Accessories....A Room's Best Friend

I am such an accessories fiend. It is getting ridiculous. I have three storage totes in the basement with various glass vases, candles, picture frames blah blah blah. Every time I even open my mouth about how I NEED some little trinket or accent I can almost hear the rattle of my husband's eyes as they roll. Small accessories and accents can really add that extra pow to a room and they truly can be added in a budget friendly way. Besides the obvious places like Clearance and Sale tabs on your favorite websites, rummage sales, indoor flea markets (especially important in these chilly New England dimly lit days of late) and yard sales are great stops in your quest! The following are some inexpensive adds that I have in my home as well as some that are truly fabulous (and may make their way into my home...hehe).

Vintage keys seem to be popping up in design lately and I can totally tell why! I love the metal accent it adds to a room and they are perfect to create a grouping either on a wall or in a decorative glass bowl. The ones featured here are a STEAL through Pottery Barn. Less than $20 and free shipping....yes, please!

Some other steals from Pottery Barn can be found here and here. Anything that reflects light or adds some sparkle is a HUGE asset to any space regardless of the size of the object.

These are antique wool spools I found at an outdoor antique fair. At $3.00 a spool, I couldn't go wrong. I love the chippy blue paint that was original to each spool. (FYI..PB offers these for $129...bonus for me.) I have them grouped in our built in media center. They would also look darling displayed on a coffee table or a book case. I could even see a chunky pillar candle propped on the standing one.

This is THE piece in our living room. I found it at a local barn sale, pushed under a table with some baskets being stored in it. The seller had no idea what it had been used for. She thought perhaps a planter since it is basically a wood box with handles. The scrolled iron work is aged and has the slightest yellow patina to it. I can only imagine how many people probably walked right past this wondering what the heck it was. I fell in love with the design and knew I would find a place for it. This score was only $20.

My husband is hugely talented and he actually designed and constructed the built in in our living room. He is currently completing the bottom cabinetry for it, but during the design phase we got our heads together to see how we could incorporate this piece.

So by scattering these various inexpensive objects in the built in, I was able to achieve a high end look!

Another steal at a flea market....

This lamp was tossed in a card board box with items for $5. It still worked, but was a bit loose and wobbly. By simply tightening up the top with a screwdriver and getting a new lamp shade, the piece stands out on our drop leaf table. Isn't the patina gorgeous on it? I can smell hor d'oevres laid out on it at a holiday party this December as we speak.....


The Crate and Barrel outlet has some amazing deals. (Remember they mark down on Mondays.) This beautiful wire fruit bowl was under $10.

And lastly you can never go wrong with some really beautiful plants. I love succulents and tropicals. Easy maintenance and they can be moved on to your patio or deck for the summer time. Plus what is cooler than fresh lemons that you pull off your very own tree in your kitchen!

With the gift giving season fast approaching, an accessory for a room is a no fail option. Who wouldn't love to get something like these? (And who says you can't make the purch for yourself?)