A piece of accent furniture is like red lipstick, you cannot look away even if you want to. You know how wearing red lipstick makes your face glow, just like that, a statement chair or table enlivens the entire room! The only problem is that there is a fine line between selecting a piece that looks enthralling and selecting one that looks like an odd man out.
But, what is an accent piece of furniture? It is an item that is meant to stand out in your decor in such a way that it’s not just eye catching but also pleasing. It is like a breath of fresh air when you enter the room.
Read on to find out what is the best you can buy according to your budget, your interior decoration style and taste.
Weigh in these factors before you decide whether you want to invest in an accent chair, table, sideboard, chest / cabinet, ottoman, bench, side table, room divider, etagere or book case/ shelf.
This is a no brainer. If you already have a furniture item that looks outdated or is worn out, it’s best to buy a new one as an accent piece. It could be anything, don’t worry about not being able to find something. You can always go for a custom design that will not only fit beautifully with your room but will also look and feel the way you want it to. Another option is to update the upholstery of an existing product, the key to nailing this is getting a shade that is not present in your current color scheme but will still look good. Pale pink, green (image below), ochre yellow and Cerulean blue are all great colors that are not over powering.
If you are clueless about what you want to buy, a good way to go about it is to select the space first. People, most commonly, like to add accent pieces to living rooms because it’s a place that’s large and most visited by guests. Adding it to the entry is also an excellent idea, as it will help create a great first impression of the house. If your entry is small, a sleek live edged console table, a metal inlaid chest or a gemstone hued shoe rack are great ideas. It is a misconception that accent furniture cannot be used in a bedroom or a kids room. If you want to update your bedroom, go for an accent bedroom bench. Upholstered in a bright color or a vivid pattern, they can brighten your room effortlessly. Alternatively, you can go for an ottoman if there is a space crunch.
Assess the size of the place before narrowing down the item you want to get. A large rocking chair in a small living room or a tiny ottoman in a large one won’t have the right impact. If you have a large sized space by all means go for a chair or a coffee table. Avoid getting a sideboard as that will be placed against the wall and will not get the attention it deserves. A coffee table or chair can be placed in such a way that the viewer’s eyes go to it first. A dome chair, a wing chair upholstered in a patterned fabric, a hand carved rocking chair or a tufted chair upholstered in a complimentary color are all suitable for large spaces. Coffee tables could be bone inlaid, intricately hand carved, stencilled or hand painted, there are a lot of options! You can also get a coffee table in a contrasting material such as resin and live edged wood, gold powder-coated metal and marble, reclaimed wood or rattan.
Smaller spaces have to play it smart. If you already have patterns in your space then avoid them altogether. Instead, go for a bright pop of color or a touch of gold. Small spaces can also add accent ottomans, side tables or etageres. These pieces won’t take much space but will have the desired effect. Go for a pair of ottomans to keep the space chic looking. Velvet tufted ones are a great option too. A bit of carving on the legs could glam up your space several notches. Since side tables are already small go for an interesting shape or color. Metallics such as gold and brass look great with almost all colors. Copper and silver can be tricky but look really mesmerising if used with cool colors such as blues, greens and greys.
You don’t have to spend a bomb to upgrade your house. You can easily get an item that fits your budget. A side table or an ottoman or even a sleek sideboard won’t make a hole in your pocket and could easily be the star of your house! Higher budgets can go for ornamentation techniques like bone inlay, hand carving, metal cladding, resin, stencilling and hand painting on heavier objects like dining table, coffee table, room dividers, large sized chairs etc.
For lower budgets even a strong color like gold, silver, copper or jewel tones can make a lot of difference. A luxurious fabric like velvet in an eye catching hue is a great way to enhance the accent piece. A chest in an unconventional shape is also a good option.
Once you have picked out the product, next comes the color /design /ornamentation. Take a good look around, what do you see in your living room? Warm toned browns, beige, ecru with tone on tone patterns? Try placing an ochre or a patterned wing chair in the space to spruce it up! A subtle geometric pattern or a striped one should be enough to break the monotony. Want to go bold? How about a live edge resin coffee table? If there are greys or blues you can also go for an emerald green, pale pink or navy blue chair. Not sure about getting a single, large piece of furniture? Get two regular chairs instead, upholstered in velvet, made of gold powder coated metal instead of wood for added oomph.
If you already have patterns in the room avoid using them on your accent piece because this piece is not meant to blend in. Instead opt for a contrasting material or finish.
Try not to stray too far from your decoration style. Live edge and rattan furniture along with metallics go well with contemporary and mid-century modern styles. Bone inlay and hand carving look absolutely gorgeous with classic interiors, but they can also be used to increase the beauty of contemporary style homes. Tufted chairs can be adapted to suit any style. Industrial spaces can use golds, bright colors or different kinds of woods such as sleeper and reclaimed for their accent pieces. Rustic and farmhouse styles can try live edges, patterns, rope work and gold accents. Most designs can be tweaked to suit your style but if you place a tropical print chair in a rustic decor themed space, it is bound to look odd.
Accent pieces can make or break your space so choose wisely. Remember, that investing in just one item can bring a huge change in your decor. We have a future that is going to be full of work from home days, so the best way to not get bored of your house is to get an accent piece of furniture! For personalised advice on how to pick an accent piece for you decor please write to me at info@kernigkrafts.com. Hope you enjoyed this article, and are on the lookout for a stunner. Happy browsing my friends!