Styling and accessorizing your home is the happy ending to completing your space and bringing everything together

Chances are, if you run into a friend who has recently completed a home build or renovation project, she will immediate accost you with the unsolicited advice of “I heard you were looking to move. We just finished our build; don’t ever do it.” Or, “I will never move again.”

The truth is, home design projects are hard. There’s so much emotional investment, meticulous detail, and complicated coordination that goes into putting together a beautiful space, that it’s almost impossible to not get frustrated along the way. The good news is that the end is the fun part. Styling and accessorizing your home is the happy ending to completing your space and bringing everything together.

Accessorizing comes with its own set of design rules. One of the best ways to categorize and break down accessories is by following a dictionary of color. Color in accessories is a great way to inject interest in small doses without committing to fixed pieces or finishes. Let me show you how.

As a designer, I’m all about functionality, but I do have a soft spot for decorative objects that serve no purpose other than to look pretty. Styling is about combining these two concepts and dressing up your home in ways that are not only functional, but beautiful as well.

When it comes to styling your home with color, have fun with it and trust your instincts. If you see something interesting in a color that speaks to you — chances are it will look great in a space that is already a reflection of your taste and style.

Leia Whitman Karoly is the principal designer at Gowans Whitman Design Inc. and can be contacted at leia@gowanswhitman.com.

(Originally featured in Family Room, Issue 009)