Sometimes decorating a home can seem like an overwhelming task.  Picking a starting point can be paralyzing.  Start small and pick a chest, a desk, a shelf, or a credenza to spruce up.  Create a vignette by grouping objects together that create a pleasing focal point.  Here are a few secrets, the ABC’s,  to creating a successful vignette.

A is for anchors.  All vignettes need some substantial objects to add height, personality, and interest to a spot.  A lamp or candles will add ambience, art will add color and charm, and something sculptural will add variety and help soften the composition of the space.  Mirrors can also serve as anchors bouncing reflective light around a room.

B is for books, baskets, and bowls.  Books are great for adding layers and elevating smaller objects.  Baskets add texture and bowls will help cut down on clutter by corralling miscellaneous objects.

C is for cuttings.  Adding a vase of flowers or cuttings from the garden will add organic texture and contrast.  Bringing the outdoors in by adding a plant will immediately add life to a space.

Take a look at these examples.

This one below is great!  The books help vary the height of the lamp and the plant. The artwork adds a pop of color.  The hat on the wall mimics the effect of a basket, adding texture and creating a casual vibe.

The artwork in this vignette is mainly black and white, so the flowers and the books add color, and the sculptures are strategically placed in a triangle to add balance to this eclectic vignette.  By the way, luv the black and white artwork of the swimmers stretching on the beach!

Think outside of the box.  Here the mirror acts as the art, the lamp acts as the sculptural piece, and a green moss sphere acts as the plant.  The bowl keeps things neat and tidy. The piece of artwork leaning against the mirror adds an unexpected twist to this otherwise traditional vignette.

It’s all in the details.  Study the close-up of a vignette, and you are sure to appreciate the individual beauty of each piece.  The alluring pattern on a bowl, the simple craftsmanship of a geode holder, the canary yellow flowers amidst a neutral pallet, the shells gather from a morning walk on the beach all work together to create pleasing focal points for the eye. Vignettes make a room look more interesting and pulled together.

Put the Vignette ABC’s together, and you can transform your home, one chest, one desk, one shelf, one credenza at a time. Then, the task of decorating your home won’t feel so daunting, and you’ll have eye candy everywhere you look.

Here is a peek at a few vignettes from our home!  Even when the rest of the house is a mess, spotting one corner of a room that is polished, makes us smile.  And yes, that is a pink sequined reindeer that we keep out all year because we luv it, and it reminds us that we should be in the Christmas spirit all year!

So, why not give the Vignette ABC’s a try this week?  Zhushing up one corner of your home at a time is an easy way to begin tackling decorating dilemmas.