Oceanna
I second that...I need major help in that department myself! Ree
ps..wrote back to you on my post..

I love accessories!

I'll be watching for photos too. I was skipped when they passed out that gift......

I had to go looking for this... on page 2. I was hoping that we'd see some pics here, and I see I'm not the only one! Please help us all?

Gosh, it looks like we all need help. Maybe it would be better if we all posted pictures of our trouble areas and then hopefully someone could make some suggestions. Here's mine:

{{!gwi}}

I've been planning on taking the red books out because they stand out too much. I'm not sure what to do to give it that "wow" factor.

Laurie

If you can search this forum and bring up Cattknap's wonderful home -- she has the true knack for accessories!! Her home is so charming and welcoming!

Here's a link to some of my accessories.

Here is a link that might be useful: daisyadair's accessories

The red spined books could be laid down together in a pile (like a bookend) with the spines facing outward - this would give you an accent without the random red. The look of all books not being upright can make a big difference when books don't fill the entire available space.

Also, a trailing ivy (real or otherwise) in the middle shelf to the left would really dress up the whole look.

First, there was nothing so I asked the forum for help.
Then, there were dessert plates -- better, but too small.
Then, there were large plates -- didn't quite do it, but better.

Now, there are botanicals. I'm happy.

I have a question. Are silk flowers and plants really "out" and do they "suck the life out of a room" like we hear from "Designed to Sell?"

I don't have cable so am not privy to all these televised theories for sure-fire house selling. To my mind, a good (the operative word is good) silk plant has its place. It's only when they're overdone or over used that they can become hackneyed. Too many live houseplants could have the same effect.

But, like all decorating or accessorizing - it's pretty subjective.

I agree with you duluthinbloomz4

As you enter my house you look up the staircase into the opening for the kitchen and down the stairs at a blank wall. I threw something together very quickly for that blank wall and I would love your comments on it, or on what should be there instead.

{{!gwi}}

How about here? Too much? Too little?

{{!gwi}}

Would you put anything else on top of this antique Victrola?

{{!gwi}}

Thanks!

#1. Love the horse picture; looks like a classic George Stubbs. Maybe a floral arrangement picking up or complimenting those soft grayish-greenish tones. Eucalyptus is a thought if the smell when it's fresh isn't overwhelming to you. And how does the table look without the scarf?

#2. The hall tree is charming with hats. Maybe a brighter colored candle, the green one gets lost.

#3 Antimacassars/doilies very Victorian - is it protection for the Victrola top? If the lamp base wouldn't scratch, I'd take away the doily. It's a small surface and it doesn't need another thing.

Thanks for the great ideas, Duluth!

I removed the doilie.

I will look for the eucalyptus -- that's an excellent idea. I love that horse pic too. I took away the table scarf and the red flowers. Is this better? Or too colorless? Should I look for a different color of flowers?

{{!gwi}}

Here is the hall tree with a white candle, but I'm wondering if something different might be better there? I also have more hats... but dunno if I should hang them or not.

{{!gwi}}

Beautiful bookcase!

I'm trying to remember what Shari on Room by Room said was the rule for accessories in a bookshelf... it was something like 1/3 blank space, 1/3 stuff... well, that's not it. Does anyone remember? I know they also want to vary heights. I keep wishing the TV were raised up higher, like sitting on a black box, but I don't know if that's possible?

Maybe if you snoop their web site (link below) you can find a picture of a bookcase she did? She is SOOO good at this!

Here is a link that might be useful: Matt & Shari

Here are a few of mine. I will admit I had professional help, but am now able to put a few things together myself.

{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Beautiful rooms gardenchick, thaks for sharing the pics!

Wow, gardenchick, beautiful home! The dark cabinets by the fireplace could definitely handle some more stuff, as they are nice and commanding. Lovely items you've chosen! I'm kinda jealous...probably why I had to put my 2 cents in on a wonderfully decorated home! Ignore me :)

Oceana, I would ditch the posies and go for something that gives you the impression of light. A large hurricane, maybe? It doesn't have to hold oil, in case someone knocks it over. Maybe an item in glass that can hold a variety of things. A few books to add some height for your accessory would help. I actually liked the scarf on the table since it added some softness to the area. An artificial ivy or some trailing plant would work just fine, too. The flowers are detracting from the horse painting, and that should really be the focal point. All the other stuff should support the painting.
Instead of the candle on the hall tree, maybe a pretty, colorful purse? 'Tis the season for a scarf and/or gloves. Drape them alongside the purse. That would actually be handy to have there and it would give a great impression of usefulness.
The one framed picture by the hall tree is nice, but would 3 similarly framed pictures be more balanced? Or two nice paintings on either side? You'd be a better judge, since you can see your hall in it's entirety.

oceanna - I didn't know I didn't like the red flowers until I saw it without. I think it looks much better now.

gardenchick - That's exactly what I want my house to look like. I love all the warm colors you've used.

Laurie

gardenchick
I love you home. .beautiful! Can I ask what color 'gold' is in your living room? I see you use different shades of it throughout. .everything is warm and inviting ..I second Laurie. .I want my house to look like that too! Ree

Oh Gardenchick, your house is just gorgeous! Your accessories are so beautifully done, as is everything else. I'm so glad you posted that picture, thanks!

So can you give us all some hints, here?

Thank you I love your comments! I was wanting to ditch the posies too, but couldn't think of what to put there. I do have some concern with five dogs in the house -- the table is lightweight and could be easily knocked. I wish I had a dark and more substantial piece to put there instead. I think I should look for one on Craigslist. But first I need to sell some things on there! I have too much furniture in this house, moved from my old house.

I do love oil lamps. Especially when the electricity goes out -- I use them.

What a cute idea about a purse and gloves on the halltree!

Here is the one framed picture close up. It is my great grandmother and I just treasure this pis. I don't know what I would do for an encore next to this frame, do you? It would have to be something pretty good. Sorry about the glare.

{{!gwi}}

Gee, you see things a lot better when you photograph them, don't you? Now I see the stupid picture holder above the pic. Looks like I need to shorten the wire a bit... or should I do some other type of hanging treatment?

Thanks. I knew I didn't like the red flowers -- but that's all I had. I'm still thinking something else would be better there. I do love the holder the flowers are in though -- my daughter gave it to me.

Thanks for all the lovely compliments. It sure was a labor of love and we so enjoy our new home.

The paint color in our living & dining rooms is BM HC-31 Waterbury Cream. As far as the bookshelves are concerned, I used to be one of those "display everything I have" people and things therefore looked cluttered. In addition, you could not focus on any one item due because there were so many. It took a lot of convincing to have fewer quality items, but I am warming to the look.

A couple of things I learned that I personally like is to try to keep harmonizing colors throughout the house. Since I love the warm tones, I choose fabrics, accessory colors and paints that make it possible to move items from room to room when I want a change of scenery. All my items "go" in any room of my house. That doesn't mean all my rooms are the same, but they do harmonize in the warm tones.

I also like accessories that have varying textures -- glass mixed with woods, metals, fabrics and foliage. Also, my anal retentive personality likes to space things evenly and in little rows. I had to learn to place certain things more randomly and line up similar items (like in the bookcase) only on occasion.

This method may not work for everyone, but we feel very comfortable in our home and that is what is most important IMHO.

Gardenchick -- LOVELY home!! :)

Daisyadair, I love your accessories. Are those pictures from your home? I would love to see some wide spread views.

Oceana -- Nice changes! The horse artwork print is wonderful!

Perhaps add a fake fern (for the summer season) on the bottom shelf of the hall stand OR -- for the winter season -- a basket filled with pinecones and fake holiday greenery?
How about adding a thin small candlestick lamp?

gardenchick I love your home - particularly the first room and the kitchen. Just beautiful!!

Oceana, the hall tree is lovely. I would remove the candle and use a shorter, wider candle, maybe a hurricane lamp, and I would add a basket of something green, and draping down a little, on the bottom shelf.

oceanna, I love your horse print. That is so wonderful you have that photo of your great grandmother. I love they way it is framed, so beautiful. How about a something on the bottom shelf of the halltree - not sure what or if it would look good, but worth a try. You are so right about seeing things when you photograph them. I have started photographing everything I do because I have caught so many things - art hung too high, accessories I haven't arranged very artfully, (dust in the corner) ha.

Here's a couple of mine, (if you see any dust bunnies, please disregard them - I am having to build a fence on our property line and it is taking all my arm energy slamming in those t-posts right now). Critiques welcome.

mantle, cabin was built by DH's grandfather, oops I see my little cactus in the planter is dead, I did have a candle on the candlestick holder, but it didn't look good ?

{{!gwi}}

entry table, multiple candles are a reflection in the mirror

{{!gwi}}

telephone desk in kitchen, am looking for a cookbook with some aqua or teal on the cover to display, small round bench due to two doorways nearby and wanted to be able to slide bench underneath desk - might tone down the paint on it a bit.

{{!gwi}}

Thank you, Bumblebeez
Here's a link to some bigger pics. There's several pages of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: daisy adair's house

Gardenchick -- thanks for the good thoughts about accessories. Those are deffinitely things to keep in mind. What color gold is on your kitchen walls? It's lovely.

Wonbyherwits -- I really like those leaf pics there - very nice! I've searched for good botanical prints and they aren't always so easy to find.

Daisy -- thanks for the link. I really love what you did with the clock, very unusual and creative. You have some lovely things.

Duluth & Cattknap -- thanks for your thoughts on the silk plants. It might be a blessing not to watch "Designed to Sell" - lol!

Teacats -- I'm glad you said that. I was thinking about putting a fern on that little table... but it also might be great on the halltree. I'll have to try it in both places. I can't even remember where I got the horse print, but when I saw it I just fell in love with it. That was many years ago and I still love it. It has no signature on it, which is surprising. I would love to get ahold of some nice pinecones. The only ones I have (well, had before my monster tree blew over in a storm) were those little puny ones. I need to get into my Christmas decorations soon and see what's there. I am waiting for my couch and chair to return before I decorate. They should be back this week.

Mareda - thanks! I'm gloing to try out my fern on the bottom of the hall tree. Somewhere still in boxes I have some oil lamps. I hope the disks I put under the halltree give it a little more stability around the dogs.

Springvillegardens -- thanks! I love the horse print too. The frame on my grandma's print is just so pretty. Yeah, isn't the camera wicked? It lights up every little speck of dirt and funny you said that about the pictures. I photographed the area with the horse print and the minute I saw it I ran down and lowered that print several inches. I think I'll photograph everything in the future just for that reason.

How about some greenery on your mantle? I like the framed artwork, and the photo was taken up pretty close but I'm thinking maybe you want a larger piece there? I'm tempted to just see what a table runner would look like on your hall table, but I might change my mind when I saw it. I think I recall reading that pink is a very good color to have around food. It's soothing and it's pretty. I've seen some gorgeous houses done with a lot of pink inside. I love the turquoise, too. I might put something tall and slender where the book is, or behind the book to the right, just to balance off the pictures a bit.

oceanna - I don't know if this is your style, but I thought it would be pretty at the bottom of your stairs.

{{!gwi}}

Laurie

oceanna -- every time of post a pic of my kitchen or family room I get questions about the wall color. It is really beautiful, but is not a paint. It's actually a type of venetian plaster that our company does. We also have it in our master bathroom (in a soft grayish green). One of my favorite rooms is the power room where we used a polished plaster with actual copper dust mixed in with the final glaze.

{{gwi:1501003}}

on the subject of candles as accessories, I always burn new candles so that the wick is black and looks used; even if they are only for display.

A "new" looking, unburnt wick bothers me.

am I the only one who does that ?

Laurie, you're right, that would be beautiful there. That's what I was thinking of -- something chunky and with storage in it. Thanks! I suspect it's way out of my price range, but where did you find it?

Gardenchick, your wall is breathtaking, and that picture is just perfect there. Is this wall treatment anything we mere mortals can do?

Gardenchick - WOW. Fabulous! I am just now in the midst of applying my first go at venetian plaster. Good thing it's a small area. It's a lot of work. Especially if you don't have a FLAT surface to begin with. I would LOVE to do the coper thing in my half bath. Can you tell me the process? Is it something I can do myself or would I need to hire someone? Thanks. -Karen

Daisy, I love the way you have various ceramics arranged throughout your house. Very nice!

oceanna - I found it in a Touch of Class catalog I got yesterday. It's $269, but I'm sure you could find something similar that's cheaper. Do you have a Big Lots? I saw some really cute tables in there the other day.

Laurie

Thanks, Laurie. Yes we have them. I could look in there. I spent a whole night pouring over Craigslist but didn't find a thing. I sure love your decorating flair!

daisyadair - Can you tell me what color paint you used on your dining room walls?

Laurie

Laurie,
It's Restoration Hardware's Cappuccino - color matched in Olympic paint.

It is SO funny that you said that about the ceramics. I just got through trashing my sister and mom for having too many ceramics out at christmas.

But, thank you for the sweet comment!

Bumping for Gardenchick1 really interested in the wall technique.

Oceanna, this is a little table that I "accessorize" on a monthly basis or so, my home is so small I don't have alot of "surface areas", here is a look from a few months ago.

Gardenchick, I also love your decorating style and color scheme...please share more about the poweder room colors and paint choices, venitian plaster info, etc. Also, do you know the name of the stone on your fireplace? I would love to find these out! Thanks!

That is lovely -- lotsa' sparkle and bling. Do you have any "rules" that you follow?

Mitchdes - No, you're not the only one; I also burn the wick of any candle on display. But my candles aren't on display for long - I use them all eventually. Pier One is so dangerous for me - I never leave the store without at least two candles.

Gosh, all this time I thought my candles looked tacky if the wick had been burned. You two are making me feel better! :-)