Decorating Guides
How to Showcase a Signature Piece in Your Home
Pay attention to backdrop, layout and atmosphere to bring out the best in a favorite design
Whether it’s furniture, lighting, flooring or artwork, a much-loved piece can lift a look in an instant. Try these simple ways to turn your favorite find into the undisputed star of the room.
Narrow the Focus by Limiting Distractions
The enemy of the signature piece is clutter. You don’t want lots of paraphernalia stealing the limelight from your prize buy.
The designers of this kitchen kept the dining area free of everything but the table, chairs and beautiful lighting. What helps here, too, is the use of black and white. A beautiful piece in black set against a white background has maximum impact.
The enemy of the signature piece is clutter. You don’t want lots of paraphernalia stealing the limelight from your prize buy.
The designers of this kitchen kept the dining area free of everything but the table, chairs and beautiful lighting. What helps here, too, is the use of black and white. A beautiful piece in black set against a white background has maximum impact.
Draw Attention With Flowers
The modern console table in this smart hallway comes to the fore thanks to a vase of pretty, top-lit alliums. This signature piece is a subtle one, at first glance blending in like built-in furniture, tucked precisely under the dado. But the flowers make us notice it more, drawing our eye to its Jenga-like base and bold simplicity.
Use floral arrangements to pinpoint your signature item. Try putting them on a fireplace in summer or on a favorite piece of furniture, such as a statement sideboard.
Browse sideboards in the Houzz Shop
The modern console table in this smart hallway comes to the fore thanks to a vase of pretty, top-lit alliums. This signature piece is a subtle one, at first glance blending in like built-in furniture, tucked precisely under the dado. But the flowers make us notice it more, drawing our eye to its Jenga-like base and bold simplicity.
Use floral arrangements to pinpoint your signature item. Try putting them on a fireplace in summer or on a favorite piece of furniture, such as a statement sideboard.
Browse sideboards in the Houzz Shop
Surround a Centerpiece
The hierarchy of features in this living room is unmistakable. The layout of the furniture makes the modern wood-burning stove the undisputed star.
The designer gave it the central role of a more traditional fireplace by gathering the other pieces around it. Color helps achieve this too: In a neutral space, a single black feature will always come to the fore.
Find fireplace and stove professionals on Houzz
The hierarchy of features in this living room is unmistakable. The layout of the furniture makes the modern wood-burning stove the undisputed star.
The designer gave it the central role of a more traditional fireplace by gathering the other pieces around it. Color helps achieve this too: In a neutral space, a single black feature will always come to the fore.
Find fireplace and stove professionals on Houzz
Channel Gallery Style
A little isolation can work wonders for art. This wire sculpture by Debi O’Hehir holds court in a hallway stripped back of all other interest. A niche provides a plinth and spotlighting, while a whitewashed backdrop creates contrast.
Take a cue from exhibitions and how they use staging and lighting to present artifacts to best effect. Foregrounding a single piece like this can carry the decorative interest of a whole room.
A little isolation can work wonders for art. This wire sculpture by Debi O’Hehir holds court in a hallway stripped back of all other interest. A niche provides a plinth and spotlighting, while a whitewashed backdrop creates contrast.
Take a cue from exhibitions and how they use staging and lighting to present artifacts to best effect. Foregrounding a single piece like this can carry the decorative interest of a whole room.
Rock a Bright Shade
Color quickly and easily highlights a signature piece. In this living room, the pink velvet sofa draws the eye immediately. This design also shows that a hero piece needn’t necessarily be surrounded by pale colors and simple forms to make an impact — the room is filled with detail and warm tones. The trick is to be bold enough with your accent shade that it trumps all others — and a fabric that catches the light, like this velvet, helps add to the appeal too.
If a bright sofa is too big and bold for your taste, consider a smaller item, such as a velvet ottoman or a decorative lamp, in a bright accent shade instead.
Find velvet sofas in your favorite color on Houzz
Color quickly and easily highlights a signature piece. In this living room, the pink velvet sofa draws the eye immediately. This design also shows that a hero piece needn’t necessarily be surrounded by pale colors and simple forms to make an impact — the room is filled with detail and warm tones. The trick is to be bold enough with your accent shade that it trumps all others — and a fabric that catches the light, like this velvet, helps add to the appeal too.
If a bright sofa is too big and bold for your taste, consider a smaller item, such as a velvet ottoman or a decorative lamp, in a bright accent shade instead.
Find velvet sofas in your favorite color on Houzz
Let an Image Lift the Mood
Use the colors, beauty and humor of artwork to perk up a room. This piece, hanging in a prime position above the bed, is so inherently joyful that it transforms the space.
Look for something that tones in with your surroundings but that also has an accent shade you can pick out to use on a couple of accessories around the room. The designers of this bedroom referenced the yellow of the dress and umbrella in the wall light, helping not only to tie the look together, but also to boost the vibrancy of the picture.
Browse artwork in a huge range of styles
Use the colors, beauty and humor of artwork to perk up a room. This piece, hanging in a prime position above the bed, is so inherently joyful that it transforms the space.
Look for something that tones in with your surroundings but that also has an accent shade you can pick out to use on a couple of accessories around the room. The designers of this bedroom referenced the yellow of the dress and umbrella in the wall light, helping not only to tie the look together, but also to boost the vibrancy of the picture.
Browse artwork in a huge range of styles
Create Contrast With Concentrated Pattern
In an all-white space, concentrated pattern can be king. This office has a pale color scheme to lift light levels, but on the floor, a patterned rug carries the focus and helps ground the design.
Rugs can be focal points in all sorts of ways besides pattern. Look for deep-pile designs where texture is the point of difference, or unusual shapes that can break up an open-plan space or create a stage for a dining table and chairs.
Tell us: What’s your favorite piece and how do you showcase it? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
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Read other stories about decorating
Look for an interior designer near you on Houzz
Find a signature piece for your living room
In an all-white space, concentrated pattern can be king. This office has a pale color scheme to lift light levels, but on the floor, a patterned rug carries the focus and helps ground the design.
Rugs can be focal points in all sorts of ways besides pattern. Look for deep-pile designs where texture is the point of difference, or unusual shapes that can break up an open-plan space or create a stage for a dining table and chairs.
Tell us: What’s your favorite piece and how do you showcase it? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
More
Read other stories about decorating
Look for an interior designer near you on Houzz
Find a signature piece for your living room
Think about shape. The organic design of this saddle-inspired Louisiana chair and ottoman by Vico Magistretti works its magic because it contrasts with the linear architecture, staircase and shelving around it.
Using shape — rather than color or pattern — as a distinguishing feature creates a point of focus in a calm and sophisticated way. Although most of us may not have fabulous designer pieces like this to play with, we can use the curving lines of a rug, oversize round pillows or French-style bowed furniture to draw the eye in rooms that are predominantly angular.