“Finishing touches.” “Accessories.” “Objets d’art.” Those extra things that make a room look complete. Putting those items together — “styling” — is harder than it looks, Gentle Readers, and rules are, well, arbitrary. As our friend Mr. Picasso was known to say, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” Indeed.
So, no rules :) Instead, here are some things to avoid when putting the finishing touches on your space.
Try not to…
Buy a lot of new stuff. Gather items from several rooms (and the back of a closet or 2*) and spread them out on a table. (The largest objects — bowls, vases, a SINGLE 5 x 7″ framed picture — are going to be the most useful.) These are the objects that tell the story of you, right? So we want to make sure these items are displayed before making a run to HomeGoods.
Neglect your bookcases. Styling bookshelves could be a blog post in and of itself, but I provided a few handy tips on NBC4 a while back. At the very least, please make sure books don’t lean: they should stand straight and tall or lie horizontally in an intentional way. And please make sure the spines of the books are lined up about an inch from the front of the shelf, not pushed all the way to the back. The fronts of the books should neatly lined up.
Interpret the “rule of three” too literally. You may already know that on a large enough surface, displaying three objects feels balanced. But sometimes, a single object may be defined as “several objects grouped together.” On an end table in my living room, for example, I have a lamp, a jade tiger, and a stack of normal-sized books with a small dish on top. The books and dish count as one. That makes sense, right?
Have too much space around tiny objects. They do better as a group or “attached” to (placed right up against) something large. Let’s say you have a collection of turtle…statuettes? (I hate the word figurines) that range from 2-4″ in length: one made of crystal, one of marble, and a painted wooden one you got in Mexico. if you spread those across a mantel, they will look ridiculous. Gather them together — it’s a collection! — and count it as one object. Place THAT on my end table instead of the jade tiger. It will work.
Hang art too high. A common guideline is that the CENTER of a picture should be about 60″ from the floor. Over a fireplace, a picture rarely looks best centered between the ceiling and the mantel; it likely will look better a few inches lower. Similarly, if you’re hanging something over a piece of furniture, try positioning it super low and see what you think.
Bonus tip: Do not feel that every surface needs an object. Some small tables and mantels look lovely unadorned, and you don’t want your space to feel cluttered.
What do you think, Gentle Readers? Was this post too negative? Should I have structured it in terms of 5 TIPS rather than things to avoid? My goal — always — is to build your confidence, so I hope you now feel emboldened to empty your closets, roll up your sleeves, and release your inner styling maven.
*I know that numbers lower than 10 should be written out, but I’m not always up to it.
My book is almost here!!!! On August 12, Artisan Books will release the helpful yet witty (she said, modestly), purse-sized, illustrated guide, My Neighbor Saw Me Naked, and Other Reasons You Need Drapes; The Essential Decorating Handbook. I hope you love it! Available wherever books are sold — links to a bunch of sellers are on this page.