So much of my work is focused on the design aspect of a renovation. My specialty is design for renovation and new build construction. I create the 3D renderings, the floor plans and the elevations all while selecting the materials to be used throughout the home. I also manage the job site and act as a liaison between my client and the building team. Learn more about a designer’s role by reading this post.

And as much as I love this part of the process I recognize that even the best design and implementation will only go so far. Once the construction is complete we have a beautifully designed space but without accessorizing the space will only shine so bright. Accessorizing is what brings all the hard work of renovating and elevates it until it’s a 10/10.

For a lot of homeowners, accessorizing can be a challenging endeavour. Most of us don’t know what’s needed or where to shop for the best accessories. We end up at big box stores where we purchase the same decor pieces as all our neighbours. Let’s look at how to accessorise so that you can get the most out of your own space.

Why Accessorizing Matters

Houses are composed of rooms made up of angles. We have flat surfaces and 90 degree angles that require some organic shapes to soften up all the sharpness. Through texture, varying shapes and colour we can elevate a room and a home.

Accessories will help create an identity because this is where we put our own unique and individual personality. Our colour preferences, our design style and our lived experiences become part of our homes through accessories so never sacrifice this because it’s how to leave your own fingerprint on your home.

10 Impactful Ways to Accessorise Your Home

1/ Create a Colour Story with Accessories

Before we step foot into a store to shop for accessories it’s important to consider the colour palette you want to create. Your home is the first place you will begin when creating the palette because it’s imperative you work with the elements that already exist in your space.

Look at all your fixed materials like flooring, countertops and tile and consider the palette. Next you’ll look at your furniture and consider any colour. Often our materials and our furniture are neutral which means we really need the accessories to work overtime. If you’re curious about how a designer can help furnish your home, read this post.

It’s important to consider that this isn’t about designing around your favourite colours. Instead, it’s about repeating the colours that already exist in your home and then accenting those colours with some bold pops of fun colour.

2/ Use Multiples with Odd Numbers

You may be familiar with this because it’s the oldest trick in the design book, referred to as the Rule of Odds. Typically we use 3 or 5 items together to create a small grouping of decor items. It’s important to consider both the vertical and horizontal space and be sure that you have a variety in both senses.

The reason that this works from a psychological perspective is that odd numbers create a feeling of tension and dissonance in our minds that doesn’t exist with even numbers. This tension causes our eye to move around the objects instead of just landing on a single decor item. So if you want to show off what you have, use odd numbers.

3/ Add Texture

Some design styles rely more heavily on texture than others but regardless of style you should always incorporate at least a small amount of texture.

If you love coastal or modern design you’ll be using less colour and definitely need to prioritize texture in order to keep the space from feeling flat and lifeless. You can see in the photo above how the combination of branches, stone and marble create a vignette that feels alive. If you’re a neutral colour lover you’ll definitely want to prioritize texture so that your room doesn’t fall flat and feel lifeless.

This emphasizes the reasons we need to be considering how decor items work together. If you saw one of these unique pieces in a store you may not have been drawn to it but you can see from the collection that the pieces work in perfect harmony all while incorporating the necessary textural elements to the space.

4/ Be Aware of Scale

Before you buy anything take a good look at the overall space you want to decorate including the ceiling height and windows. Larger spaces will typically require larger accessories. For example, you can’t use tiny accessories in a room with 10’ ceilings because they’ll disappear. Instead, consider the scale of the room and go for a few oversized pieces that will be a complement to the scale of the space.

In this home above the homeowner has anchored the height of the wall using a combination of large and small art pieces. In addition, the large plant and record on display add to the feeling of scale and act as a collective. Sometimes the best decor pieces are found right in your own home and this red record proves it.

5/ Include Various Shapes

One of the most common errors in decorating and accessorizing is sticking to a single shape. It’s important to include round and organic shapes that work to soften the sharp angles in a room but don’t go overboard. You want to create visual interest by combining various shapes, heights, materials and texture.

Most of us have a natural affinity for a particular shape. Once you notice it you’ll see that you always grab for the decor pieces in that shape. Hold yourself back and experiment with various shapes so you can play around and find a grouping that has dimension and interest.

6/ Stagger the Vertical Height

While scale takes care of the item-to-room ratio we also have to be considerate of the way that the accessories relate to each other. We don’t want to create a sharp horizontal line where they all end at the same height. Instead, create a tower of varying heights to make your display more interesting.

If you love your decor items and don’t want to buy any new ones but need more variety of height you can use other objects to give you a helping hand. Books are always the easiest way but consider flat surfaces like a box to prop us a small object. Your space will look so much better just with this simple tweak to your styling.

7/ Only Use Pieces You Love

I think one of the most important aspects of accessorizing is to inject your own personality and that can only be achieved when you curate with pieces you love. These can be items collected over time, family heirlooms or travel mementos. Never display something you don’t like but instead wait until you find the pieces that make your heart sing.

Same goes for the style of decor you select. If you love whimsy as this homeowner clearly does it will reinforce your design style. Never try to decorate your place with items you “think” you should have. Regardless of what you think they represent it will never feel like your home if you don’t decorate with pieces you adore.

8/ Quality Over Quantity

Creating a collection of decor pieces you love takes time. I would encourage you to buy a single high quality piece over several small and insignificant items. I do love to switch up my accessories but I think you should also focus on collecting a few foundational pieces that always remain part of the space.

Look in places you wouldn’t expect and you’ll find pieces that are for a lifetime. Look at craft fairs, farmers markets and art shows. Your favourite pieces don’t need to be from big box stores so don’t be afraid to find pieces wherever you spend time.

9/ Grow Your Accessories Over Time

I love visiting antique and consignment stores because you get a chance to see pieces that are interesting, unique and sometimes one-of-a-kind. Regardless of where you like to shop you should go slow and add to your collection over time. If you focus on a few high quality pieces your room will look great and you can add onto it over the years.

10/ Don’t Overlook the Power of Books

If you feel like your room is missing something it might be books. Even if you’re not an avid reader, books can help to create a lot of visual texture along with colour and typography. These are all elements that create a strong accessorizing statement. PRO TIP - always remove the dust cover from the book because the texture of the book is superior to the texture of a shiny book cover.

I hope you feel ready to tackle the accessorizing of your home now. If you’re overwhelmed with decorating or have a design project coming up in 2026, reach out to me. I always love to discuss how I can help bring your vision to life.

Warm regards,

Adrienne