Accessories provide the WOW factor.

Accessories are that touch of oomph a well-designed bedroom needs. They are also a good way to personalize the room for the occupant. Collections make a great personalized display if they are grouped and arranged to show them off. Books, vintage clothing, sports memorabilia, photographs, plants, crafted items- all can be used to accessorize a room. And if they are items you already own, that's about as budget-friendly as it comes.

While accessories may be considered a finishing touch, they can also be the inspiration for the room. Let's say you are decorating a room for a collector of dolphin items. This person has dolphin pictures done in oil on canvas, etched on foil, needlepointed, and cut from calendars. Also dolphin figurines, dolphin pendants and maybe even a plush dolphin. Dolphins are popular in decorating, so you could buy linens and curtains in a dolphin print, a rug featuring dolphins and probably even a novelty lamp with dolphins. That's going way overboard and the collection would get lost in the dolphin mania. Let's also say that the walls are white, the carpet is beige and you can't change either. Okay, let's frame all the pictures in inexpensive wooden frames you've painted a sea blue that is sure to be found in the background of several of the pictures. Group the majority of the pictures on the focal wall, the wall you first see when you enter the room. Include in the arrangement of pictures some wooden shelving painted the same blue as the picture frames. Figurines will be displayed on the shelves. If the collector has an item that's a particular favorite, that can be displayed on an adjacent wall. The idea is to mass the collection so that it stands out. The rest of the room is down-played. Let's make the bedding a darker blue, curtains to match, with a rug woven in an ocean scene or in those colors, to anchor the room. Toss the plush dolphin on the bed with several other pillows in ocean colors and tie back the curtains with the dolphin pendants. You'll have a room that expresses the personality of the occupant and the accessories will have led the way.

It's easier (and cheaper) to re-decorate a room with new accessories. Replacing the wallpaper every time the occupant gets a new favorite (team, cartoon character, movie star) can get expensive. But accessories can be changed out relatively inexpensively. Giftsprings has an incredible selection of home decor items, at pretty good prices, too.



Are you into any kind of crafts? Personally crafted items are hugely popular, and you can create something just perfect for your room. If you need some ideas, take a look at the crafts @ joann.com!.

And don't forget flea markets, second hand stores and garage sales. Accessories can be found everywhere if you just keep your eyes open.

Bedding can be a great accessory, too. Here's more on accessorizing with bedding.
Buying comforters can be especially confusing, what with all the choices out there. If you're in the market for a new comforter, maybe this will help.
A beautiful comforter or a prized quilt deserves special treatment, don't you think? You might want to consider a quilt rack.
You might also want to take a look at this page on ceiling fans. I know ceiling fans have gotten a bad name in some circles, but I like them, especially the new styles manufacturers have come out with.

Bedding | Ceiling Fans |Choosing a Comforter | Quilt Racks