Hello there! Hope you had a great weekend, ours was relaxing and incredibly cold. Let’s face it, accessories are practically one the most important ingredients of a room. Sure you need sofas and chairs, but the accessories are what really gives a room it’s personality, that vibe. I love accessories (obviously) since my online shop is practically all accessories! It’s a surefire way to change up a look, whether you are adding, layering or taking away….its a fast, “instant gratification kind of a way” to transform a space. If you imagine a room without any accessories, it would look rather bleak and incredibly boring. Yes, we definitely need them!

I love “playing” and often do in my own home. Constantly tweaking, adding a few books, maybe a pair of Staffordhsire dogs, it is a constant (but fun) game of experimenting until you get it just right. I hope if you are stumped with how to style a spot in your own home, you might just get some great ideas and inspiration here! I think there’s something for everyone. And chances are you don’t? need to run out and buy anything, it’s probably around and you just don’t know it yet! I get especially excited when I can “reinvent” something I already have in my home (often).

So today a look at some beautiful ways to display accessories and then at the end a wonderful giveaway opportunity courtesy of the ever so lovely Bonnie Neiman of Bonnie Neiman Antiques who has an online shop just dripping with the most beautiful antiques, and best part is her prices are fabulous AND she ships all over the country! Her giveaway is so beautiful, I just know you are going to love it! Ready to begin…..

?The idea of a monochromatic collection in a bookcase is so appealing, very soothing and elegant! AthomeArkansas

Mona Thompson knocked it out of the park with this breathtaking vignette on this console, think I need to order me a cherub statue so I can copy! Love the addition of the books and of course fresh flowers!

?Cathy Kincaid displayed a beautiful collection of blue and whites in this elegant dining room. Proof that one cannot have too many!

Natalie Merrilyn shows that bathroom styling can be really fabulous!

A large jar and bowl on a center table is a winning combination, SF Gate

?A beautiful bedroom by Phoebe Howard, as with other rooms in the house, the bedroom should have
?a sprinkling? of accessories too, candlesticks, a bowl, jars, stacks of books and flowers all work well

?I like this, it draws you right in. Flanked by a tall pair of lamps, there lamps, stacks of books and even an unexpected object like the old fashioned telephone make this so interesting! Pinterest

?This is so cheery and inviting. I love the interest that books give, you immediately feel drawn to see what they are and of course fresh flowers are always a great idea!

?I really like this. Big baskets with books gives this console an interesting layered look, well done! Pottery Barn

?I think the console with two small benches tucked under is very attractive and streamlined looking, Howard

A gorgeous mirrored vanity is the perfect place for a collection of antique mirrored frames, Southern Accents

Always loved old looking statuary as part of a vignette on a console…have to try this! La Vie Abondante

A good reminder to not ignore those outdoor spaces!! Mona Thompson at it again…….gorgeous!

Be sure to not ignore your nightstand! A beautiful lamp, an interesting book or two and a small object or candle can do wonders! I also love the standing artwork here…Georgica Pond

I have always loved (and have done this in my own home) the idea of a cluster of ginger jars tucked under a console

Another reminder of how even the simplest of items placed just right can be so beautiful, Cote De Texas

?Bunny Williams added appropriate accessories to this safari themed feeling space, love the colors, the earthiness of the texture and feeling….beautiful!

One of my style heroes Carolyne Roehm has taught me to look at virtually every container as though it is meant to have flowers in it!

?I am a big fan of hurricanes on a console and this exemplifies how pretty they can look! Caribbean Living

Perhaps no one exemplifies the power of beautiful fresh flowers as a must have accessory as well as Carolyne Roehm does!! Her vignettes are always jaw dropping

?This is well done, I like the large dramatic bust, a touch of greenery, the silver and all the different shapes, really makes an interesting and eye catching vignette, Joy Tribout

For a more modern/transitional space, do love the idea of a few leaning prints along with a tall orchid for height and a few garden benches, looks fabulous while still maintaining that clean aesthetic.

?This somewhat eclectic room has an assortment of interesting objects displayed amongst stacks of books, I think this is a well balance and interesting arrangement, Thornton Designs

I love this! William Eubanks displayed this elegant console to perfection if you ask me, the blue and white theme is front row and center, with big bold pieces that make a true statement

This is beautifully done. Great for a coastal/beach house. Fun and eye catching colors, interesting vignette….nicely done! Shore thing

?Gorgeous living room of Dave DeMattei and Patrick Wade (former executives of Williams Sonoma). Love the styling in this gorgeous room!

A kitchen should never be overlooked as a place to make a real statement with accessories! Give it some personality! SFtoday

A front center table looks perfect with stacks of organized books and smaller interesting objects, I also like the idea of a center flower display, Thornton Designs

I love this…the large obelisks at the end with the Foo dogs center and a large pair of ginger jars on the bottom, the fact that they are all done in white makes this especially dynamic, Veranda

?Something about this space is so soothing and inviting, I love how a simple pair of vases with gorgeous blossoms flanking either side of the mantle is just enough

?A dramatic black and white front hall has a large table brimming with an elegant assortment of accessories, a bronze, books. fresh flowers, a hurricane, a large piece of coral…a winning combination! AD

Joy Tribout treated this bookcase with a common theme-? silver. I like how she changed up the objects but all in the same finish, it appears very cohesive.

?A beautiful bowl or planter with an orchid is always a sure bet for any spot you are in doubt of! Trust me on this….orchids always save the day:) Decorpad

On my own kitchen island I like to fill over sized blue and white porcelain planters with seasonal flowers…it always adds? so much to my kitchen, the one room I spend a lot of time in in my home!

Love the idea of a large silver bowl filled with shells and coral….very very pretty and fresh. Belle Maison

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Never underestimate the power of a pair of tall topiaries, they add such drama to this gorgeous console! Bunny Williams

Love the idea of adding a small vignette on a kitchen counter top…..makes it so charming! Add a big bowl with some fruits or veges, a small lamp, a few books….love it! SFgate

So….what do you think? Do you have a “formula” for how you like to use accessories or are you like me and always experimenting? Clearly there is no wrong or right way to do it….it’s all about experimenting and this post has me in the mood to do some tweaking of my own today!

?If there is one thing to take away from the post, it’s that you won’t know until you try….so have fun don’t be afraid to switch it up! Having just, as of yesterday taken down the last of our Christmas decor, it’s feeling a little sparse, think its time to play 🙂

To help you get busy….I am offering this fabulous accessory bowl courtesy of Bonnie from Bonnie Neiman. Think of the possibilities! Feast your eyes on this magnificent white and gold bowl from Portugal……… you choose a beauty Bonny!

Reminder…the clock is ticking, so don’t forget to send in your kitchen pictures. Got some beauties in so far! Details below.

My new contest is called Kitchen Love. A subject near and dear to our hearts, the heart of the home. Send in your pictures of your kitchen or it can be a snippet of your kitchen, something that makes your kitchen special and beautifully yours. I cannot wait to start getting the entries! Rules are-