Decorative Accessories: Clustering

The color on the walls is sumptuous. The positioning of the furniture is precise and inviting. So, how do you get your rooms to look like the camera-ready interiors you see in revered shelter magazines?

Enter decorative accessories, the finishing touches that transform an interior from lackluster to well-lived. The decorative accessories category is board—from area rugs and decorative pillows to portable lamps and mirrors—and most people add too many or too few. HomeYet.com asked Christopher Grubb, founder of the internationally acclaimed Beverly Hills, Calif., design firm, ARCH-INTERIORS Design Group, to share his tips for the deft handling of decorative accessories. What works well? Clustering.

• Clustering decorative objects is a great way to achieve an informal look. When grouping accessories together, choose objects of different shapes and sizes, but having one common thread, be it color, shape or texture.

• Height and scale are important when displaying accessories together. Try to follow a “small, medium, large” philosophy when working with height, and be certain the overall size of one item does not overpower the others. And always cluster accessories in odd numbers—three, five or seven—as this allows each item to be seen.

• Keep groups of accessories close together, but don’t forget about negative space (the space around a subject, not the object itself). Placing a group of accessories on one side of a console, for instance, is more effective than spreading the objects across the width of the table.

• Contrasting rustic finishes with simple contemporary accessories provides a pleasing visual juxtaposition and helps each element stand out. For example, place a brushed chrome vase or bowl on a rustic wood buffet or a unique “found object” on a glass-and-chrome table.

• When grouping throw pillows, consider mixing a stripe, a solid and a pattern in complementary colors. The solid pillow should be chenille or another tactile fabric.

• A group of identical items, such as small tea light holders, look clean and sophisticated when displayed evenly in a line.

• When working with mirrors, place three on a mantle or shelf. Not only are such groupings functional, they bring an architectural feeling (because of the molding) to a room.

• Avoid a mirror wall. Instead, consider using mirrors of different shapes and sizes. If the room has a special view or you want it to appear larger, then employ a framed, oversized mirror. It creates the same effect as a full mirror, but the result is much more sophisticated.