Eight home accessory ideas: creative ways to restyle your home

1. It’s the little things: Repurpose the accessories you already own

A stack of books borrowed from a bedside table, a small vase that’s been hiding at the back of a kitchen cupboard, and a modern table lamp from your home office can all bring a dull corner of your living room to life. Moving accessories and objects from one place to another can be the easiest way to transform a room and give favourite pieces a new place to shine.

As our interior stylist Helena Hill says, “You may already have all the finishing touches you need. The trick is to place them judiciously and combine them in new and interesting ways. Decor and interiors magazines are great places to find – and copy – home accessory ideas.”

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2. All things bright and beautiful: Add colour with cushions, rugs and vases

There’s nothing like a splash of colour for giving room a lift, especially if the surrounding tones – walls, sofa, and storage furniture – are neutral or monochromatic. Think orange, blue or teal cushions on a brown leather sofa, or a gorgeously patterned wool rug on the floor of a white-painted living room. And with colour, less sometimes is more. A single carefully placed accessory in your favourite hue can have twice the impact of a bright red sofa.

Large, statement vases are perfect for adding a dash of your favourite new accent colour as are rugs, throws and scatters. Choose textiles to suit the seasons, with wools and velvets in the winter and cool linen and cottons in the summer.

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3. Give your walls that art gallery feel: Group framed prints for the style win

A quick and easy way to refresh a dining room is with affordable wall art. Black and white prints stand out against richly coloured accent walls, while bold abstract canvases make an impact above an industrial style sideboard.

We asked stylist Helena for her top art-buying tips. She says, “Find something interesting that you won’t tire of looking at, and hang it in your sight line so the centre of your wall art is about five feet from the floor. If you’re hanging wall art in groups, choose an odd rather than an even number.”

4. Set the tone from the ground up: Choose rugs that look and feel beautiful

Rugs are like art work for your floors. They’re a fantastic way to establish a design aesthetic or a colour scheme in a space, and they’re functional too, insulating rooms and keeping things nice and cosy.

And if you’re wondering how to finish a room with accessories, they’re amazing value. Inch for inch, you get a lot of room-changing colour, design and texture without spending a lot of money.

If you’re spoiled for choice, Helena has a recommendation. “If you don’t want to commit to a fashionable patterned or abstract rug, go for texture instead – a thick pile rug or a hand carved rug will instantly bring a luxe look to your living space.”

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5. At one with nature: Bring the outside in with plants and flowers

Bring the beauty of nature into your home with twisting branches or sprigs of seasonal foliage gathered on walks, and leafy green house plants – the perfect home accessory ideas for any garden or nature lover. If you don’t have green fingers, the artificial plants now available are so good it’s hard to tell them apart from the real thing. Touches of nature, real or artificial, can bring both a feeling of fresh new life and a relaxing vibe.

Stylist Helena approves. She says, “Fill a gorgeous vase with blossoms from your garden or the flower shop, place it on a coffee table in the middle of the room, and you can fill your space with colour and scent for a whole week.”

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6. Let there be light: Stylish ways with mirrors and lighting

You can change the look of your room quite dramatically with some beautiful but affordable lighting. A pendant light can create a dramatic focal point – think fabulous crystal chandelier – or it can make a dining area feel intimate when hung low above a table. A floor lamp can make a statement, while a table lamp will light up a corner of a living room or look beautiful as a bedside lamp.

A carefully placed mirror enhances both artificial and natural light and can even reflect a favourite accessory – such as that affordable art print. Place one above a console table to create a focal point. There are designs to suit every style of décor, from ornate baroque style mirrors to round retro mirrors to rustic wood-framed mirrors.

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7. Make a statement: Choose oversized accessories for maximum impact

As home accessory ideas, a large floor standing mirror, an oversized wall clock or a grand-scale wall print all make a powerful impact and are perfect for that empty feature wall. Large accessories also speak volumes about your design aesthetic – they say you’re bold and confident, and a stylish risk taker. Plus choosing one large accessory can also be a more affordable approach to accessorising than shopping for several smaller ones.

Helena adds, “Going big is a great way to turn functional pieces into fabulous eye-catching wall decoration. Every home needs a full length mirror and a kitchen clock, so why not choose ones that bring home style too?”

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8. Feel right at home: The meaningful finishing touches that make a difference

A survey of 2,000 homeowners in the UK found that among the top 20 things that make a house feel like home are family photos, favourite books, plants, flowers in vases, candles, blankets and throws.

So once you’ve treated yourself to that fabulous rug, wall art or lamp, express your unique personality by adding a few special touches to every room.

It’s easy to refresh the look of your home with a little bit of imagination. We hope you feel inspired to give your favourite rooms a restyle, with some affordable new home accessories, and finishing touches you already have and love. Happy accessorising!

For more inspiration, take a look at how our Helena and our stylists accessorise our photoshoots. Browse our Home In One gallery for fabulous finishing touches and home accessory ideas.

And don’t forget to share your own approach to accessorising on Instagram with #MYFVHOME – we’d love to see how you’ve styled your home.

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