How do you accessorize?

Yesterday while "pinning" (yet another obsession of mine and for those who may not know what the heck I meant by that,  Pinterest is a site where you view, organize and share photos that you "pin" to virtual bulletin boards that you create and name yourself), I came across this picture of "wicker covered French bottles."  So pretty!  So I thought what a great accessory for a kitchen, dining room, wine cellar....

source: pinterest.com

These vintage vessels are knows as demijohns.  Basically a demijohns is a glass bottle, encased in wickerwork, with a large body and a small neck.  They were used in the transportation of liquids, such as wine, beer, molasses or any other type of liquid.  The wicker provided cushioning to avoid breaking during transportation.  You may find a more detailed history of the demijohn here.

If you want this look in your home, you can spend $400+ on a vintage one or you can get a similar look for less with Pottery Barn's Found Woven Wine Bottles which run from $179 to $279.

Pottery Barn 

Accessorizing your home with objects like this tells your guests a story of who you are, your likes and interests and are what gives your home personality.

Here are 5 basic rules of accessorizing a room.

1 Begin with an object that you love (You're likely to have success and be happy with the result when you start off with an item that brings you joy).  Simply build around that item by choosing other accessories that are inspired by or complementary to it.  

2 Group collections together rather than scattering individual objects around the room. This gives your collection more visual presedence and makes your room appear less cluttered. 

3 Consider placement.  Use symmetry in formal rooms.  For example, placing matching items on the ends of your mantle. If your home has an informal design, go asymmetrical with your accessory placement. 

4  Keep in mind, when grouping multiple objects together to vary the size and height and also, to use odd numbers in the grouping.   Doing so adds visual interest to your design.

5 Do not over accessorize! Clutter kills the appealing quality of good design.