Accessories are often called "Jewellery for your home." Many people find accessorizing, a challenge. They acquire a collection of items they like, but get overwhelmed with how to group and display them to create great looking arrangements. Many say that they feel their accessories seem just thrown together.

Getting Started

First, sort through your accessories and place like items together in a staging area, such as your kitchen counter, table or set up a card table. Place the items as you see in stores: all candles together, frames, table greens, crystal, etc. Remove all the items from the tables, pot shelves, cabinets or bookcases that you want to accessorize. You want to start with a blank canvas.

Keeping your accessories balanced

In all arrangements, balance is important to be pleasing and comfortable to our eyes. In arrangements, balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical arrangements are perfectly equal on both sides of a central item. A candle on each side of a mirror or a candlestick on each side of a table floral would be a symmetrical arrangement. Think of symmetrical arrangements as a mirror image from one side to the other. Symmetrical arrangements are the easiest to do and create a more formal atmosphere. Asymmetrical arrangements use a variety of items in different sizes, shapes and colours. Asymmetrical arrangements create an informal and more interesting atmosphere. A group of candles in the middle of a table all at different heights and styles or an orchid on one side of a mirror and then a group of candles on the other side would be asymmetrical arrangements.

Artful accessory arrangements

The actual placement of accessories seems to be the most challenging, so here are some simple guidelines to help you create your own artful arrangements:

Create groupings

Three or more objects of the same type are considered a group. Place three frames together, three boxes, or three figurines. Odd numbers are always more pleasing to the eye.

Place similar items together. Group your collections together versus scattering them around. If you do not have a collection, group together by colour, shape or design. A grouping has more of an impact when together than when scattered.

Vary the heights

Varying the heights of items adds visual interest to a group. Think of a mountain range and how interesting the movement is from the high and low areas. Items you can use to add height is: books, glass blocks, plate stands, hatboxes, trivet stands, pedestals or a decorative tin.

Create depth

A winding path is always more interesting than a straight road. Zigzag the pieces instead of placing in a straight line or place them in a triangle pattern. Arrange the largest items toward the back with the smaller in the front.

Balance

Whether your arrangement will be symmetrical or asymmetrical, you want to also balance the size and scale of the object with the surface you are placing it on.

A tall vase will look best on a tall pedestal, a small and delicate accessory on a small table or a short lamp on a short table.

Each grouping should have height, texture and colour. An example would be a coffee table with candlesticks for height, a basket of greens for texture, and the candles for color.

What is enough

Try to avoid clutter and know when to stop. When you start with a blank canvas, add until that one extra item just seems too much. At that point remove the last item and you are done.

Places to accessorise

Coffee Tables - Always place something tall on your coffee table. Pay special attention to having the height, texture and colour here.

Side Tables - Do not overload them and remember that your lamp counts as one item in your grouping of odd numbers.

Console Tables - If placed behind a sofa, this is a wonderful place for a lamp. Also remember to add height to these items so that they are not hidden and can be properly seen.

Bookcases - Place your visually heaviest pieces, such as large books, heavy stone pottery or brass, on the bottom shelves. Then work up with lighter pieces, such as crystal, teacups, or fragile figurines. Also, zigzag the direction of you accessories.

China Cabinets

Follow the same guidelines as bookcases and don’t make this a storage piece. Add some of your favorite items with greenery. Also, always unload from the bottom up and replace from the top down. Just in case you drop something, you have a less likely chance of breaking other things in the cabinet.

Pot Shelves

Don’t completely fill your pot shelves with items and also don’t overload with greenery. As with artwork on the walls, your eyes needs a place to rest so that they can appreciate the items you have displayed. Another rule is to make sure the items are big enough to be appreciated and seen from where you are standing.

Additional Tips

If you become tired of your accessories, re-arrange them, swap with a friend, consign them or re-finish them.

Try to introduce the five senses into your groupings: sight - color, smell - candles, taste - fruit, sound - fountain and touch - basket.

Ten accessory choices: frames, floral arrangements, silk greens, candy dishes, hat boxes, table runners and toppers, decorative boxes, gift bags, unique plant containers and decorative pillows.

Try not to place all that you own out at one time if you have many things. Instead rotate your accessories with the season so that when you walk into a room you look and enjoy all of the wonderful things you own.

Accessories, like jewelry, reflect our own unique personality. So have fun and display all of the wonderful objects you have gathered over the years and let your guests enjoy them as much as you do.

Landscaping - More Than Just a lawn

The landscaping around most homes consists of large rectangles of grass, the yards in front and back, interrupted by the occasional swing set or flower bed. But an attractive landscape is much more than a simple collection of plants.

With some creative ideas and a string of weekend afternoons spent planning, such humdrum yards can be turned into a place that, like your home, reflects your tastes, supports your family’s favorite activities and is a retreat from the rigors of the world.

The key to a successful landscape transformation is proper planning. If you take a stroll around your neighborhood, you’re likely to see shrubs that nearly cover living room windows, well-worn paths across lawns already served by walkways and trees that dominate views from the house. These are signs of poor planning.

In undertaking the transformation of your yard, the goal should be to marry the lot and all its natural features with your family’s needs and lifestyle. Although even professional landscape designers will disagree on the final details, most maintain that there are main steps one can take toward making a good plan and achieving that goal. Here are some of the key points.

Make a wish list: The first step is to make a landscape wish list, and you should involve the whole family. Approach the project as if anything is possible. If you’ve always wanted a garden swing or ornamental grasses, for example, make sure they’re on the list. Also ground your list with practical items such as a compost site or a shelter for your woodpile. Use these topics as a place to start:

More gardening space: Try adding perennial borders at fences and along pathways. Also, for less maintenance, block off an area if you want a vegetable or herb garden. Your plan can include more hard surfaces, such as patios or paths. Also consider shrinking the size of your lawn by adding islands of permanent, low-maintenance plants.

More privacy: Incorporating small trees and shrubs can create a buffer between your yard and street traffic or the neighbors. A shady reading nook or spa area can provide a quiet place away from the house and add variety to your site.

Play areas: Here’s where the kids can get involved. Section off a space for a swing set or sandbox. Because children need lots of room to romp around, consider including a large area of lawn nearby.

Entertainment areas: If parties are a priority, plan to include a deck sheltered from sun and wind. Also consider incorporating a barbecue grill and built-in counters in a location that’s easily accessible from your kitchen.

Storage space: While it’s not as much fun as a deck or swing set, storage for gardening tools and materials should be a top priority.

Security: High-security fencing can be concealed with tall hedges, while outdoor lighting can border walkways or be hidden within perennial borders.

Take an inventory: The next step is to get to know your property’s natural features. Essentially, it’s time to compile information, everything from sunlight patterns to soil type. Once you’re finished, the possibilities, and the constraints, will be much more obvious. Here are the important elements:

Soil: Your soil could be anything from heavy clay to fast-draining sand. You’ll need to know the type and richness of your soil to know what plants will grow well in it or how to amend it to grow the plants you want. If you’re not sure, take a spadeful from a variety of locations in your yard. Bag each sample separately and take them to a local full-service nursery or contact your county’s Agricultural Extension Service for advice.

Sunlight: With the passage of the day and the seasons, note the path and intensity of sunlight around your property. Locate your site’s sunny and shady areas. The quality of sunlight will help determine the kind of plants you can grow and how to get the best results from your garden. You may decide to create shade with plantings and structures.

Wind: If you want to block cold winds or channel cooling breezes, find the directions of prevailing summer and winter winds. If you’re new to the area, ask neighbors.

Microclimates: Your property’s south and west facing sides are usually warmer, while the north and east facing sides tend to be cooler. You can use these microclimates to your advantage: Choose a warm, open location for a vegetable garden, or a cool, shaded area for a deck you’ll use in summer heat.

Drainage: Here’s the rule: Always slope the land away from your house so excess rainfall or sprinkles won’t pool and seep into spaces you don’t want wet. In our dry climate you would also want to design your landscape to collect rainfall and direct it to thirsty plants. In possible flood areas, focus on draining water away. If erosion or slope stabilization is a problem, consult a professional.

Views: Note the views, both good and bad, from inside and outside your home. Views may include sites within or beyond your property line. Also consider the view from paths, raised beds, flower beds and vegetable gardens from all different angles.

You can turn a large yard into an oasis with stone pathways, trees, bushes, mixed flower beds and sections of raised vegetable beds. But even small-scale properties held to a tight budget can look great with effective planning.

Large expanses of lawn require a lot of attention and don’t lend much character to a landscape. You can break up these long stretches of turf with islands filled with permanent plants and rock gardens. And with lower maintenance, you can enjoy it more.