How to Choose Homewares That Work Together
A piece that looks great online can still feel wrong at home if its size, colour or position doesn't suit the room. These are the decisions worth working through before you buy.
Getting the Size and Scale Right
Scale decides whether a piece looks planned or lost. Before you choose, measure the wall, shelf or surface you're decorating and note what sits around it. For wall art or a mirror above a sofa, bed, buffet or console, a common stylist's rule of thumb is to pick something about two-thirds the width of the furniture below. Much narrower and it tends to look lost. Much wider and it overpowers the piece underneath.
To check a size before you commit, mark the outline on the wall with masking tape. Or cut a sheet of paper to the same dimensions and stick it up. Look at it from the doorway and from where you usually sit. It takes a few minutes and is the simplest way to avoid a piece that turns out smaller than you pictured.
Tabletop decor works the same way. One small vase on a long buffet usually disappears. Instead, either choose a single taller piece or group two or three home decor items of different heights. Odd-numbered groups tend to look relaxed, while matching pairs suit formal, symmetrical spots such as either end of a mantel. On a deep lounge, larger cushions look more in proportion. Smaller cushions are better suited to armchairs and occasional chairs.
Choosing Between Wall Art and a Mirror
Both can fill the same wall, but they do different jobs. A mirror bounces light around and makes an entry, hallway or small room feel more open. Art brings colour and gives the eye a place to rest. Before you settle on a wall mirror, stand where it will hang and look at what it will reflect. A window, a pendant light or a favourite piece of furniture works well, but the kitchen bench or a busy corner doesn't. Opposite a west-facing window, a mirror can also throw strong glare across the room on summer afternoons.
The finish matters too. Crushed diamond mirrors add a sparkle that suits a glamorous or formal room, but in an uncluttered space a simpler frame usually fits in better. Most of our acrylic wall art is printed directly onto a 5mm clear acrylic board with no frame. Check the wall you have in mind for glare from windows and downlights before you hang it. If an LED mirror appeals, find out how it's powered and how close the nearest power point is.
What Colours and Textures Go With What You Already Have?
Start with what's already in the room. Your largest surfaces should set the colour palette, usually the floor, the sofa, any existing rug and the main timber or stone finish. Pick two or three colours from them and repeat each one at least twice. For example, repeat a colour in a cushion and a print, or in a vase and a rug. Repetition is what makes a set of separate pieces look planned.
In a mostly neutral room, texture does the job colour would otherwise do. Mixing smooth and textured, glossy and matte keeps a cream and grey scheme from feeling flat. It's worth matching metal tones as well. If your coffee, side or console table has a metal finish, repeating that tone in a tray, candle holder or mirror frame links the decor back to the furniture. Examples include the Champagne Gold and Gunmetal Black finishes used on several of our living room pieces.
Either approach has a trade-off. A tightly matched scheme looks calm and tidy but can feel like a display home. A looser mix feels more personal but slides into clutter when every piece competes for attention. If you're unsure, keep the colours tight and let shapes and textures vary.
Which Cushions and Rugs Work for Your Household?
Cushions are leaned on and moved around every day, so think about who uses the room. If you share your home with a pet, as 73% of Australian households do, the fabric matters. Smooth, tightly woven fabrics are easier to brush clean than textured weaves, which can catch claws. Patterned or mid-tone fabrics also hide fur and marks better than very pale or very dark plain ones. Look for removable covers if spills are likely.
Rugs, which sit in our separate cushions and rugs range, need a little more homework. Australia's mandatory care labelling standard doesn't cover floor coverings, so a rug may not come with cleaning instructions. Ask how to care for it before you buy. In a living room, choose a rug large enough for at least the front legs of your sofa and chairs to sit on it. Under a dining table, the rug should be big enough that the chairs stay on it when pulled out. On tiled or timber floors, a rug also adds warmth underfoot in winter.
The last check is safety. About half of all falls happen in and around the home. NSW Health advises removing loose rugs or making sure they're firmly secured and have slip-resistant backing. Its checklist is written for older people, so this matters most if an older family member lives with you.
Artificial Plants or Real Ones
Artificial plants earn their place where real ones struggle: dim corners, high shelves, rooms with little natural light or homes where nobody has time to water. They can also suit a home where mould is a concern. The National Asthma Council lists removing indoor pot plants, which encourage mould growth, among the steps that may reduce mould exposure.
They still need some care. Artificial leaves gather dust and need a regular wipe or shake, and in strong direct sun their colours can fade over time. Real plants also have the edge on atmosphere. In a small study of 30 adults, participants rated real plants as more comfortable, natural and relaxing to look at than artificial ones. A good balance for many homes is a real plant in the brightest spot you can look after, with artificial greenery in the places a living plant wouldn't last. When comparing options, look closely at the leaf edges, stems and colour variation in the photos. Those details are what make an artificial plant look convincing. Height matters too. Under the National Construction Code, the minimum ceiling height for habitable rooms other than kitchens is 2.4m. Some of our trees stand 2.5m or taller, so measure your ceiling before you choose one.
Common Questions About Homewares
What Are Homewares?
Homewares are the items that furnish and finish a home beyond its main furniture, such as cushions, rugs, wall art, mirrors, vases, ornaments, plants, candle holders and serveware. The term is broad, and homewares in Australia can cover anything from kitchenware to purely decorative pieces. Our range is mostly on the decorative side, plus a few serving pieces such as decanter and jug sets, trays and lazy Susans. You might choose homewares once the larger furniture is in place, though a rug or artwork you love can also set a room's colours.
Where to Buy Unique Home Decor Pieces Online?
Unique pieces usually come from retailers that design or import their own ranges, not those reselling the same mass-market stock. We're designers and direct importers, with many pieces designed in-house, so our range includes exclusive designs. Plenty of sites sell home decor in Australia. Wherever you shop, check that each listing gives dimensions and clear photos, ideally with the piece shown in a room for scale. A distinctive piece is only worth it if it suits your space, so measure first.
What Is Home Decor?
Home decor, or home decoration, covers the things you add to a room mainly for how it looks and feels: art, mirrors, cushions, rugs, plants, vases, ornaments and lighting. It overlaps with homewares but leaves out purely practical items such as kitchenware. Good decor works with what's already in the room, repeating its colours and suiting its scale. That's why the same vase can look right in one home and out of place in another. Start with one larger anchor piece, such as a mirror, artwork or rug, then add smaller home accessories around it.
Need Help Choosing?
Browse the collection with your measurements handy, and picture each piece next to what's already in your room. If you'd like a second opinion on size, colour or how a few pieces will work together, get in touch with our design team and tell us about your space. At Adore Home Living, we'd rather help you choose the right piece than sell you the wrong one.