Room makeovers are my bread and butter. On Curbly, we feature lots of DIYs and small projects, but the most satisfying work Bruno and I do are makeovers. And – if I can just run with the bread and butter analogy – I will add that the jam to the room makeover is the styling, staging, and photographing of the space. With that, my friends, comes the need for accessories.
It occurred to me that we have a rather modest collection of accent pieces, and with it we run the risk of having everything look the same. Are you tired of that brass hand ring holder yet? I’ll never tire of it, but I’m ready to look for some new favorites. So this summer, a top priority for me is to refresh our stockpile of staging stuff.
Today, I’m sharing a round-up of my favorite accessories we currently own (and similar ones for you, dear shoppers), along with some of the ones I’m coveting hard.
Vintage Brass Hand
This hand is perfection. Delicate and shiny. It’s a high five and a dainty wave all in one. We found ours at Missouri Mouse in St. Paul, MN during our most favorite adventure with Emily Henderson. It’s one of a kind, but here are some excellent twins:
1 – from Jonathan Adler & 2 – From Highstreet Market
Trays
I love trays because they allow you to do all sorts of beautiful things in a confined space. They work like a frame for a vignette, and allow you to get as weird and wild as you like with your ‘picture’. My favorite ones have been found at Goodwill (for $2) and Target. Here are some similar ones:
Vintage Brass Bust
I have a thing for vintage faces and heads. I like looking at them and filling my house with them. This guy came from Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis. I’ve yet to find anything like him, and so for now, he’s the lonely bust among a sea of two dimensional portraits. At the moment, I have my eyes on this lady to be his partner on the mantel. Here are a few more I’m coveting:
1 – from Chairish & 2 – from Chairish
Candles and Candlesticks
Candles evoke warmth and give a space an instant dose of cozy charm. My favorite candles are made By the MN based company, Thymes Limited. I love them because they burn cleanly, look beautiful, and smell amazing. My favorites are: Kimono Rose, Lotus Santal, and Fraiser Fir (in the winter months).
I love the elegance and grandeur a good candle holder adds to a vignette. My favorite is the Tri Taper Holder set from CB2 (pictured above, but now discontinued). I love this set because it works with nearly every style. Here are a couple alternatives:
1 from CB2 & 2 from Anthropologie
Cubes & Small Sculptures
This trio of brass wire cubes is a staple in my book. They’re small and versatile – and most importantly – visually interesting. We’ve dressed them up with air plants and let them stand alone. They’re affordable, and you should add them to your style bag of tricks.
Books
Books are the design bomb when you’re staging. They help you create surfaces to ‘dress up’, and allow you to create height, depth, and visual interest. Grab them in every size, color, and subject. In the case of vintage books, I like to remove the dust cover, because the weathered hardcovers are so beautiful.
Plants
Flowers and plants are some of the easiest and most beautiful decorations you can add to a space. They act as sculptures, artwork, and focal points. They also make a huge organic impact on any space.
Now that we’ve reviewed my favorites, here are some of the pieces I’m hoping to add to my styling mix:
Do you have a list of favorite styling accesories? Or a piece you love the very best? Tell me all about it in the comments section!
