While my career and passion lie in creating complete, whole-home, or business color design palettes and inspiration, sometimes the changes we need are less involved than breaking out the paint cans and brushes. Sometimes a space in a home or business needs just the right touch of accent decor and color to become a fully realized and satisfying place to enjoy. Sometimes it’s not about design at all; it’s about giving a space personality in a whole new way!
As a color consultant/color specialist, it’s my duty to find inspired solutions, no matter the medium. Sometimes I recommend that people find the solution in accent decor, but not in the ways you would expect, read on!
So, what exactly is a decorative accent? Well, it’s quite simple; it’s an accompanying piece of art, furniture, model, or almost any other object under the sun (maybe even something handmade) with unique and interesting design features and colors to add to any space within a home or business.
The range of decorative accents is quite vast – it could be anything from a silver-platted lighthouse statue on an end table in your study to a dramatic, 7ft tall antique stone statue in a corporate lobby. From beautifully elaborate paintings on the wall to funky items from a neighborhood consignment store, decorative accents can be whatever the homeowner wants them to be. What makes them work is that they are so much more than decoration; they grab your attention!
For me, there are three primary reasons that decorative accent pieces are used:
Accent decor can be as tame or incendiary as anyone could desire; it all depends on the emotions the designer is trying to elicit with the piece(s). I once heard someone say, “buy the weird stuff,” in regards to what pieces to collect and fill the home with, and I fully embrace this sentiment! Let me explain why I support the “weird” when choosing home decor and accenting homes with personality whenever possible!
Each day, every one of us is forced to suppress our more fun/spirited identities just a little bit. I’m not making some grandiose statement on suppression of free will or anything like that, but we are expected to behave, act, and present in a particular way when we go about our daily duties.
I’m fine with this; public spaces are public spaces, and it’s expected that we fall into line to keep everyone comfortable. While public spaces aren’t void of art, beauty, and inspiration, it’s usually in designated spaces to avoid disrupting utility. But this is not the case when you have reign over your own spaces.
When you are in your own space, whether in your office at work or living room at home, why not let some of your personality shine through at its fullest? Why be reserved when you have creative control of the space around you!? There’s plenty of space in the world that has no personality, so when there’s an opportunity to create something memorable and uniquely you (maybe fun-loving or weird applies here; that’s up to you), I say embrace it!
Aside from introducing attractive color and design dynamics to a space, decorative accents are a chance to engage in conversation with all who visit the room. What do I mean by this? Well, if I have a canopy bed outfitted with sleeping fox wood sculptures atop each post, it will most likely inspire a conversation about foxes, art, and embracing the creative aspects of the design.
Embracing your weirdness can sometimes be challenging; some people are more reserved than others, but if you can try it out once in a while, I highly recommend it! It’s a therapeutic way of sharing a piece of your personality with the world and exclaiming, “these are my design tastes, and I’m happy to have a little fun with it because it adds whimsy and fun to my everyday routine.”
If anything, I hope this article helps you understand that buying and embracing the “weird stuff” is not a weird thing but a healthy exercise that everyone should feel empowered to do now and then. If it makes you smile or adds a little joy to your space, I’m all for it!
So what about you? Have you any weird decorative accents in your home? What made you choose this piece or pieces? Please share your thoughts and experiences; I always love hearing about them!
Also, check out my Color911 color app if you’re looking for lessons and suggestions on balancing your decorative accents amongst the other colors in your spaces! I hope you’re inspired.
