You have finally furnished your new home and are now faced with the finishing touches-one of the most challenging areas of design for the homeowner. Interior designers understand how critical the details are in creating an interesting and more importantly, a personal environment. Artwork and accessories are individual statements that give a room that well orchestrated look. This is the final step in furnishing a room and careful attention needs to be taken in order to complete the picture.

Out With The Old and In With The New
First of all, decide which of your current accessories that you want to display. This is a good time to take stock and really analyze what you have kept on your coffee table for all of these years. Ask: Does it really make a statement, either personal or aesthetic? You may find that the flower arrangement on the buffet has seen better days or that the candle holders your cousin gave you really would look better in her home instead of your own. Just because the candle holders or that porcelain figure were gifts, doesn't mean they need to be placed in an important spot in the room. For most of us, it is much easier to recognize that the sofa is getting a little worn and needs replacing, than to say, "It's time for a new painting or art piece above the sofa."

Maintaining The Style
After deciding which items need to stay, take a good look at the other elements and design direction of the room. It is important that the key accessories reinforce the initial style of the room. For instance, an antique cut crystal bowl with a bronze stand may be too traditional and fussy for a contemporary home. A better choice would be a grouping of brushed aluminum containers and vases. Also try to let go of the idea that every small item in the room must have a personal connection or memory attributed to it. Sometimes your keepsakes and momentos are much better off in a place other than where you've been displaying them. Interior designers will often accessorize in order to complete a feeling or theme to a room. This is not to say that you can't incorporate items that have some sentimental value, but don't feel you must keep them on display for that reason alone.

Placement
Take a look at the room and analyze what areas are the most focal. Artwork is an area that is both extremely personal and very important in pulling a room together while making a statement. Every room will have a focal wall, the place that catches your eye when you first walk in. It is here that you need to hang your most important piece of artwork. The same is true for your table top accessories. Your most crucial surface in the living room is often the coffee table. In the dining room it may be a centerpiece for the table or sometimes a central grouping of items on the buffet. Start with your key wall or table top and work outward. Side tables are a perfect place to have family photos or keepsakes. Peripheral walls are ideal for hanging smaller and quieter works of art. While you are working, remember to maintain balance and harmony with the other elements in the room.

Grouping
One of the trickier aspects of design is the grouping or coupling of elements and objects. This is an art form in itself. I always stress with designers that the key is to group objects together and not line them up or spread them out on a surface. Part of this practice comes from the study of composition and still life. A couple rules of thumb may help. The first and most important step is to find objects that complement each other while maintaining some individual interest. Factors include style, height, scale and texture. Second, try to group objects in odd numbers. Three is a good balance. The triangle is often used by designers in the placement of objects in relation to each other. This triangle placement will help unify the accessories while maximizing the viewing of each object individually. It also offers a tripod effect for visual balance. Finally, remember to keep the tallest object in the background and the smaller ones more forward. These concepts may seem a little foreign, but once you start experimenting you will begin to see what works best visually. These rules also hold true for artwork. If you are hanging several small pieces, try grouping them together to make a larger statement.

Scale
One of the biggest mistakes people make is in scale. We will often measure for a sofa or table before making a purchase, but forget to think about it when it comes to purchasing artwork or accessories. And more often than not, the scale is too small. Large artwork and a couple of important coffee table items can make or break a great look in a room. Before you set out shopping, closely scrutinize your room and find the areas that still need the most visual impact. Many new homes have tremendous ceiling height and vertical volume-don't make the mistake of ignoring this area and losing the visual drama it provides. When you have high ceilings try larger pieces of art or try stacking art to lead the eye upward. The same is correct for your coffee table accessories. Add some height here to balance out the vertical volume of the room. Some ideas are large candlesticks or freestanding vases and sculpture.

Conclusion
Adding the finishing touches to your new home is a challenging aspect of design. It is the time to put your stamp on the design, as well as bring the whole picture together. Your first task is to catalog your current accessories and decide what you still want to display, weeding out the items that will not go with your theme. Next, take a look at the big picture-what is your overall design theme and how can you enhance that? Remember, this is the time to polish the look. Survey the room and make note of the focal areas. These are the places where you will put your most important pieces of art and best accessories. You can use less central areas for smaller collections. Group your items following the "rules of thumb" provided, achieving a look of balance while making your personal statement. Finally, keep in mind scale while you are pulling everything together. Don't neglect those large spaces-use them! Take advantage of the ceiling height your new home offers. Overall, work toward a well orchestrated look that makes your personal statement while blending with your overall design theme.

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