Accessories for the Living Room

Let's go into the living room for coffee and dessert. With our busy lives, we forget to take shelter in the soothing comfort of the little things we've collected and placed with care in our living rooms. Here is where we celebrate birthdays and holidays and gather together our best treasures and friends. It is here we share the important moments and blend the families of two people. Too often the living room becomes a showcase. I say - don't showcase - embrace the treasures of our lives. Show them in their best light.

The best accessories are really the stories of acquisition and attachment. Those accessories tell of our lives, our friends, and our family - what we treasure most. The living room is a place for gentle remembrances.

Lamps
Lighting sets the mood for any room. Some rooms look their best in daylight, while others want the evening. For some reason, the living room wants the glow of lamps. Think of lamps as sculpture or vases with their own illumination. Table lamps with sensuous curves held in china, topped with shades of soft pleats add a cheery glow. Black shades and bases of sharp contrast call attention to a table of warm wood and curvy legs. Tall stately floor lamps that greet you at eye level, draw your focus upward to the walls and windows. The walls surround the room with color, from the art to the window coverings.

Artwork
From still life, to scenery, to abstract, to family portraits, the artwork displayed in the living room provides the opportunity for self-reflection and self-expression. Artwork communicates our emotions, and should be purchased for your enjoyment, not only for investment. Sometimes art simply covers a bare wall. The addition of a nicely framed mirror will extend the space and reflect light back into the room, creating a new view. In any case, art gives us balance, and always tells a story. Picture lights will emphasize your artwork.

Other Accents
No matter what style or mix of ideas and objects are contained in your living room, balance, weight, texture, color, pattern, and rhythm are important to the design. Your collections should play-off each other like good conversation. Stories of pattern, color, and texture in the area rug can be found in the accent pillows, told in a smaller way.

The window treatments provide a backdrop, usually with a flourish of cascading fabrics. Occasionally, they are stark guardians of the window with nothing much to say at all, except - here is the view of the outside world. Upholstered pieces give structure and stability to the room. Occasional tables say - sit next to me and look at this lovely piece of porcelain. Coffee tables by day - cocktail tables by night, you can dress them up with glittering candlesticks, fresh flowers in a vase and chic books with glossy covers, or dress them down with a plate of cookies and fresh brewed coffee.

Bookcases and desks hold our collections in safe keeping until the next time we take a moment to enjoy them. Some accessories should be thought of as fashion, changeable with the season or occasion. Don't think every space needs something in it. Quiet areas lend importance to collections. And, don't forget music. Music is another important accessory to the living room. What a wonderful way to add atmosphere.

Written by Kathleen Wright, Interior Designer
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

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