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Top tips for picking the perfect home accessories

Top tips for picking the perfect home accessories

When it comes to making your house feel like a home; accessories are the answer! These smaller, more personal items such as pictures, rugs and cushions create a cosy, homely feel. Here at ufurnish.com we know a thing or two about accessories and want to help you to choose the perfect added extras for your home.

We’ve put together our top tips for choosing five of the most popular home accessories - rugs, cushions, lamps, wall art and mirrors to help you create a perfect, homely feel in your house.

1. Rugs

Top tips for choosing rugs

A rug is one of the simplest ways to update your floors and transform a room. Depending on the room, it’s size and overall theme there are a number of considerations before choosing your rug.

The room

Different rooms demand different rugs. Hallways and kitchens will require more hardwearing, easy to clean rugs while living rooms and bedrooms can command a more delicate, luxurious style rug. Bear the footfall and function of the room in mind when choosing your rugs, colour and material.

Size

Be sure to measure your space and make a decision on what dimensions will work best before making a purchase. One of the main purposes of a rug is to bring all your furniture together. With this function in mind, when choosing the size of your rug, ensure you avoid the floating rug look where your rug is in the middle of the room far from any furniture.

Style & colour

There are a wide range of rug styles and it’s important to consider what type of atmosphere you want to create in the room when choosing a rug. Your choice of rug doesn’t need to match everything in your room but it should either work with the existing textures and tones in the space, or become a statement piece.

If you decide to use your rug as a statement piece then opt for a pop of colour or make use of a patterned rug to add personality to a room. If you’d prefer your rug to help tie a space together or create flow between spaces then choose colours that blend with your existing tones.

Shape

There are far more options than just the traditional rectangle rug when it comes to shapes. If you have a circular dining table a large circular rug works well underneath or if your hall is long and narrow you might opt for a thin runner to lift the space.

2. Cushions

Top tips for picking cushions

There’s just something about the cosiness and softness of pillows and throw cushions that adds that homely feel to our sofas and chairs. Although we all love the feeling of comfort that cushions bring, it can be difficult to choose the right ones for our space as well as arranging them to be both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. However, with our top tips you’ll be well on your way to choosing the perfect cushions!

Mix & match

The great thing about styling your cushions is that mixing and matching colours, patterns, sizes and shapes is where it's at so you can be as bold or as reserved as you like!

Firstly opt for cushions in colours and patterns that will coordinate and complement your home’s colour palette and when choosing bolder styles or prints be sure to balance them out with neutral tones.

If your space is quite neutral then choosing two or three bold colours will help to inject depth into the space.

Mixing and matching multiple textures will help keep your home feeling cosy but modern. Try combining cushions with faux fur and velvet to create an inviting space on your sofa.

The use of regimented cushion sizes and shapes can feel quite formal. Instead, combine various sizes and shapes to create a homely layered feeling.

The added extras

The addition of blankets and throws can really take your assortment of cushions to the next level. When choosing complementing throws or blankets opt for the more neutral tones used in your cushions or make use of a bold statement throw to tie together the range of colours chosen for your cushion selection.

3. Lamps

Top tips for choosing the perfect lamp

The perfect lamp helps to create a comforting, homely feel. When properly chosen and arranged, your choice of lamps can help to lift your spirit, help you to relax, illuminate your day to day tasks and even increase productivity! When it comes to choosing this important accessory there are a few considerations to bear in mind.

Location

Table lamps are hugely versatile and can be used in just about every room but the top three locations where you should consider their use are your hallway, bedside table and side table.

The addition of a table lamp on your console table in the hallway is both practical and stylish. Never fumble for those keys in the darkness again while adding a point of interest to your hall.

The bedside table is one of the most well known locations for a table lamp and provides the perfect ambience for reading before bed or to ease yourself into the morning light. Bedside table lamps should be smaller in size than those used in your living room or hallway so that they don’t feel overwhelming.

The addition of a table lamp at eye level on a side table creates a point of interest offering a flattering pool of light to the edges of your room. They help to create the perfect atmosphere close to intimate seating areas and are the ideal source of light for a relaxing evening.

Size

The optimal lamp height depends on the room, the size of the table and the use of the lamp. When choosing bedside lamps they should be chosen in proportion to the bed, ensuring that you’re not looking up into the bulb. When choosing lamps for your living room you’ll want to make sure that the lamp is tall enough for the bottom of the lampshade to come to the eye level of the person seated beside it. This provides the best light and minimises glare.

Mix & match

Feel free to mix up your lamps particularly if your home is more eclectic but try to keep bedside table lamps the same if opting for a set of two to create continuity and flow.

4. Wall art

Top tips for picking wall art

Wall art is a highly personal choice and can be used to reflect your interests, hobbies and memories. However, there are a few guiding thoughts to ensure the wall art you choose enhances your home.

Size

When choosing wall art take into consideration the size of the art as well as the size and function of the room. For example, an oversized piece of wall art won’t suit a bathroom or a small piece of art work won’t work on a large living room wall.

Choose smaller pieces of wall art for small rooms such as the bathroom or busy rooms such as the kitchen and make use of larger pieces of art for bigger rooms in your home such as the living room. The height of the ceiling is also another consideration when placing art on your walls for both its size and positioning.

Focal point

Wall art can be a great way to create a focal point in a room. Choose either one large piece of art or create a hugely popular gallery wall composed of smaller pieces of art strategically placed together.

Gallery walls

When it comes to putting together your gallery wall there are a few considerations to bear in mind. Start with a collection of images and art you love and as these pieces start to increase in number begin to think about the scale of the arrangement you’d like to put together. Next, you’ll need to think about grouping your images together into a theme. Decide if you’d prefer an even, regimented arrangement or a more random arrangement. Layout your images on the floor to get an idea of how they’ll all combine together on your wall. Use this time to measure and iterate the arrangement. When you’re happy with your combination it’s time to start the exciting part - the hanging! Gallery walls are hugely versatile and can be constantly updated and rearranged as and when you find new pieces of art which make them a fantastic addition to any home.

Reinforce a theme

Wall art can help to reinforce your home’s interior theme or style. Opt for modern wall art in contemporary homes, more antique styled pieces in cottagecore styled homes or choose black and white wall art which tends to go well with most home designs.

Be open minded

Finally, when it comes to choosing wall art for your home, be open minded! Art is hugely personal and any piece that appeals to you and makes you happy will add joy to your home.

5. Mirrors

The right mirror can give your home a whole new life, reflecting light and creating the illusion of more space. That’s why it’s important to consider the location and type of mirror to get the most from it.

Location

When choosing the location of your mirror be sure to consider the purpose. Does your mirror have a solely functional purpose such as in a bathroom or dressing room or are you using it to add light and space to your room?

For purely functional mirrors we recommend the use of a storage or light up mirror particularly for the bathroom. If you’re choosing a mirror to maximise natural light then arrange mirrors opposite each other or near a window to increase the effect. When choosing mirrors for dressing tables or dressing rooms then choose those with light fixtures attached to help you perfect your makeup or outfit such as the hugely popular Hollywood mirrors!

Wall vs floor

When deciding between a wall or floor mirror you must consider how much space you have. Floor mirrors naturally take up more space and are better suited to bigger rooms. Wall mirrors work well in any room and because they’re mounted they don’t take up any floor space so are ideal in smaller rooms.

Size

The size of the mirror you opt for has a huge influence on the impact you create. The choice of size should also be based on whether you want the mirror to be a focal point or merely a background accessory.

A solitary small mirror on a large wall will look insignificant while a large mirror crammed into a smaller room will look out of place. If you’d like your mirror to be the focal point in your room then be sure it’s large enough to stand out and noticeable, opting for bolder frames. If you’d prefer your mirror to simply be a background accessory then choose mirrors with more subtle frames that fit in and become functional in making your space appear bigger.

Shape

The shape of your mirror plays a huge role in defining the space. Choose a long horizontal mirror to create a sense of width in your room or a tall vertical mirror to create the illusion of height. The use of a square or rectangle mirror will create a restrained look while a rounded or curved mirror lends itself to a softer look. You can also group several different shaped mirrors together in a similar way that you would with images on a gallery wall.

 We hope that our top tips for choosing your perfect home accessories has been helpful! To shop our wide range of home accessories just click here.
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Deirdre Mc Gettrick

Created By

Deirdre Mc Gettrick

Deirdre Mc Gettrick is the co-founder and CEO of ufurnish.com. Deirdre created the business after struggling to furnish her own home. She brings insight and inspiration to every home furnishing opportunity.

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