reno fan - you're selling yourself short!

Accessorizing is hard, but it's something I love. Not in a material way, but because many of my accessories mean something to me or are just items I love.

That's one thing that helps me, I don't bring something into the house unless one of us of both love it or it has meaning to us. I think that's one thing that gives a house that *warm* feeling you are talking about. My3Dogs and Cattknap both accomplish that in their homes. So cozy and welcoming. Notice too that both use lots of old items in their house. Many of the accessories in our house are old. Either items that came from our families or pieces we have picked up in antique stores that in many cases do look worn and well loved. Such as old silver or brass with it's beautiful patina. Family pictures, etc. I think if you start using some of these items you'll get more of the look you're after.

I know you're not after the cottage look, but check of 3 of my favorite blogs. These gals know how to give their home that warm, lived in, inviting look.

acottageindustry.typepad.com

deardaisycottage.typepad.com

cherryhillcottage.typepad.com

Just examples. In some cases, there is more *stuff* around that I can live with, but I love these houses and how they are *homes*. Lived in and loved.

tina

Reno I agree with Tina above, you are selling yourself short. I felt the same way when I saw the other's accessories, I just look at it differently in that it takes me more time but eventually we will get there. Accessorizing is hard but keep at it, that's what I do.

Well I suppose I'll eventually get there if I start to bring home accessories, LOL!

The only time I've ever bought any substantial amount of accessorizing stuff is last year when I was staging my house to sell. None of it was "meaningful", but it was all stuff I liked. I still have all of it, and it works, but I have to say that's really the only time I've ever bought accessories en masse.

I guess I just need to keep my eye open for smaller items that make the ol' heart sing.

Shells, hard cover books, candlesticks, mirror's, pretty frames, throws, decorative pillow's, plates, urns, ferns, twigs, pretty soaps, birdhouses, orchids, fern stands, prints, perfume bottles, rolled towels, baskets, vintage tea towels, quilts, bookends, untique pots, stools, bird nest's, antique fern prints, anything distressed.

Rumage through antique shops and junk shops Reno. It's fun and you never know what you may find and love.

Good topic Reno! Thanks for the blogs Tina. I think you have to find something you love. I am not big on collections but I had a set of foo dogs that were in my moms bedroom and when I went to china for a vacation I bought another set. Then somehow I was a collector of foo dogs. :) I also have a hard time with this because of my 4 cats. They think they are smaller and sleeker then they are!

All I keep on my nightstand is an alarm clock and a bottle of water and both are regulary on the floor.

That led me to collecting pretty Crystal bowls and things. They are heavy and the cats can't knock them over. I think I am going to try to do up more on my walls in this house. Cattknaps one wall with all the pictures on it is an inspiration pic of mine. Plus, I have so many paintings,. etchings and prints from my last house and so much less wall space in this one.

I am really hoping it does not end up looking like a junk shop with pictures for sale.

I second what newdawn advised about antique shops.

Accessories are my favorite things and you have a lovely home to put them to use in.

I have one that I've loved since I was a child. It is a piece of carnival glass (not the purple kind, but a beautiful marigold color) that has a fluted, pie crust edge. It was in my family for ages. Mom and Dad used to have knock-down dragout fights and I had my Mother trained to put it away every Friday night, not to be put out until the following Monday morning, lol.

I always thought it would be ironic if I ever broke it, so I've always packed it with great care.

You can find nice pieces from china sets, crystal, pottery (I love those tile floors of yours), old buffet lamps, the list of possibilities is endless.

Happy hunting.

I have a mix of accessories in my house, some from places like TJ Maxx, others from artsy/boutiquey stores, and some from antique or consignment shops. Every so often I go through and purge stuff when it seems like I have too much meaningless junk (happens less often as I get older and wiser about what I buy in the first place), and the items that hardly ever get purged are the ones that I've gotten from antique stores or flea markets. And as someone else said, old books, rocks, and shells are great, cheap decorating accents!

reno, your post could have been written by me because I'm the same way with accesorizing and also with the jewelry,scarves, etc.

Sometimes I realize it's the fact that the cat's won't really "let me" accessorize the house, but still I don't think I'm very good at it. That's why I always joke it will be years before my new house is decorated.

A not to boo, my little monsters broke 2 of my prettiest crystal bowls. That's when I started to velcro things down!!

I have to really, really love something before I buy it and well, there's just not that much stuff that talks to me when I go out looking.

For me I find it's better not to go actually looking for items, but letting them find me when I'm just browsing.

Do you have trouble judging scale of an item? I do, it's usually too small for the space. I wish I could think "big" like Christopher does, but that's scary to me.

After watching some decorator's on TV buying tons of stuff, then bringing it to the space and using some and bringing back the rest, I thought well maybe that's what I need to do. Just buy lots of stuff that I like all at once, bring it home, try it out and return what I don't use. Then maybe I'd at least end up with "something".

You'll be fine, you've received lots of good advise from those who know how to decorate. I keep watching and listening and hopefully learning.

I believe accessories are the soul of a home. I buy accessories at antique stores and on trips. Very few are bought at locally owned home stores. I don't do chain stores because of the mass market look. Not that there's anything wrong with it, I just don't care for it in my home.

Reno, go through your drawers. Ask parents/grandparents for things they have stuck back and aren't using. I have a variety of family things out. I'd say 1/10 of my things are family items: old photographs, crocheted baby bonnets, bronze shoes, charm bracelet, fishing lures, old wristwatch, string of faux pearls my grandmother wore, silver calling card case, my piccolo, etc. I have these items grouped together - these things are on bookcase shelves in my closet and a small hanging cabinet downstairs are two examples.

I tend to gravitate towards more natural things; leather, wicker, bone, stone and items with a natural patina. Find items that appeal to your senses and go from there.

I have the same problem with accessorizing, myself and my house. I want the house to look warm, but I don't like a bunch of little things sitting around. I'm coming to the conclusion that the answer for me is artwork.

Not only do I lack the creativity, but the willingness to keep up with all the dust, lol. Sad, huh? I can appreciate a beautifully accessorized home, but feel more comfortable with less rather than more. I do wish I had a talent for hanging artwork.

Well, I can certainly concur with your short list of Accessor-zamples! I love what they do with stuff. Cattknap was one that I emailed a couple of times, hoping to get to head down south and see her pretty place before she moved. Judith is downright amazing. Her home could be a shop! And our dear GeorgiaGal..........well, I've "known" her for almost a decade now..........since the old days of BHG Color, where I admired everything she placed on the walls or on a tabletop.
And so many others, especially some who have already posted on this thread......really seem to have a talent for this 'Art'.

Occasionally, I put together something on a table or a ledge that really works for me. I stare in wonder and awe that "I did that!" But way more often, I buy something that looks way cool in a shop, or even amazingly pretty on an estate sale table, or fabulous in a photo......(I found one of Allison's Glass Balls in a local antique shop and paid $10 for it. It now sits in the bottom of an ironwork bowl....doing nothing. Why? Because I'm not Allison!) and then, don't know what to do with it.
I'm pretty good with picking paint colors and arranging furniture. I'm happy with what I do in those areas. Arranging 'found' items so they look beautiful, yet, unstudied.....is just not my forte. But I have stumbled upon one elegant truth about accessories.
Sometimes we may feel that because we don't live in a good garage sale/estate sale/antique store area......our Marshall's, TJMAXX, HomeGoods stuff, is just not as good or as pretty, as someone else's antique paintings, vintage tramp art, or collectible figurines. And maybe your 'bought in a local home dec store' stuff doesn't have the patina of age or memories. But someday it will. Some of the new stuff out there is pretty good. And all antiques were new once. 100 year old wrought iron had to be forged by someone and bought by someone. 87 year old Flow Blue plate was in a shop somewhere, bought by someone who loved the color. So, if you feel discouraged that you don't seem to have the opportunity to make a cool 'find', just remember that you have to start somewhere, and that every object has to come from the hand of it's maker and out into a venue to be purchased at some point. If you find it, love it, buy it. Find a place for it. And study the photos of those who have the knack to see if there's an idea for you to copy.

I put some HomeGood's fake green apples in my rustic iron bowl bought in a little hidden shop on the California Coast, right over the top of my vintage glass fishing float. Maybe one day, when I have the right spot for it, or find it some friends, I will put the turquoise glass float out to show on it's own.

Red

This post hits very close to home! I love looking at all of your pics of beautiful homes and try to emulate them in some ways but I don't have the creativity either! I love family things and things that mean something to me. Most of the items we decorate w/ have a story of some sort-family items, things that we picked up on vacations, etc. I think part of my hesitation is that I grew up on a house that was decorated in the style of "fill every corner w/ country items that collect tons of dust"!! I had to do the dusting then and I really don't want to do a lot of it now. I'm trying to settle for a happy medium. I have learned a lot from the ladies here and am very thankful!

(I found one of Allison's Glass Balls in a local antique shop and paid $10 for it. It now sits in the bottom of an ironwork bowl....doing nothing. Why? Because I'm not Allison!) and then, don't know what to do with it.

That made me snort out loud. Luckily, DH didn't ask me what I was laughing about.

Can't believe I didn't have ebay in my list. I have bought several antique/old architectural etchings onilne. If you can just find the look or feel you want, the internet puts the world at your fingertips.

Wonderful advice from all. My favorite accessory stores
are antique stores, ebay, my mom's cupboards (ha! she's not using it), and things I bring home from travels. Because we're house-rich, cash-poor, our wall artwork is primarily family photos and travel photos. The other day I was putting away everything that babies might touch/play with/chew on to get the house ready for bug bombing (ugh), and when I was done, all that was sitting out were my books, family photos, and a few treasured items (family heirlooms, items collected from travels and ebay brick-a-brack). The house looked surprisingly good considering that it's still in its "before" photo stage. Warm, cozy, inviting and ... like adults lived there. Ahhh.

Of couse, that only lasted until the kids were allowed back into the house. So we're back to "artful" arrangements of Fisher Price objets de kid. :) But when they're old and I pack them off to college, I'm going shopping. :)

Well, I love you reno_fan because I have too many accessories, and to every single one I have a sentimental attachment. Sometimes I wonder if my home looks cluttered because of all the accessories, but then I think "well, this is us!" (both the clutter and the physical remembrances of our lives)

Both of my children are now forming their own emotional attachments because I find them both (four and two years-old) rearranging the various objets and playing with them. This morning I found this:

A small terracotta warrior from when I lived in PRC to which my older child was "feeding" a glass candy (from our wedding in Cambria, CA [Seekers Glass]) served on an old Indian pottery piece (from Santa Fe, NM), pouring him tea (from a teapot from Kappabashi-dori, Japan) into a jade cup (from Sai Gon, Viet Nam). My two year-old likes playing "hide-and-seek" with anything which he can fit in a squat pot we found in Yulara, Australia. I found a triceratops in there recently ....

yes, those are crumbs on the table!

But the other day (was it yesterday?) someone posted a link to the Cote de Texas blog so I took a peek. And it left me feeling bad about my arrangements and, to some extent, myself, like why am I not able to display as well as (some of) the photos on her blog?

But I think that's human nature, that we diminish our own while placing others on a pedestal. Last year, I think, there was a thread about wabisabi, and having studied pottery in Japan (I mean pottery making) one of the things I learned is that the "old masters" have great envy for the uninitiated novice, because those are the ones which have the true "hand of man," and the beauty lies in the "imperfection." Those who've been making pottery for a long time have become too "perfect," too round, too symmetrical, etc.

I think about my painting (pictures, not housepainting), and how all I see, the only thing I ever see when I look at them is how flawed they are, how talentless I am, etc. But when I look at others in general I am able to appreciate the errant brushstroke or whatever: I find it makes the piece unique and gives it personality.

Why can't I do that with my own work?

Yet with my appearance I probably tend to be too generous -- I think I look fabulous about 98% of the time! Go figure.

But maybe your house doesn't look sterile to others. I am only familiar with your kitchen (which is wonderful), and it is clearly not sterile. At all.

I've been looking at my home, thinking "what exactly am I lacking that the [pictures of the] rooms to which I'm drawn have?" And for me, it's lamps. Which is a little funny, as we just spent a fortune hardwiring all sorts of fixtures, and now I realize "I need lamps." Honestly, there is no pleasing some people! I'm not familiar with the names you mentioned, but I know that lots of layers -- color, texture, pattern, I guess an abundance of whatever, is what makes a room feel good (to me). I happen to adore a riot of color and pattern, but I've seen dive-in yummy rooms all in shades of ecru, but with a lot going on (different weaves of linen, pregnant curtains, etc.). The rooms which, to my eye, photograph the best would probably be the hardest to live in: there is just so much stuff that traffic patterns are difficult, there's no place to put a cup of tea, let alone one's feet. And rooms which are easy to physically navigate, which have room for feet to be up and a cup of tea to be set down don't photograph as well (to me).

We finished our kitchen in May and after just coming back from a camping dinosaur dig (I think I loved it more than the children!), seeing the kitchen with "fresh" eyes (having been away a few days), it felt sterile to me. I propped up a wee painting on the hood, just to see if it "helped" desanitize the place (ha ha), and the look of horror on my husband's face said it all! (as in "no way")

But it's not a sterile room, really: we live there. I'm thinking about getting a topiary or some other plant for the countertop: I think the live green might make it feel less clinical. I'm the one who wanted an icy kitchen and designed / chose every single component to meet that goal. How dare I complain!

Anyway, your post really resonated with me. Thank you.

I love shopping for accessories! I just always remember to go big with accessories so that it makes a statement and doesn't say clutter. You don't need much if you just get big statement pieces as your accessories. If your doing a collection of something that isn't very big just remember 3 or more make a collection/pretty vignette. Also remember that you can raise the heigth of something by using pedestals. Recently went in to a new store and they had a big aqua bubble glass vase/jug on 2 pedestals (one pedestal on top of another smaller pedestal then with glass vase on top of it) to raise the heighth of it on the table & it looked great. I often buy several accessories bring them home and try it all out, then I choose what didn't work and return it. It's fun...don't be afraid.

Rm your kitchen is so yummy. I was drooling over it while lurking on the kitchen forum recently.

I have been thinking about this post more as I look at inspiration pics I have and I think one accessory that I just can't seem to work in is plants. My 4 cats even eat fake plants! I think plants add a comfy warm feeling to a room.

Great thread! I'm the same way, I stop after the basics. I think part of my problem is that I'm afraid of clutter...but when properly displayed ..of course it's not clutter!

Where can I find GeorgiaGal's blog? I love her style.

http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/

http://gracioussouthernliving.blogspot.com/ (another former garden web person, I believe)

http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/

GeorgiaGal's is the first one. These are 3 of my favorite blogs.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg080908128135.html?7

One of my favorite inspirations is Becky Chapman's cottage...warm, welcoming, and well-loved!

I hope you enjoy it, too~

Here is a link that might be useful: Chapman Cottage

boopadaboo -- thank you for your nice words about our kitchen!

Two of our cats (the oldest two) won't allow us to have live plants in our house either -- we say they "make love" to them. Ahem. We don't know if the youngest cat would do the same as we've never had live plants in the house during her life with us! Anytime we receive flowers, they have to live outside next to a window, so we can still see them but not have them molested by the naughty cats .... And when my husband is naughty, he knows not to bring flowers -- chocolate!

So I know this considered verboten by many, but all the greenery we have in the house is fake. I can't believe your cats attack the fake stuff too! Wow, they are really determined. But it makes me like you even more that you have cats!

Thanks to so many people here ;) I have been browsing CL like a mad woman. I am really tempted to go get some of the fake plants this woman has and see how my cats do with them and what they do to make my place more homey.

Of course I would have to get the crystal ball too.

Here is a link that might be useful: CL sale items

I am going goo goo ga ga over rmkitchen. RM do you cook a lot? This is a stupid question, but what type of cookware do you use RM? I bet you use white Le Creuset enamelware. I wonder if they make black. I use the white but black would be lovely too.

I have several pieces of Le Creuset and have been thinking about adding a few more. I love their things, especially when making soup/stews.

newdawn -- you are always so nice to me! Thank you.

Well, my husband does the bulk of the cooking in our family (I bake) and he does like Le Creuset. I happen to hate it -- for me, it is too heavy. I think the only time I ever use any of his ("our") Le Creusets is when I make (vegan) minestrone. The Le Creuset we have is really my husband's, because he had it before we even met (twelve years ago, gulp). The cookware (pots and pans) I like the best are from Viking -- they're incredibly comfortable to use (both hand-friendly [ergonomically designed handle] and not too heavy [also not too light]) and not too expensive. Also, they can go in the dishwasher (even though it's recommended they be handwashed that will NEVER happen with me!).

I think we also have one Emeril pot (it's made by All-Clad but it less expensive [imagine that!] and has an ergonomically-designed handle) and the rest are Viking and Le Creuset (white and cobalt blue -- how did you know about the white?).

Tonight, actually right now (I snuck away -- a screaming two year-old was driving me insane!), he's making (vegan) gyoza and earlier my four year-old (not screaming then or now, phew!) and I made (vegan) sour cream chocolate chip cookies. That kitchen gets a real workout, every day, all day! It is home to many happy, some ho-hum, some furious, and some exasperated times ....

OT but rmkitchen-- is your family vegan? I tried that briefly, but found it to be isolating socially (so many activities revolve around food). So, I've stuck to just being a vegetarian for the past 17 years. I think veganism is the way to go, but I don't know how I'd do it, esp. since no one else in my family is even a vegetarian.

Hi anele;

I totally know what you mean about being a vegan making your social life difficult! I am really impressed that you're a veg in a family of omnivores ... wow. It is not easy!

Well, I guess we're "just" the strictest of vegetarians, although I find that my children (two and four year-olds) and I feel and do better when following a vegan diet. (My husband is an omnivore, but only outside the house -- at home, he is also a strict veg. He also finds he doesn't do well after eating ice cream but he eats it anyway!)

When the children are out at school or with friends I don't freak out when they get (dairy) cheese pizza or baked goods made with egg, but at home, I try to bake only vegan and we only use soy yogurt and soy milk. (They are always forbidden from drinking dairy milk and eating dairy ice cream / sherbert. Both make them vomit and that's just unfair to their little systems.) I've yet to find a non-dairy cheese which isn't repulsive, so that's a hard one for us ....

When we lived in San Francisco (CA) we also found being vegan socially isolating -- even as a vegetarian it was hard. But now we live in Boulder (CO) where being a vegan is socially easier, but when we socialize (outside the house) we're just vegetarian.

We'll go with the flow up to a certain point. I have to say it is just so much easier to even be a vegan in this day and age with all the substitute products available to us! But even still, it's work. I really do applaud you for being a veg in your home!

Reno fan, I was just surfing through, and saw your kind mention of me and the other ladies in your post, thank you! :) I did send you an email through GW, I hope you got it.

Here is a link that might be useful: My blog

Judith, I am so happy to see you here. I could not list your blog as I had lost m bookmarks when trading computers (crash!). Now I have it and will definitely visit and recommend it.

Hi Patricia,
LOL, no problem, I know what you mean about computer crashing, mine did it dramatically this year too, I lost all my bookmarks and my inspiration photos from other people...now that hurt! LOL