New Year, New Narrative: Restyling Your Space after the holidays!

STOP! Before you shove your furniture back into those same tired spots now that the holiday décor is packed away, I want you to look at your rooms through a different lens.

In 2026, the "catalog-perfect" look is officially out, the Heritage is in. We are in the era of what I call The Resourced Home. This trend isn’t about buying all new; it’s about celebrating the one you’ve lived. It’s warm, it’s layered, cozy, and it’s deeply personal.

As an expert in "using what you have," I’ve always said your home should tell your story. This year, the design world finally agrees! Here is how to shake up your space and embrace a timeless, storied look for 2026 without spending a fortune.

1. Start with a Clean Slate

Before you bring in the "new," clear out the "old" energy. I swear by a New Year’s smudge or a high-quality Sage essential oil candle to clear 2025. By clearing the air and the surfaces, you create a first step for your home’s spaces. Scientists have observed that sage can clear up to 94 percent of airborne bacteria in a space and disinfect the air. The Latin word for sage salvia stems form the word heal. It’s a great ritual to kick off a new year.

2. Shop Your Own History (Move What You Have)

Make your space feel "Collected, Not Decorated.” Consider flip flopping the sofas, changing the room's focal point to a different wall or changing the entire feel of the space by swapping pieces from other rooms to make it more formal or casual. Remember, this year’s trends are all about layering and curating.

• The Swap: Take that dark wood dresser from the bedroom and move it to the entryway. 2026 is seeing a massive return to dark wood stains and rich patinas.

• The Focal Point: Instead of centering the room around the TV, pivot your layout toward a library nook or a display of personal collections to give a room a new perspective.

• Mix Your Eras: 2026 trends thrives on the "odd couple" pairing. Put that sleek, modern lamp on top of your grandmother’s antique trunk that you are now using as a side table. The tension between old and new is where the magic happens.

3. "Pattern Play" with Your Existing Textiles

One of the biggest trends for 2026 is layered patterns—layering florals on stripes on checks. Start with a "#1 large-scale pattern (florals are the easiest) , add #2 smaller geometric or striped patterns, and always include #3 solids to let the eye rest and prevent chaos. 

• The Re-style: Don’t be afraid to pull every throw pillow and blanket in the house and look how you can create a new collection using the pattern rule of 3 method. Take it one more step and layer a smaller, patterned rug you had in the office over the larger, neutral living room rug.

• Expert Tip: If you have vintage quilts or heirloom linens tucked away in a cedar chest, bring them out. Drape them over the back of a modern sofa to instantly hit that Heritage vibe or boldly reinvent them by creating pillows, or using the piece to reupholster something.

4. Accessory Curation: The Gallery Approach

In 2026, we are moving away from "filler" accessories and toward Highly Personal Collections.

• Archive the Ordinary: Archive is a nice word for get rid of it or banish it to the basement. If it’s a generic piece of décor from a big-box store, give it a rest, give it away, or consign it. 2026 should be your launch for original art.

• Elevate the Sentimental: Take those old family photos out of the matching plastic, big box frames. Re-frame them in mismatched wood, gold or silver accents (silver is the "it" metal for 2026!).

• Book Styling: Stack your favorite hardcovers to give height to a lamp or a small bust. It adds that "classic library" feel that defines the Heritage trend.

5. Furniture Reinvention: The Future Heirloom

If you have a piece with "good bones" but the wrong vibe, don't toss it. Heritage chic is inherently sustainable.

• Paint with Depth: Move away from stark whites. If you’re painting a piece of furniture, think moody ochres, forest greens, or "espresso" browns. The Detail Touch: Swap out standard hardware for antique brass or even "freehand" ceramic knobs. These small changes make a piece feel like a custom find from a European estate.

6. The Fancy Details: A Few 2026 Updates

Once you’ve restyled the your existing things, you can add small fancy details to elevate even further. To stay on-trend for 2026, look for:

• Scalloped Edges: Whether it’s a new picture mount or a small side table, "wiggly" edges are huge.

• Tactile Textures: A single velvet pillow in a midnight blue or a touch of faux fur can bridge the gap between your old favorites and the current year.

Need a Fresh Set of Eyes?

Does the idea of "pattern drenching" or "mixing eras" feel more like a mess than a masterpiece? That’s where I come in. My One Day Makeover sessions are designed to do exactly this: reinvent your home using the treasures you already own, styled with a 2026 designer’s touch. I sport fabulous ideas on how to give your old stuff a new life and don't even get me started on what I can find in your home with my ‘shop your home’ skills!  Give me a jingle (708-543-8597) send an email (Julea@Julea.com) my way and let's talk.  We offer both on-location and e-makeover sessions.  Let's get your home refreshed, restyled and reinvented for 2026.

Oh... and about those carpet divots? Don’t let them stop you from moving the sofa! Just drop an ice cube in the dent, let it melt, and fluff it up with a hairbrush. Your room gets a new life, and the divots disappear.

Let's make 2026 the year your home finally feels like you.

— Julea

2026 Trends You Already Own!

They say if you wait long enough, everything comes back in style. But in 2026, it’s not just the look that’s returning—it’s the philosophy.

As we stand on the doorstep of 2026, the design world is shifting. We’re moving away from "buy it now" fast-furniture and "staged" looks and returning to something much more meaningful: The Resourced Home —a movement that is essentially been my business model since 1999 and exactly what you saw me on HGTV all those years ago.

As a designer featured on HGTV’s Decorating Cents teaching homeowners how to transform their spaces for $0, I am thrilled to see the world finally embracing what I call The Resourced Home. Minimalism is softening, and "Heritage Chic" is in. The best part? You don’t need a bigger budget; you just need to go on a scavenger hunt in your own attic.

In 2026, the coolest thing a homeowner can do isn’t buy a new collection; it’s "reinvent" what they already have. They say if you wait long enough, everything comes back in style. But in 2026, it’s not just the look that’s returning—it’s the philosophy.

The 2026 Vibe: Heritage Chic

The biggest movement for 2026 is Heritage Chic. It’s a refusal to live in a sterile, "Pinterest-perfect" box. Instead, we are embracing:

• The "Collected" Look: Rooms that feel like they were built over decades, not bought in a weekend.

• Tactile Comfort: "Fat furniture" (voluptuous, oversized seating) and textured walls like limewash and plaster.

• Storytelling: Using objects that have a "soul"—whether it’s a thrifted find or a family heirloom.

The Palette of 2026: Earth, Air, and Soul

Forget the "sad beiges" of the past. The 2026 colors are grounded and restorative:

• The New Neutrals: Look for "Cloud Dancer" (Pantone’s airy, serene white) and warm "Sandstone" beiges.

• Grounded Earth: Deep Terracotta, Olive Green, and Mahogany are replacing cold grays to create a "hug" in every room.

• The "Rhythm of Blues": From dusty powder blues to "Midnight Teal," blue is the anchor of the year.

Curate your Lifestyle in ‘26: Use the Good China

You know that I’ve been preaching about lifestyle design for 26 years, I believe your home should serve you, not a future buyer or a "special occasion" that never comes.

• For the Dweller: 2026 is the year we use the good china on a Tuesday. Mix that vintage silver with your modern dinnerware. When you curate your life using what you already have, every day feels elevated.

• For the Seller: Buyers today crave character. Don't "weed" the soul out of your house! Use your heritage pieces to create "conversation nooks" and reading zones that make a buyer feel instantly at home.

Ready to Shop Your Home?

1.The Return of "Brown Wood" (Warm Heritage)

For a decade, we painted everything gray or white. In 2026, Warm Woods—Walnut, Cherry, and even that "dreaded" Honey Oak—are the stars.

• The Hunt: Dig out that "dated" side table or inherited chest of drawers from the basement.

• The Reinvention: Instead of reaching for the paintbrush, simply clean it with a high-quality wood feeder or wax. The natural grain is the texture 2026 craves.

• Pro Tip: Pair a dark wood vintage piece with a modern, crisp lamp to make it feel intentional and curated, not "old."

2 "Curated Clusters" (The End of the Showroom)

2026 is moving away from perfectly matched sets. Trend spotters are calling this "Personal Storytelling."

• The Hunt: Gather objects from different rooms that share a common thread—maybe they are all brass, all green glass, or all have a "nature" theme (don’t fall off your chair - roosters are back!).

• The Reinvention: Use the "Rule of Three" I used on Decorating Cents. Group them on a tray or a stack of books. By clustering them, you turn "clutter" into a "collection."

3. Textural Layering (The Comfort Core)

The "Cold Minimalist" look is officially over. 2026 is about Tactile Luxury.

• The Hunt: Find your heavy knits, velvet pillows, quilts and wool throws tucked away in linen closets.

• The Reinvention: Layering is key. Don't just put one pillow on the couch; mix the textures. Put the velvet against the linen. Drape the knit over the arm. This "lived-in" look is what makes a house feel like a dwelling.

Coming this January, I'll be sharing 26 years of design secrets —starting with how to shop your home for the treasures you forgot you had and how to rearrange and style with what you already own.

To get you started, I’ve put together a brand-new resource for you.

[CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD: The 2026 Curator’s Checklist] - A guide to the 5 "forgotten" items in your home that are actually 2026’s hottest trends.

Meet Julea Joseph

In 1999, Julea launched Reinventing Space, bringing a fresh, resource-first perspective to the Chicago design scene. A pioneer in the "Shop Your Home" movement caught the eye of HGTV, leading to nearly a decade of appearances on cult classics like Decorating Cents. Julea has spent decades proving that style isn't about what you spend—it's about how you see.

Whether she’s helping a family fall in love with their space all over again, staging a home for a top-dollar sale or educating with her interior design and home staging workshops- her philosophy remains the same: The best things in your home are already there.

The Use What You Own Trend

2025 Interior Design trends say “Move over microtrend, Target design aisle, here today, gone next month home goods - Authenticity in design, layering personal finds, and vintage aesthetics is now the new design darling.

Embracing what you already have, up-styling vintage, creating a one-of-kind personalized style, and loving what you inherited is at the forefront of this year’s style profile.

• Home dwellers are creating homes that reflect personal stories and values.

• Old is now New - meaningful objects with sentimental value or cultural significance layered within in the home to spark conversation, express identity, and create micro-havens within a home (i.e.. readying nook)

I personally think that the whole vintage re-imagined came out of the Pandemic when logistics prevented us from buying new. Using or reinventing what you have, shopping pre-owned, and scouring thrift shops isn’t a new discovery, all these sources have been right around us all along, just forgotten because for decades ‘fast and new’ has been the mantra.

Celebrate it, use it, restyle it and make it your own.  

JOIN me this Wednesday, April 2nd at the Orland Park Public Library for a “Use What You Own” workshop 6:30pm. Register here -

INTERIOR DECORAITNG WORKSHOP

Head over to Orland Park Library 4/2/2025

THE USE WHAT YOU OWN AESTHIC

Nana’s plastic encased sofa has a timeless style and it’s vintage craftmanship towers over today’s fast fashion made version. Scoop that treasure up and have it reinvented to create a personalized, unique piece that can be a showcase of a space.

Photo: (source).

Old silver-plate serving pieces are collected and displayed on a wall of a bedroom to create a unique focal point.

Photo: BHG

One of my clients was struggling with her husband's gifted grandparent's dining set. They really wanted to honor it in the dining room, but the dark wood wasn't appealing and the table wasn't going to work with daily use.  The restyle solution was to purchase a new table and have the rest of the set painted to match.  The celebrate what you have result is the perfect mix of old and new. And the big bonus is they now get to love that set as much as his Grandparents did.

Have an old chair with in good condition fabric, but in a less than desirable color? YES, you can paint it. At my direction, my client painted his Mom’s accent chair with a new hue using chalk paint.

YOU CAN PAINT YOUR ULPHOLSTERY!

Reinvent an old piece with a fresh coat of paint - in this case, fabric!

Why not get ready every morning in vintage style and maybe a wink and nod to Mom with a lovely vanity vignette of your makeup necessities organized in old silver serving pieces.

Photo: (source)

Don't haul that old sofa, chair or ottoman out to the curb - instead, have it reupholstered. If you have a vintage piece of furniture that you just love, it’s comfy, just the right size and it’s made fantastic - reinvent it instead.

Have a sofa you just love and is just right for a space? Reinvent it.

Great pieces in your home, like these accent chairs, can be reupholstered and refreshed.

Aunt Millie's tea cup collection boxed in tissue somewhere?  Unwrap them, head over to a craft store and cook up a batch of wax to make them into candles. They'll warm your heart with their romantic flicker on your sofa's end table as you settle in for the evening.

Photo: (source)

Transform an antique photo of your heritage with a blown-up image updated in a wrapped canvas technique. Add a few more in various sizes to create an unique gallery wall.

Photo: (source).

I'd love to know what you have done with your old stuff!

House to Home - Ideas for Your New Place

The keys are yours!  You’ve gone through the process... the searching, deciding, inspection, stress, closing and finally, the elation of buying a new home.  Now, you have to make it your own. Here’s how.  Whether you are moving into something new, or just want a fresh look for your existing place - here are some great tips, ideas and sage advice on making a house a home.

“Pick one room and make it yours. Go slowly through the house. Be polite, introduce yourself so it can introduce itself to you.”

— Frances Mayer - Under the Tuscan Sun

Color -  Paint is the least expensive, easiest way to update a space.  It can individualize a room and put your personal stamp on your home. Pick your color style - From calming nature-inspired neutrals, clean, fresh whites, to bold and fun retro colors, whatever you have in mind for your style, color can showcase it.  And color doesn’t have to be just on the walls - If you want to keep the wall color simple, infuse color with your furniture, art or accessory choices.  Get your craft on by painting a piece of furniture, or recover your dining chairs seats with new fabric.  Try trending wallpaper on a single accent wall or power room. Create a signature look with a statement making - front door color. With color, the change is quick, easy and is all you.

Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal Blue Door (Photo: Benjamin Moore)

BOLD WALLPAPER

CREATE A STATEMENT WITH SOME FUN AND FUNKY WALLPAPER. PEEL AND STICK MAKES IT EASY

SHOP

ORGANIZE YOUR PAINT

WITH THIS GREAT PAINT COLOR ORGANIZER

SHOP

Your Favorite Things -  This is your chance to create a space that reflects your unique style. Home should hold your beautiful art, furniture, passed down family treasures and loved flowers in your garden beds.  Simple daily rituals with favorite things, cozy slippers slipped on at the end of day,  or tossing your keys into that old bowl, will infuse you into the home.  It could be something new that defines your new chapter of home - that perfect comfy sofa you spied, a fresh new style that you’ve wanted to try out, fun new pillows to add a splash to a patio set. By incorporating these favorite things - you’ll become instantly grounded in your new space.

KEY BOWL

PERFECT FOR YOUR FOYER OR COUNTER TOP TO TOSS YOUR KEYS AND MAIL IN

SHOP

Make Your Bed!  A bed is your personal haven and cocoon.  Dressing your bed makes your home environment feel luxurious.  Even if the bedroom still has boxes, you can sleep well with a beautifully made bed. It can boost your mood. Making your bed is a simple task that can have a big impact on your mood. Studies have shown that people who make their beds are more likely to feel happy and positive. Make your bed so that every time you see it, you want to jump into it.  I like to mix old with new. New, fresh, very fancy (the best you can afford) sheets, a stylish linen duvet set slipped over your old favorite down comforter and pillows. Pair the bedding with Grandma’s quilt or your favorite throw at the end of the bed and you'll be ready for a great night's sleep.

LINEN DUVET SET

SOFT, BEAUTIFUL AND EASY TO CREATE A GREAT SPACE

SHOP

Room to Room - This is where you channel Frances Mayer, the character from the book/movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" - by going room to room to make it yours. When you first move in, take some time to spend in each room. This will help you get a feel for the space and start to envision how you want to use it. Don’t try to tackle the entire home’s decorating and styling needs, instead, try to work on the spaces you spend the most time in first.

5 Senses - Nothing says home more than seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and feeling your favorite things at home. Put out those family photos, beloved books, play music, light some candles in your favorite scent, open your favorite wine and curl up on that fluffy sofa and celebrate home! 

Your home should be a place where you can relax and escape from the stresses of everyday life. Make sure it's a space that you love spending time in. With a little effort, you can easily make your new house feel like home. So take some time to get settled in, add your personal touch, and start creating memories in your new space. - Julea

Need HELP? From move-in services to one day room makeovers, I’m a call away 708.448.7500 Julea@Julea.com

SHOP THE LOOKS IN THIS POST :

Please note: [ *As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases.]

The Heritage Home Design Trend

Everything Old is New Again

It’s best to call it a NEW trend, especially for the younger generation home dwellers who abhor all décor of their parent’s abode.  We’ve seen home trending whiffs of a collective Grandmother direction worded as “Granny Chic” “Granny Millennium” and last summer’s “Coastal Grandmother” (brought on perhaps by watching too many newly discovered Nancy Meyers’ movies during the pandemic?). In any case the buzz worthy 2023 home interior design and styling trend has been coined “The Heritage Home”

The Heritage Home

My interpretation of this home styling trend means that old is finally and refreshingly OK, passed down is cool, and mixing old and new creates individuality. Mix + match is the trend, pairing your functional clean lined current furnishings with passed down and vintage. This combination results in a home that doesn’t look like this month’s home décor aisle at your favorite big box retail store - but one that’s style looks like has been curated and patiently collected for years. 

Items that may have been tucked away for years can be showcased, garage sale finds layered and celebrated in a new, fresh way and favorite pieces refreshed with a new coat of paint or fabric. The trend stems in pairing them with your present-day pieces to create a space that looks curated and developed and totally uniquely your own.

An accent table can be the perfect surface to showcase your vintage finds. (Photo: Reinventing Space)

Paint company Krylon chose their 2023 Color of the Year ( #COTY) Spanish Moss by this trend saying “The heritage trend style is increasingly growing in popularity - the comfort and reassurance found in the past. The color is seen in upcycle, recycled, vintage and antique furnishings and it inspires D-I-Yers to create inviting spaces full of comforting personal choices - ..offering a dose of nostalgia and familiarity at the same time.”

Reinvent an old tea/cocktail cart into something new and fresh for your home by giving it a makeover. The piece can be that infused celebration of “old + new.”

Krylon 2023 Color of the Year Spanish Moss ( photo: Krylon)

I like the phrase “full of comforting personal choices”.  If we’ve learned one thing about the past three years it’s that home IS truly our shelter from the storm.  It’s no wonder that our past down treasures and quirky vintage finds now find a special place in our home, and the need to refresh what we already have is our new home design mantra for 2023. 

Create a comfortable space filled with old and new (Photo: Reinventing Space)

The trend celebrates and embraces a home’s architecture and esthetics too - meaning not erasing the heritage of a home’s build era, but instead following its guidance to include the history and flavor of the home’s ambiance. Flippers are you listening?

Quirky Embraced

Your home’s bones should be embrace and celebrated. (Photo: Reinventing Space)

Pinterest calls it Hipstoric

Pinterest brands the trend “Hipstoric” and according to their data - “in 2023, people will find new ways to honor old stuff in their homes. Got a hand-me-down handy? These searches are helping people combine vintage—often inherited—pieces with their modern styles. Thanks to the Boomers and Gen X driving these trends, antiques have never looked so chic.”

High trending searches on Pinterest:

Eclectic interior design vintage+850%

Mixing modern and antique furniture+530%

Antique windows repurposed+50%

Maximalist decor vintage+350%

Mix + Match style with layers of personality. Furniture, pattern, eras, magically melded to create a one-of-kind space. From floral wallpapers, lush velvets, to repurposed vintage finds revitalized with peel and stick paper.

Drew Barrymore for Walmart (Photo: Walmart)

The English Home

Across the pond, and always a jump ahead, this trend has been in full  embraced in 2020 -

“As the latest spring home décor collections preview at London Design Week (LDW) 2020, it’s clear that heritage design principles continue to influence the work of today’s leading interior designers.

Whilst new design ideas offer innovative inspiration to those updating their homes, they also incorporate style from the past – bringing colour palettes and patterns back from the archives. Interior experts are guided by time‐honoured techniques and architectural features, too, celebrating the importance of skill and craftsmanship in home décor.” - The English Home

Home Entertaining + Celebrations

82% of consumers surveyed said they plan on entertaining at home as much or more than 2022 (International Housewares Association) 

Heritage Trend - Traditional dinner entertaining (Photo: Pottery Barn)

Scroll through any online home furniture/lifestyle retailer and you’ll find the Tabletop/Entertaining tab is chocked full of product and explained inspiration.  Home entertaining and daily traditional home rituals seem to be très chic, from afternoon tea in lovely antique cups, to sit down dinner parties with friends. Perhaps there is still hope for us Boomers to pass down generational China sets and silver serving ware!

As an Interior Stylist I straddle two worlds - I consult home dwellers how to fully embrace, personalize and celebrate their home, and home sellers who want to prepare their space for a new family by removing that personalized stamp.  The 2023 Heritage Trend can be fully embraced by both dwellers and sellers.

• Mix + Match -  Erase the idea that you need a matching “suite” of furnishings. Create a room that incorporates many styles and eras.

• Repurpose and Reinvent - Have a passed down or well loved piece?  Don’t be fearful of reinventing it with a coat of paint or new fabric. 

• Consider traditional updates to a home. Celebrate the bones of your home. Instead of erasing the past, embrace it.  From lighting  architectural elements, to color palette - consider following a guide to the past to update.

• Maximalist or Minimalist, all are welcome with this trend and can work to both’s advantage

• Curate collections and passed down heritage - whether in a bookcase vignette or as your daily dinnerware, personalized and individual are key ingredients.

• Infuse old and new -  Daily function always trumps fussy, the goal is a space that looks like it has been layered over the years.

In conclusion - Shop your home and unearth passed down and forgotten treasures. Repurpose and reinvent them if you want to put your fingerprint on them. Consider adding some traditional and old design styles into your home whether with color, fabric, wallpaper or architectural elements. Create a home that celebrates its heritage, your own heritage and create a space that is individually yours.

- Julea

Can’t figure out how to pull your it all together? My business model is based on using what you have 1st before buying new. I’m happy to help you create a curated home whether in person or on-line. Call or text me at 708-543-8597.

Reference Links:
(https://www.homeaccentstoday.com/trends/mother-nature-inspires-2023-colors-of-the-year/)

(https://business.pinterest.com/en-us/pinterest-predicts/2023/hipstoric-home/)

(https://www.theenglishhome.co.uk/the-top-5-heritage-design-elements-for-elegant-homes/

Building Block Home Decorating Accessories You Need!

Whether you live small or large, this accessory collection can seamless change from decorating to entertaining in an instant. Use my "Good Bone" accessories as your base template for styling your home. Each can be used in multiple ways, be changed out quickly space to space, for a season or the holidays. These accessories too can make you a bit more organized, and when entertaining - some, can be staples and service any of your hosting areas from bar to buffet. Win, win.

(** Heads-up, if you’d like to shop my collections, the links are in the item and the picture - I’m part of the Amazon Influencer program and receive a small commission of sold items.)** Link to entire collection - LINK

JULEA’S LIST OF BUILDING BLOCK HOME ACCESSORIES

TALL CANDLESTICKS: A set of tall candlesticks elevate your styling whether topped with candles or any scale friendly object you want to display. Their height is the key ingredient to great accessorizing - Always perfect for a mantle, but also should be considered on a coffee table, kitchen island, or even in a bookcase. For entertaining, add a plate (use poster tack putty) and your buffet or bar will be elevated to new heights.

DOUGH BOWL - The perfect decorating vessel. Rustic, organic, Farmhouse style, with just the right ‘opposites attract’ interior design element that any room needs. Fill it with whatever you please, from holiday greens for the season to faux succulents as a centerpiece. Line it with cloth napkins and for entertaining - it’s the best baguette holder for your dinner party.

LARGE BLANKET BASKET - A large blanket basket can service besides blankets, entry shoes, seasonal wear, kids/dog toys, a statement in-door plant, towels, laundry. Too, it brings texture to a space, and its lovely form offers a pretty visual for a storage piece.

LONG WICKER TRAY - A nice long wicker tray adds casualness and texture to a surface. Great topped on a granite island, your dining room table or to house personal items on a bathroom counter or nightstand. A tray too offers a template to decorate in. For entertaining, pop in a long platter or bowls with your favorite sides, or use for serve items such as napkins, silverware, plates, or more.

WIRED CLOCHE - Bring the outside in with a wire cloche. Casual, unbreakable, and easy to use and store. Anything under a dome becomes more important and adds an element of surprise to your accessorizing.

CAKE STAND - A cake stand can hold more than cakes - as a decorating element, it can be the needed centerpiece element to an arrangement. Alone, or with an added plate, the stand can make something simple stand out and up. Add to the cake stand with the above cloche and you have real WOW factor decorating accessory!

NATURAL ABOLONE SHELL - I know it sounds a bit weird that a shell would make my ‘must have’ list. But I stand by my shell. This pretty, small, vessel can be a lovely natural addition to a side table or a vignette on your coffee table. Perfect in a Powder Room with a bar of soap, wrapped candies, on your kitchen windowsill to hold your rings, or a spoon rest when entertaining or as a salt cellar. It too can sit alone on a bookcase or in a cubby. I found mine while walking on a beach in Half Moon Bay, CA, so besides being functional, it holds a special memory.

WINE/CHAMPAGNE BUCKET - Iconic shape, better than a bowl, Can house ice to a tabletop Christmas Tree. What’s not to love about an oversize wine bucket? On your dining room table as a centerpiece, in your foyer with floral arrangement, on your coffee table with magazines and books. You know what to do with it for entertaining…

SILVER TRAY - Anything silver adds panache, especially a tray. In baths to entry tables - this fancy tray makes anything on it, special and upscale.

FAUX BOOKS - Faux books are a favorite for any home stylist. An added element horizontally, or vertical, they add dimension to any display.

FOOTED HURRICANE VASE - A workhorse accessory. A footed hurricane vase can be your standard decorating element in one spot. It can change each month with fresh flowers, change seasonally or with a holiday. It can be flipped over and used as a candle stand, or as a lift for a buffet with an added plate, bowl or platter. In a bathroom with bath salts, washcloths or kid’s toys, in the kitchen as a terrarium or water garden, and in the laundry with laundry care products.

RECHARGEABLE ELECTRIC CANDLES - Oh happy day! No more batteries. Candles add that ambiance and the 5 sense element needed in a space. These offer a timer, and a remote for ease of use, and then when spent, you just recharge them. We all know where to use them, and if you need direction, see above list. One added idea, since they come in a trio, consider ribboning them together as 1 cluster.

I hope you were inspired to weed through your current accessories, perhaps shop for some new ones, and use these great building block accessories in creative ways. Please share if you use one of these accessories in an different way, we’d love to know!

Stay tuned for a new collection - HOME STYLING or STAGING TOOL KIT FAVORITES. Staples and tools that I have in my tool bag when I head to interior style and home stage a home. - JULEA.