Dressing Up a Room, Giving it Personality with Accessories

Accessories...whether it's a vase (or a shoe!), it has the potential to 'make' a look. I'm a firm believer in the power of unique, individual choices when it comes to accessorizing a space, and since many of you are wondering where I find the items I use on Myles of Style, let's break it down.

One of my most beloved accessories EVER was the Juju hat I used in the dining room makeover last week. I love their back story, I love that each one is totally unique, and I love the variety of colors you can choose (the magenta ones are a particular favorite of mine). You can find similar at: www.authenticafrica.com
I love them individually, but grouping them on a wall would also make an amazing visual statement.

Another approach to accessorizing is 'dressing' your walls vs. just throwing any old object onto the nearest side table. I experimented with this idea on the minimalist loft makeover episode; remember the 'bamboo' wall treatment? I loved the concept of dressing a window without adding voluminous material, so we bought 1/2 round wood trim from Home Depot, stained it, and cut it to size. The random placement read 'real bamboo', but it was in fact just a thin strip of wood. I think the lesson there was all about seeing beyond the face value of a building material. There are so many ways to trick the eye and achieve a certain feeling or vibe --- get creative!

Sometimes you really pull a room together with the larger pieces you choose, i.e. big furniture, and rugs. So many of you were digg'n
the rustic dining table I chose last week (so glad you loved it as much as I did!!! Wasn't it gorgeous??!!), as well as the cherry blossom rug, and wondered where I found them.
The Table was purchased from a fantastic store here in L.A. called H.D. Buttercup, and let me tell you, it was expensive. BUT....it was also a PICNIC table. Rustic outdoor furniture will behave any way you'd like it to if you surround it with 'formal' visual cues. The dining chairs were polished and classic, and they lent an air of sophistication to the table. (Again, don't let an objects description dictate how you use it -- who says a picnic table can't be used indoors?!)
And the rug? Target! www.target.com carries an amazing array of great items, and if you're willing to pay for shipping, you'll have access to far more than what is carried in the actual stores.

Happy Hunting!