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Today, we’re talking accessories.  I think this is where many of my clients have the most trouble.  They either have no accessories or more often, they have covered every open space with every chotski and picture frame known to man.

Let me tell you a designer secret.  Knowing what to remove is just as important as knowing what to add.  In this project, I brought many more accessories than I actually used.  When I arrived for this install, I removed every accessory from the space.  I staged them all together, positioned the furniture and then started adding the accessories.  This is not a quick process.  There’s a lot of placing and removing until it looks and feels right.  Right, can mean lots of things.

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Here’s a great example of perfectly symmetrical accessories.  I love this look.  (Those lacquered walls don’t hurt either.)  Symmetry just feels right to me.  But, it’s not the only way.

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This gorgeous vignette is from Tobi Fairley.  It’s not symmetrical, but it works.  It feels balanced.

In my latest install, I only placed one item on the oversized coffee table.  Remember how you live.  My client has two young kids and this is where they play.  Most of the time the coffee table is covered in legos and polly pockets.  It was important for me to take this into consideration when accessorizing the coffee table.

Remember the focal point.  In this vignette, there are several things that could be the focal point.  I wanted the beautiful original artwork to stand out.  If I had covered the mantle with frames, candleholders and objects, nothing would have felt special.  Instead, I chose 4 pieces that would complement and draw attention to the art.  The accessories almost “frame” the artwork.

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This last example shows both symmetry and restraint.  The sconces and the vase create the symmetry, while the other objects could look cluttered, but you can see that there are very few items on the table.  These items now feel important, not cluttered.

My tip for your home would be to take one space at a time and remove all of the accessories.  Then, add back only the things that you love.  I really mean it.  I know that you’ve been given some beautiful things, you’ve found some great deals at HomeGoods, but do you love them?  If you don’t, please get rid of them.  I promise you’ll thank me later.  In order to have a home that you love, you must be surrounded by things that you love, not things you like.  Life is too short to be surround by likes.  I want you to be surrounded by loves.

If you’d like help creating a home you love, please contact me at lori@lorimayinteriors.com.  If you’d like to see more of my day to day tips and finds, follow me on Facebook, twitter or @Lmayinteriors on instagram.

If you’ve read this blog for any time at all, you know that I’m not a big thrifter.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, I just tend to hoard items with grandiose plans and no actual completion.  This past weekend was an exception, however.  Why, you ask?  Because there is no way to not enjoy thrifting and come home with a few goodies when you find yourself in the NC mountains with new and old (not old, old, you know what I mean) blogger friends.

Edie, Lisa, me, Sherry and Rhoda

The main reason for our trip, (Oh, who am I kidding? Who really needs a reason to go hang out in a beautiful cottage, talking about nothing but design with 4 other women who feel exactly the same way…) I sure don’t, but we did actually go up to see this year’s Cashiers Designer Showhouse.

It did not disappoint.  They don’t allow photos inside, but here are a few of the outside.  The inside was just as beautiful and the view was to die for.

I can really see myself sitting here, a glass of wine, the kids playing in the yard…Then I remember the $5,000,000 price tag.  Oh well, it’s fun to dream.

Once we’d gotten our fill of $5,000,000 fabulousness, we moved on to the things we could afford.

Our first stop was the Tobacco Barn, which really was a tobacco barn for years, until the thrifting craze took over.  If you follow me on instagram @lorimayinteriors you saw this and a few more photos on Saturday.

Here are a few of my finds.

Don’t you love the color of these?  They were super heavy, but I’d love to see them on a bookcase or one as a door stop.

Yes, more chairs.  I’ve decided I have a chair problem.  But, just like this one that I wrote about a few weeks ago, I didn’t come home with these either.  Really love the shape of the one on the right…

This lovely almost came home with me, but I decided it was too big (and too heavy).  Lisa picked it up though, so if you shop her booth at Scott’s, it could be yours…

I’ve decided I need to do a post on horses.  I just love them and I’m not sure why.  It all started when I saw these gorgeous photographs at Scotts.  I can’t seem to stop thinking about them.  I really think I need one.  (Not a real one, way too much trouble.)

And last, but not least, the things I did come home with, a box o’ books!  Yes, that’s what it said on the side of the box along with the ridiculously low price tag.  The marbled papers are so pretty and I do have plans for them.  Hopefully, I’ll get to them and they won’t go into the thrifting graveyard that is my garage.  I’ll keep you posted.