How to choose home decor that suits your room
Size, colour and placement: a simple way to pick decor pieces that look right in your home, instead of things that feel out of place.
Start with the room, not the shop. Look at what is already there: the colours on your walls and furniture, the wood or metal finishes, and the light that comes through the windows. A decor piece works best when it picks up one of these, rather than competing with all of them.
Scale: match the piece to the surface
A small figurine can disappear on a large sideboard, and a tall piece can overwhelm a narrow shelf. Before you buy, measure the surface and leave some space around the piece so it can be seen clearly. A useful habit is to keep a hand's width of clear space between a showpiece and anything next to it.
Colour: choose two or three colours to follow
Pick two or three colours from the room and look for decor that uses them. Warm metals such as brass and gold sit well with wood and cream walls. Cool tones such as black stone or grey marble suit white and light-coloured rooms. Bright hand-painted pieces work best as the one bold point in an otherwise calm room.
Grouping: odd numbers and varied heights
Three small pieces together often look more natural than two identical ones. Mix heights, and keep the pieces close enough to read as one arrangement. Leave some empty space on the shelf or table, because a crowded surface makes every piece look smaller.
A quick checklist before you buy
- Measure the space, including the height of anything above it.
- Decide on the finish you want. Metal, stone, wood and painted pieces each need different care.
- Think about the spot. Painted pieces fade in strong sun, so a shaded shelf often suits them better.
- Decide whether the piece is for display or for daily use, such as a box for keys or jewellery.
When you know the size and colours you want, browse our handicraft decor and compare the photos and measurements.