and footprints as much as solid colors, while neutral colors show the least fading when exposed to sunlight.

Styles

Oriental: Traditionally made of wool or silk, Oriental rugs work well with traditional or contemporary décor. Inspired by nature motifs, Oriental rugs feature widely spaced patterns with a generous amount of background color.

Persian: Curvilinear and angular designs combined with intricate lines define this style. Basic background colors include deep reds and blues with as many as 30 total colors within a design.

Kilims and Dhurries: An ancient style, kilim rugs have stylized stair-step patterns in bold colors and reversible designs in cotton, wool or silk. Dhurries are similar in design but in lighter color.

Aubusson: A tightly woven tapestry or pile rug, featuring floral motifs with a center medallion and peripheral border.

Grass: These durable rugs with a unique texture may be woven or plaited of one or more natural fibers, such as: sisal, seagrass, jute, coir, hemp, rush and maize.

Contemporary: Contemporary rugs consist of various patterns. Patterns may include simple geometric shapes, modern floral or abstract art, or impressionistic renderings.

Techniques

Rug manufacturing techniques can be categorized in one of two categories, handmade or machine-made.

Handmade rugs are made of natural materials such as wool, cotton, silk or a combination and may be entirely hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-hooked, flat-weaved or needlepointed.

Today, most rugs fall into the machine-made category. Mechanical looms and select color yarns make machine-made rugs appear similar to some of the finest handmade rugs. Machine-made rugs can often imitate the worn look and feel of a valuable antique using modern manufacturing processes that now include long-wearing, stain-resistant fiber.

Get a Grip On Your Rug

After choosing a rug, be sure to use the correct rug pad. A rug pad serves several functions: it provides traction to prevent slipping, adds padding, keeps the rug smooth and flat, protects the backing of the rug and prevents any possible color transfer to the flooring underneath. Investing in one will not only increase your personal safety, but it will also protect and extend the life of your rug. For bare floors, heavier-grip rug pads are thicker and provide extra cushioning for rugs. For carpeted areas, carpet-grip pads hug the backs of the rug and the carpeting with a durable, high-tech dry adhesive.