Home decoration – incomplete without accessories Add meaning to a décor and shows one’s individuality and personality The right accessories help to portray the very essence of the theme in any interior to add interest. Accessories may be changed around or replaced occasionally to provide variety A room without accessories would be uninteresting . Accessories - punctuation marks of decorating. They not only add meaning they also add personality and individuality to a room just as jewels and handbags enhancing the beauty of a dress. Accessories should represent interest and taste but they should also contribute to the unity of the room. By all means one should choose reasonable number of accessories to add expressiveness of a design rather than a number of objects nearly dispersed here and there.

1. Accessories
Mrs. R.Subha,
Assistant Professor of Home Science

2. Introduction
• Home decoration – incomplete without
accessories
• Add meaning to a décor and shows one’s
individuality and personality
• The right accessories help to portray the very
essence of the theme in any interior to add
interest.
• Accessories may be changed around or
replaced occasionally to provide variety.

3. Types
FUNCTIONAL ACCESSORIES
• The functional and useful accessories include clocks,
mirror, screens, lamps, pictures, ash trays and waste
paper baskets, musical instruments, pillows, books and
magazines.
• The accessories should first off all be useful and may also
be beautiful.
• Lamps should provide adequate lights where it is needed
• Clock must keep time and have faces that are easy to
read.
• In both the cases the line, shape, colour and texture
should harmonize with the spirit of the room.
• In selecting non functional accessories one should
remember that a room has often more appealing if these
pieces represent interest of the family.

4. DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES
• The objects that exist entirely for the purpose of
enhancing the style , theme and colour scheme of
an interior are the decorative accessories
• if such objects are not present in an interior it
would almost look like a plant without flowers.
• Decorative accessories include Plants and cut
flowers, flower arrangements, wall arts,
handicraft items , collections and sculptures.

5. Lamps
• Selection of lamps and lighting fixtures –
important in determining character of room
• Lighting plays an important role in the interior
of room.
• Considerations
i)Function – for reading table lamp is prefered –
situated in wall bracket or on table – light should
fall from back of reader directly to book – glare
should not fall on eyes of reader. Aquarium light
hidden under lid, spot light for wall hanging falls
on hanging.

6. ii) Appropriate light - lamp should have
appropriate amount of light for different
functions – Yellow light (incandescent bulb) or
White light (fluorescent tube).
- Sometimes dimmer used to control amount
of light needed at the article.
- Wattage/fluorocent tube selected according
to its function.
- Size, area, height & material are deciding
factors for light.

7. iii) Prevention of glare
• Reflector bulbs –used to highlight amount of
light reflected.
• Diffused bulbs used to avoid glare falling on
eyes
• Using lamp for an activity – no darkness in rest
of the place (create shadows & put strains on
eyes.

8. iv) Style and Design
• Formal room – require elegance lamp – can be
simple, but colour and texture have richness
associated with formal treatment.
• Ex - graceful vases, fine china, glass, metals
like silver and brass are popular.
• Informal style – wood, pottery,copper and
diffused glasses – most suitable

9. v) Colour harmony
• Colour and light effect – radiated by lamp –
harmonize with colour scheme of room.
• Any two lamps chosen for one room should
harmonize with each other
• Similar colours & contrast colours used to
harmonize the décor.

10. Pictures
• Matter of taste – add personality
– selection of pictures depends on
interest and theme of room decoration.
• Portraits common in formal settings
• Colour & texture of picture – harmonize with
the room
• Size & shape of picture must relate to wall area
and furniture placed against wall
• Outline of picture – produce space division –
establish proportion

11. • Mounting a picture – Laws of Margin
– Vertical rectangle pictures bottom widest, top
next in width and narrower sides
– Horizontal rectangular pictures, bottom margin
widest and top margin next and sides be the
medium
– Square pictures have equal margin on all four
sides

12. Mirrors
• Increase apparent spaciousness of an
area by reflecting – essential in bedroom,
bathroom & dressing room
• Mirror in entrance hall of varandah – useful
• Polishing mirrors regularly keeps shine and surface
smooth.
• Plate glass mirrors – expensive than window glass
• Copper backing renders mirror - durable and prevent
discolouration
• Decorative mirrors – tint in mirror backing – low
reflective quality – used with out frames
• Traditional styles have wooden or metal frames.

13. Clocks
• Traditional clocks – tall-case, long pendulum
• Clock in room – gives effect of activity and
movement
• Modern clocks – simple, functional and
decoration

14. Books
• Arranged in shelves – to provide an elegant
look
• Colourful bound books – arranged according
size and colour in shelves
• Book cases and holders – available, hold books
in an attractive fashion

15. Metal Work
• Wall plaques, God &
goddess, Ashtrays, paper
cutter used in room as
decorative pieces
• Popular items – wine
jugs, flower vases, table
tops, table legs, candle
stands – made of
lustrous silver and gold
inlay on oxidised
background

16. Wood Carving
• Traditional hand work – doors, carved pillars,
wall hangings
• Kashmir – walnut wood – climkers, house boat
• Rajasthan – barmer
• Rosewood & sandalwood – decorative articles

17. Pottery
• Rajasthan – blue&
turquoise glaze with
cobalt & copper oxide
• North – black pottery –
hangings, toys, large
urns, pots
• Bengal & maharashtra –
terracotta work popular
• Big& small pots – placed
in garden corner

18. Basketry
• Bamboo, cane,grass, reeds, coconut leaves,
Date Palm – Used To Make Baskets, Boxes
Furniture, Trays, Toys, Wall Hanging
• Found in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa,
Tamilnadu etc.

19. Conclusion
• A room without accessories would be
uninteresting .
• Accessories - punctuation marks of decorating.
• They not only add meaning they also add
personality and individuality to a room just as
jewels and handbags enhancing the beauty of a
dress.
• Accessories should represent interest and taste
but they should also contribute to the unity of
the room.
• By all means one should choose reasonable
number of accessories to add expressiveness of a
design rather than a number of objects nearly
dispersed here and there.

20. References
• https://fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/sites/fcs-
hes.ca.uky.edu/files/hf-lra.159.pdf
• https://www.uou.ac.in/sites/default/files/slm/
BHM-602CT.pdf