How To Personalize a Room

A single piece of furniture can symbolize you and your home. A chair or a side table has the capability to make a statement about your personality and preferences.The placement of booksand photos can speak worlds about you and make a room all about the things you love.

The space you leave empty can be as important as the space you fill.  In decorating, size really does matter. Scale and proportions are everything. It doesn't matter how much something cost, whether it's an antique or not, what matters is its presence. A decorative object by itself is only an object, but placed with something else it becomes a masterpiece.

When accessorizing the walls in a room, a lovely painting or mirror can make a bold statement and even make it look larger or more cozy.  A thrifty way to add color and interest to a plain wall is to hang or display colorful china. Hang a collection that you probably have stacked in a cabinet. Wall hangers can be found easily at your local craft or home improvement stores. Cluster antique plates or platters with traditional and contemporary pieces. Just make sure they all have a color in common. Framed silhouettes of family members also make wonderful personal details in a room.

When accessorizing a room, don't spread accessories around the room evenly. Group them to tell a story or make a point. Items with the same color, or accessories grouped with the same theme make an impression.  For example, group family photos on one large sofa table. On the other side of the coffee table group a cluster of decorative candles of different heights on a mirrored tray.

Candles are always romantic, but be carful about where you place them. Candles can be both soothing and invigorating. They can offer a relaxing ambience in a cold room. Candles also enhance your seasonal decor. Use cancels on a mantel piece, table or anyplace you want to create a soft welcoming atmosphere. Your favorite scented candle offers light and fragrance to express what you love and soften the ambience. Always place candles in a safe place. Trim the candle wick to about one quarter inch before lighting. Always snuff out a lighted candle before retiring.

Other ways to personalize your rooms are to display things that you love and that have significant meaning.  Add your favorite photos with a lovely picture frame. Frame every picture different. Toss a handmade quilt or throw over the arms of sofas and chairs. Add a foot stool in front of your favorite chair.  Throw a colorful motif rug on the floor to bring out color. Do not be afraid to mix and match whimsical elements. The most important thing when mixing and matching is to balance color and scale. A sisal rug that protects a wooden floor throughout the year can be topped with a richly colored patterned to add color and coziness.

Go easy on symmetry. Try to use no more than three matched pairs of anything in a room.  This goes as far as matched  lamp shades. Imperfect pieces help personalalize a home. Your favorite chairs or  table purchased at an antique fair give a lived look. Books add the best personal touch. Maybe you do not have a book case or cabinet. Stack books and magazines on chairs and tables. In a room with book shelves, lean diminutive paintings against a stack of books.

Covering a label with fabric brightens the whole room. Put flowers in a vase to accentuate color in room and in your table fabric. You can replace a breezy summer table fabric with a heavy darker fabric in the winter.  If gatherings typically happen in your kitchen, add a table in the corner of a den to make it a more desirable place for gatherings. An antique game board in the center of the table is a perfect way to accessories this area.

Each decorative piece in a room makes a statement to you and your guest. Distinctive pictures, flowers, or candles leave you and others with your very intimate signature. Each piece can symbolize what your are all about and make your home a haven for yourself and your guest if you personalize it with the things you love.