Professional Documents
Culture Documents
April 2015
Volume 5, Issue 2
TRAY Bien!
Using Trays to Create Beautiful Vignettes
By Myrna Everett
Home Vogue Interiors
I love trays, they are the most useful decorating tool I
have ever found. So many of the accessories in our
homes can start to accumulate on horizontal surfaces
and end up looking junky. For some reason, placing
little collections of objects we love on a tray gives
them unity and importance.
Tabletops and night stands tend to get messy as we
pile things on, but using trays can help coral the
clutter and make it all look well designed. Other
surfaces, such as dining tables can look a little barren
unless you add a little something. Try this formula
for a perfect vignette every time.
1. Grab a Tray
I keep using the word tray, but really, any base will
work, a traditional tray, a basket with low sides, a
baking dish with a vintage flair, a platter or even a
stack of books that create a focal point.
2. Add Height
Once you have established the perimeters with your
tray, add something with height. Orchids are
exquisite, but any plant will do, or get creative with
your accessories and find a tall piece with interesting
lines that can become
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the focal point.
3. Add Texture or
Shine
This element is critical,
youll want to use
something like a twine
or moss ball, a mirrored
box, something glass or
a vintage magnifying
glass. Anything that
appears touchable
4. Give it a Glow
Seriously, keep
things simple and
add a candle. We all
love them and they
are easy to come by;
they add that special
something to
every focal point.
Whatever you use to
create your tray
bien, make the
objects things you
love and rearrange
them periodically to
keep it fresh.
Home
ogue
Phone 619-260-8400
www.homevogueinteriors.com
E-mail: info@homevogue.com
Metallics. Metallics,
especially gold and other
warm options (like brass
and bronze), are important
in expanding any color
scheme without its feeling
overloaded.
The
undertones and lustrous
finishes will add depth to your palette without reading as color.
Navy. Blue, as far as true hues go, is possibly the most neutral, as it is the color we
see in the sky every day and thus almost expect to see in our indoor spaces. Noble
navy is especially neutral
and will never go out of
fashion, making it a perfect
starting place to expand a
color palette
.
Tip: A n
inky navy
p a i n t
treatment
on a door
or built-in
Meredith Heron Design
unit adds
color that
feels seamlessly integrated into the architecture.
The timelessness of navy also makes it an excellent choice for
colored upholstery, as it will coordinate with new schemes down
the road, making accessories pop without demanding attention.
Home
ogue
Phone 619-260-8400
www.homevogueinteriors.com
E-mail: info@homevogue.com
Pale green. Muted greens are another trendy (yet classic) near-neutral. Green is such a strong
color in nature that were accustomed to seeing it paired with virtually every other hue, making it
an excellent way to add life without creating strong contrast. Look to Benjamin Moores Color of
the Year, Guilford Green, as a great example.
A. Rejeanne Interiors
Mint. For an even fresher and more modern near-neutral, try a pale mint shade (between blue and
green) that reads almost as gray. It makes wood tones sing and helps white trim look especially
crisp.
Choose a family. If you want to add a few more hues
but dont want the palette to feel overwhelming, keep
in mind that colors in a single saturation family will
appear more harmonious. In other words, choosing
all pastels or all jewel tones colors that all have the
same degree of richness will keep the palette
looking logical and not overstimulating.
Failla Design
Home
ogue
Phone 619-260-8400
www.homevogueinteriors.com
E-mail: info@homevogue.com