"Adjectives" (Accessories)

 Accessories are what give a room it's personality, they set a tone and maybe even a theme to a space. Like adjectives, they are the descriptives to a room, (or an outfit)!  I am a huge lover of accessories and love changing accessories with the season or just for a change of pace. By changing a lamp or pillows in a living room, you can create a completely new vibe.

As a home stager/interior re-designer, I have seen how accessories can transform homes. I wanted to share with you today some photos from a cabinet showroom that I "staged" for an open house. Now, these aren't drastic make overs, they are just about accessorizing. The most drastic change I made to any of the spaces was to switch out knobs, everything else is subtle, but made some bold differences in the displays.

"Cafe" Kitchen before

"Cafe" Kitchen after

"Cafe" ~ I loved the striped wallpaper they had used with this display, but felt that the white knobs were not "accenting" this kitchen in the best way possible. I replaced the knobs with black metal ones and brought in very few simple accessories, but I think the space looks completely different! I placed glassware in the cabinetry, centered in each panel, for a symmetrical and clutter-free look.

"Peaches" Kitchen before

"Peaches" Kitchen after

"Peaches" ~ This kitchen is a bit outdated in finish, but is still shows a lot of the cabinet options that this company offers, so my job was to use accessories to enhance what I had to work with... actually, isn't that the job of accessories in every space? What was here didn't match at all, and a great deal of thought wasn't put in to placement.

I simply added a bowl of peaches, two bottles of lemonade, a plant and cookbooks, but what a difference! This just goes to show you that "staging" is powerful! Am I the only one who sees it?

"B&W" Kitchen before

"B&W" Kitchen after

"B&W" ~ This is one of my favorites! The most imaginative thing about this display was the wallpaper, and I loved it. I just happened to find plates with a very similar pattern on them and used them to add color to the simple black and white palette. I chose to use red, but you could add any color to this space and make it look completely different.

I, also, added clear canisters with rice and black beans and a decorative infused-oil that repeated the black and red color scheme. Again, basically four accessories, but changed the look drastically.

Now, this is just a showroom, and no one has to live in these kitchens, but the same accessorizing ideas can work in your kitchens too. Never underestimate the power of changing hardware. That one little change can make a huge impact on your design. It is one of the easiest things to do and probably the least expensive way to change and update your cabinetry. What do the accessories in your room say about you, or how you live? Try putting new "adjectives" in your rooms today!