This cool Kohler bathroom has lots going for it. The white-on-white decor allows the whimsical accessories to take centre stage.
Using accessories as the focus is a great way to decorate if you're renting because you can take everything with you when you go but you can still have a great space during your stay.
The white walls are finished in bead board, which speaks to the vintage/nautical feel of this room. The black Kohler accessories set the tone for a vintage decor and pop against the white backdrop. This brings your eye around the space, which keeps the room visually interesting. Even the door hinges are black. The white-tiled floor is set in a herringbone design, which offers a subtle, classic pattern.
What is an accessory?
An accessory is anything you think will look interesting in your home. I've used everything from vintage hats and purses to collections of old hand eggbeaters. Our feature photograph offers a space with tons of great accessory ideas that are worth a second look.
The boat oars are a nice nautical touch in a bathroom. Oars can also be used as curtain rods, coat racks or even a banister in a stairwell. Wooden oars can be painted in any colour to suite your tastes, so keep your eyes open for them at yard sales and flea markets, even if they are broken.
The wall-map textile, though American, shows maps and globes can make for interesting touches to any room. You may remember the lampshade I fashioned out of an old globe. Framed maps of areas that have special meaning can bring a personal touch to a room and infuse a sense of adventure. Vintage maps instill a sense of history that can also be interesting if you're a history buff.
On the vintage cabinet to the left sits a length of thick ship rope in a loose pile along with small dishes and vintage medicine bottles. This is a very eclectic grouping but it works just fine. Accessories don't always have to be high-end or in a formal grouping. If you have a collection of various sizes and shapes of items such as candles, vases, glasses or picture frames, for instance, they could make a great grouping in a similar setting. The trick is to use them in a grouping so they have substance, rather than spread them around the room where they would be lost among the other accessories.
To the right side of the room is a vintage, framed men's swimsuit hanging between the two sinks. Like I mentioned above, anything can be an accessory. No doubt the boat oars and swimsuit have a personal meaning to these homeowners.
Another item that could work well in this setting is painted driftwood. As you can see from our second photograph, driftwood can be very artistic when treated as such. I made this accessory out of found driftwood and old lumber and I just love it. I saw something similar at a decor shop and decided I could fashion one for a lot less money out of a piece I found myself, which had more meaning than buying someone else's.
A trio of differently shaped, antique-looking mirrors hangs near the sink and adds a little sparkle to the white-on-white decor. Three is the magic number in arrangements such as this and using three different shapes speaks to the casual flavour of this decor.
On the cheap
Dollar stores are a great place to find and create your own accessories out of inexpensive items. A trio of tea light holders with wicker balls set on top of the holders rather than candles could be set along a coffee table, for example, and might be that special touch your decor is calling for. Similar stores carry realistic-looking faux plants and flowers that can bring in some colour and texture with no upkeep needed. A large floor vase from a thrift store filled with tall reeds could be used to add visual height to your decor as well as texture. I used this trick when staging our home for sale. I wasn't about to spend tons of money on incidentals. Thrift stores, dollar stores and Kijiji were great sources for inexpensive decor items for our new condo as well.
Some great ideas
Old clothes that have a great pattern and colour can be used to cover toss cushions or stretched over an inexpensive frame to use as well art. Vintage items such as dress gloves, hats, purses and jewelry are great fodder for bedroom accessories. Unique items such as dressing dummies, vintage cameras, hatboxes, old trunks or telescopes can be great decor touches in any room
Paint plain, woven mats with craft paint to give them a special look. Update lampshades with beaded trim to add some glam to a room. Old cooking fodder such as spice tins, utensils and vintage cookbooks are great accessories for a kitchen with a vintage flair.
Accessories are jewelry for the home. They should be reinvented and updated regularly to give your home a fresh look at all times.
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