When accessorizing with colour, look at the colours present in a favorite painting, area carpet or sofa fabric to establish your accent colours. A trick one of my teachers suggested was to squint your eyes when looking at a colourful object. The colours that are more prominent when squinting are the ones you should be using as your accent colours. If you are not one for colour and like a more subtle monochromatic look, then use textures to gain visual interest. Use things that are nubby, shiny, furry, fuzzy, spiked, course or smooth looking.

Fabrics used in pillows and window coverings can be used to add a little spice to a room and are easily changed when you tire of the colour or pattern. So don’t afraid to experiment with more adventurous colours. Used in small doses throughout your home, it really does add interest.

Instead of lining a whole bunch of objects or knick knacks all in a row, try grouping them and vary the height by placing books or a decorative box underneath.  When displaying objects group them in odd numbers of one, three, five or seven. You can also create groups of things that are the same colour, theme or size.

I always use a little bit of greenery in a room. It can be real or a good quality fake plant that looks real. It just adds life and of course colour to a room. Large plants are great for filling those “empty” corners.