You’ve got the house, the furniture, and the colours all figured out, and you think you’re done! Not so fast. One thing that significantly impacts a space is the final selection and placement of accessories. It’s usually a final step, but bringing everything together is essential.

This step brings the human touch to an interior, so do it right. It brings your unique lifestyle to centre stage. Choose items that bring you joy and have meaning to you. It’s one way to express your personal taste and who you are, so be fearless in expressing yourself.

To be unique, you have to be fearless in art and design. It would be best if you weren’t afraid to express yourself even when your choices might not follow all the rules. Of course, there are rules to follow that pass the test of time, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to them. Design can sometimes be structured with all the design rules to follow, but these rules are only starting points and will give you the direction on where to start; it’s up to you to find the balance you seek to express yourself. I’ll only give you two pointers that you can use to start making the space your own.

When selecting accessories, focus on the following:

• The object itself, shape, form, colour, purpose, texture, function, artistic value, personal value, and meaning to you.
• The space the object will occupy, the size, the existing colour scheme, the existing patterns, and how you will use it in this space.

It’s like looking at the tree as a tree and then looking at it as part of the forest. You must consider the item by itself first and then your surroundings.

When it comes to the type of accessories, there’s a vast array of choices. The selection is endless, from fine art and decorative items like antiques, paintings, and sculptures to functional items like lighting fixtures, clocks, mirrors, books, and pillows. Of course, there’s the decorative art of nature, like plants and flowers.

Fine art can vary from sculpture to paintings and drawings. You should think of the style you have at home. Is your furniture classic, contemporary, modern, eclectic or other? Are you creating drama or want a soft, easy-on-the-eye surrounding? Think of the scale and the space. Ask yourself whether you need art with a large frame or frameless; of course, consider your budget. You can source your art from galleries, flea markets, or art festivals.

Things to remember when selecting and placing decorative art:

• While symmetrical groupings are pleasing to the eye, a well-balanced asymmetrical display can be more enjoyable.
• Remember that the rule for wall art placement is eye level unless you are trying to create a dramatic style. Then, fill an entire wall with art, but think of the whole grouping as a single unit and link the items together with something similar.

With functional accessories, the same rules apply: think of the object itself, especially the texture and then think of the surroundings you will place it in; however, one thing to add when selecting functional art is its function, especially when it comes to lighting fixtures.

Finally, there is art from nature, like flowers and plants. There’s nothing worse than dead plants and flowers in your space. So, don’t take that route if you don’t know how to keep the Green green. When done right, plants can enhance the overall ambiance of a room. One thing to remember is that when a plant’s colour contrasts with the wall colour, the plant makes the room feel smaller, and when a plant’s colour is analogous with the wall colour, it makes the room feel larger.

Finally, remember that most art and accessories are placed as twos or threes. For example, it’s never only one book or one cushion. So, think of how the item is repeated and why.

Remember, never put an item in your home to fill a void space. It has to be great by itself, too. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a room full of clutter and no accessories!