We actually get this question pretty often so we thought it was about time that we broke down what home decor objects we find ourselves grabbing all the time when it comes to adding style to a dining or console table and even a fireplace mantel or the kitchen counter. So without further ado, a roundup of foolproof tabletop classics:
1. A cake stand. This handy accessory can be used to create charming dining centerpieces (topped with everything from fruit to holiday decor) or even a sweet display on your kitchen counter (with fresh cupcakes or even a collection of ceramic faux fruit).
Find it on the cheap at: Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, World Market and HomeGoods.
2. Vase filler. We like to think outside the potpurri or polished stones box for this category. Some of our favorite vase fillers around here are collected matchbooks from restaurants we’ve enjoyed, wine corks that provide some nice neutral texture, woven orbs that we snagged at Target for less than $4, some simple brown rice with a nice pillar candle in the middle, and even ornaments for some seasonal bling.
Find it on the cheap at: well, matchbooks can hail from restaurants (for free) while wine corks can be collected at home (or by friends and family members- my mom and a good friend are our best “suppliers”- again for free). You can also try places like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, and HomeGoods for woven orbs and other decorative vase filling options.
3. Glass cylinder vases. We love loading them up with all of our favorite vase fillers above. We discovered they were amazingly diverse after we grabbed a bunch at Michael’s for our backyard wedding (and kept dragging them out of storage to display other collections over the years).
Find them on the cheap at: Michael’s, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, garage sales and thrift stores.
4. Glass hurricanes. These are another staple when it comes to adding some height, texture, and gleaming airy style to any surface (from the console table near the front door to our dining table and beyond).
Find it on the cheap at: Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods and Walmart.
5. A decorative storage box. Be it lacquered or even white cardboard from Ikea, these babies are super versatile and functional (they can keep anything from receipts to TV remotes out of sight).
Find it on the cheap at: Ikea, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, West Elm and Crate & Barrel.
6. Sleek white planters. We have a bunch of them from Ikea all over our house, and at just a dollar a pop they’re definitely a huge bang for your buck. Nothing makes a room feel fresher than a nice green plant in a sleek white goes-with-anything planter. And the subtle striped and petaled detailing that Ikea adds is the icing on the cake.
Find it on the cheap at: Ikea, Target, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods.
7. A small colorful vase. We have a pink one from Crate & Barrel that looks amazing with backyard blooms (especially anything in the white or pink category) and we also grabbed a similar light green one and a light pink one at Ikea, which even work when it comes to setting the table with style.
Find it on the cheap at: Crate & Barrel, Ikea, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, Walmart, Pier1, World Market, garage sales and thrift stores.
8. Ceramic animals. Ok, so this is definitely in the quirky category, but I adore some tabletop interest in the form of sleek white creatures like birds, horses, and even rhinos.
Find it on the cheap at: Z Gallerie, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, garage sales, eBay, Craigslist, and thrift stores (you can even spray paint them white if they don’t originally come that way).
9. Decorative cups, mugs, or planters. We use these to store everything from pens on our desk to cotton balls in the bathroom.
Find it on the cheap at: Target, Ikea, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, World Market and Pier 1.
10. Lidded glass jars. Whether they’re full of clothespins in our laundry nook or vacation momentos in our sunroom, glass jars of all sizes are super affordable and perfect for displaying everyday items in a fresh and polished way.
Find it on the cheap at: Target, Michael’s, Walmart, eBay, garage sales and thrift stores.
11. Green wine bottles & colorful vases. We love recycling wine and Pellegrino bottles to create free green vases which we mix with a few blue glass vases and votives on a tray to create a grouping that’s cheap and easy- but looks like stunning 3-D stained glass.
Find it on the cheap at: well, the wine bottles come free with the purchase of wine (and can even be hunted down at a local wine store that does tastings- they’re usually happy to dole out their empties on the house). The colorful glass vases can be found everywhere from Target, Marshall’s, and HomeGoods to TJ Maxx, Ikea, Pier 1 and Crate & Barrel.
12. Stacks of hardcover books. Just take off the plastic-y paper covers and let those pretty fabric spines steal the show.
Find it on the cheap at: Barnes & Noble’s clearance section, a used book store, garage sales, thrift stores, eBay and amazon.com.
13. Textured candle holders. We adore this lotus flower ceramic version that we grabbed for just a few bucks at HomeGoods and the mercury glass ZGallerie guys that we also picked up on the cheap.
Find it on the cheap at: ZGallerie, Pier 1, HomeGoods, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, Walmart, thrift stores and garage sales.
14. Fabric runners. We love breaking up all the wood in our rectangular dining table with this dead ringer for a pricey Potter Barn version (we snagged ours for less than $9 at Target). And two colorful runners displayed in the opposite direction are always fun too. We even use swatches of rough burlap fabric (no sewing required) when it comes to accessorizing our console table for everything from Thanksgiving to Halloween.
Find it on the cheap at: Target, fabric stores, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, World Market, Walmart, HomeGoods and garage sales.
15. Candlesticks of all varieties. From white ceramic lovelies and clear crystal ones to mercury glass versions we’re all about having a slew of candlesticks on hand. They always look pretty en masse on a dining table- or even a coffee table- and they can also serve as seasonal decor for Christmas (just pop some ornaments on top in lieu of candles) or Halloween (melt red candle wax down white taper candles a la Martha Stewart for a goulish & bloody effect).
Find it on the cheap at: Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, Z Gallerie, eBay, thrift stores and garage sales.
16. Faux shells. From the jumbo fake clam shell that we use as a fruit bowl in the kitchen to the smaller faux versions where we store jewelry or bathroom accessories, we just can’t get enough of this beachy look. And of course we love light and airy capiz shell frames and even a few other shell varieties to serve as everything from book ends to side table accessories.
Find it on the cheap at: Z Gallerie, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, eBay, Kohl’s and HomeGoods.
17. Something personal. We love wood block printing letters like these, or even an initial leaning against a window ledge for interest in a space
Find it on the cheap at: flea markets (where we got our wood block letters), Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Target, HomeGoods, Crate & Barrel, Anthropologie and Pottery Barn (where we picked up our P).
So that’s a little roundup of our favorite go-to tabletop accessories. But what about you guys? Do you have any others on your must-have list?
Tiffany says
You’d be surprised that you can find a lot of glass vases and hurricanes at dollar stores like Dollar Tree. I snatched up a bunch identical to the one holding the candle on your dining table.
RJ says
Great list and examples! Your accessories are all so fun and fresh! But I have to say, I will never grasp the idea of buying random books just to use as display… but maybe because I’m such an avid reader I’m always trying to purge books I already own to bring new ones in?! *lol*
Jenni says
I saw a neat idea for vase fillers when I was at a bridal luncheon this weekend at a Tea Room. They had a hurricane vase filled with about 4 or 5 tea cups sort of zig-zag stacked on top of each other. It was such a cute and casual way to display dainty and traditional items.
Gloria Ruff says
Great ideas! Thank you for consolidating them into one post…very helpful!
Vicki says
Nice post! I look forward to graduating from uni and then I can really start collecting some great things like these. Love the cake stands! Have yet to find any decent ones in England.
Just one thing, would be nice to see some new pictures, some of them get a little repetitive, particularly when you use the same one twice in one blog post!
candace @ thecandace.com says
Your vignettes and tablescapes are what made me fall in love with this blog (and walk away soooo inspirted). Loved this post!!
Danielle says
Hi…i just discovered your blog and love love love it already! We just bought a new house so I am so looking forward to using some of your ideas to decorate the place.
One thing i learned today though is to make sure I read all the comments so I don’t ask the same question someone else (or 5 others) have already asked :) Guess that comes with the territory with being so popular :)
Kelsi @ Modern Mom Redefined says
You guys are so inspiring with how well you repurpose items.
In regards to Amy’s question… I have the SAME bottle. I LOVE the look of it but I can’t pump anything out of it, either. I use Dr. Bronner’s but I guess I don’t add enough water? How much do you add? (If you even know rather than just eyeballing it!) I am worried that it won’t clean enough if I dilute it too much. (With a 3 year old boy… clean is a rare thing so I milk it when I can!!) Also, we pump it like 20 times and then it will come out… but we have to work it for a while. Are we the only ones?? Thnx!!
Jocelyn Stott says
Really awesome post. I am happy to report I already have many of those items – yay!
Lyndsey says
I could look at pictures of your home all day. They’re so clean and calm and full without being cluttered. Lovely!
Claudia says
I need a cake plate. A cute one. I have a set of three stackable silver plates but they don’t go with my red/honey hues dining room/kitchen. Any suggestions for a light colored cake plate?
Gld2Bme says
The rhino…THE RHINO!!!!!!!!! Where, oh where, did you find the Rhino!?1?!?!? I collect them…and white ceramic animals…and have yet to find a white ceramic Rhino. He is glorious. Glorious. My heart beats wildly for you and has a little twinge of green!!! Beautiful1
Jessica says
Kohl’s has large wooden letters for hanging or leaning on a shelf and they’re often on sale for about $5: http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/furnitureandhomedecor/walldecor/metalwoodwalldecor/PRD~c14221/Wordsworth+Hanging+Letter+Wall+Decor.jsp
We’re by no means baby proofing experts but here’s what’s worked for us and our daughter, who’s almost 1. We didn’t baby proof the master bedroom. We keep the door closed during the day so it’s fairly easy to keep an eye on her the few minutes that she’s in there. In the living room, she can’t get to one of the end tables, because the arms of the couch and chair form a barrier. We keep framed photos, bowls of candy, stone coasters and other baby unfriendly items on it. As far as decoration, we have a couple of shelves mounted on the wall, well out of her reach. We also have a cabinet/book shelf in the corner that has glass doors that my father made for me when I was about 10. Thankfully he used strong magnets to keep the doors closed and so far our daughter hasn’t figured out how to open it. Our dining room table has a runner on it, but it only overhangs by a few inches and as long as the chairs are pushed in, it’s mostly blocked.
Lori H says
I can only add that I use slices of a small cedar tree to my fall or winter decor. Smell great and look pretty. Now, how on earth do you have so many burro tails or whatever they are called. I found one straggly one at our Home Depot (they call it a burrito) and soon killed it. What is your secret?
Carolyn says
Some great ideas there. So now on to babyproofing – stop rolling your eyes..yes another comment about babyproofing!! :) our daughter has become quite the decorator at almost 17 months. Three random pegs and a pen display in the printer (glad I found it before using the printer!) a lovely duplo display on the lower shelves of our large bookcase etc. Practically speaking, I’ve dedicated the lower shelves of said bookcase to her books. She can grab her books and make duplo displays till her little heart is content.
I love the glass container and table runner ideas too. No table runners dangling off the edges here for now, but I have started a little glass jar display on top of our half bookcases in the entryway. Thankfully, she can’t get to them (yet!) so they are safe for now. I just recycle any pretty glass jars we have (old coffee jars etc) and group them together.
As a side note, I’m not understanding the idea of removing the dust jackets from hardcover books. The jackets are there to protect the books for the long haul! I don’t know how much hardcovers cost in the US, but they are expensive here. I know you mentioned second hand bookstores, but with a husband who is an avid reader, he buys books for the content rather than how pretty they might be.
Anyway, after my looong comment, please don’t think I am trying to tear you down or that I am being malicious (really, that’s not my intent). Some of the ideas are great for non baby, non reader households. With your beautiful daughter about to become more active and curious in the coming months (as she should!), I would say don’t focus on your house being magazine perfect. I understand not wanting it to be chaotic, but you’ll drive yourselves crazy trying to get everything just so!
christie says
so i was in pier 1 a couple days ago and saw a little white ceramic mouse and cheese salt and pepper shaker set. it made me think of you guys! don’t know if you’ve seen it, but i thought it was very cute.
Paula/adhocmom says
This comes from a table topless mother. I love all of this stuff. I’m a big fan of piles of books, glass hurricanes, etc. But we’ve just realized we are sick to death of moving everything last minute before our 2.5 year old topples it to the ground. ANY ideas for stuff that isn’t glass and doesn’t have sharp edges, small parts etc. etc. I know, I’m a total decor kill joy.
Paula
YoungHouseLove says
Paula & Carolyn- We look forward to babyproofing as Clara grows and gets more mobile and we plan to tackle it the same way we tackle everything else- by learning as we go! Stay tuned as we search high and low for baby-safe accessories and items that can keep the house feeling like “us” without falling into the totally impractical category. Because if there’s one thing we love it’s a casual look that’s jam packed with function! Every inch of our house has to work effortlessly for us or it’s the victim of our next makeover!
Christie- So cute! We’ll have to check them out. Thanks for the heads up!
Lori H- Maybe they like the low light in our house? We also only give them a smidge of water once a week so that might help (they’re succulents so they’ll die if you overwater them). Good luck!
Jessica- Thanks for the babyproofing comments! We love remembering that every baby is different (and yours sounds quite sweet!) so we anxiously await the time when we’ll realize what “kind” of baby Clara is! Time will tell!
Gld2Bme- The glorious white ceramic rhino hails from zgallerie.com. Hope it helps!
Claudia- Perhaps you can find a cake plate that works with the colors in your kitchen online (like on eBay for example?). Otherwise maybe the stores we listed in the post will have some options for you? Happy hunting…
Kelsi- We add about 40% water, which is what many of our Dr. Bronner loving friends use as well. Seems to clean well that way without gumming up the pump. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
paige renee says
This is probably one of my favorite posts yet…but I do usually think that about once a week. :)
I really like all of the fun table settings you included. I am always switching up our table and love to see the ways others do it too!
Jessica Catherine says
This is stupid, but while flipping through the pretty pictures of this post, I saw the one with the cups of your initials and then I realized that if you put S for Sherry and then J for John and then P for Petersik, your initials are SJP. Sarah Jessica Parker. Haha like I said stupid, but I just wanted to inform you
Anyways, I love you blog, your daughter, Clara, and dog, Burger, are freaking adorable and kidnapping worthy. (don’t worry, just an expression).
Jessica Catherine
YoungHouseLove says
Not stupid at all, Jessica Catherine – we’ve thought that too!
-SJP
Leigh says
I love this post! Thank you so much for all the helpful ideas. I already incorporate a lot of these things in my home. I read through the comments and noticed you said you like table runners on round tables. I’m so glad someone else asked that question. I have been wanting a table runner for my round table, but haven’t bitten the bullet. Now it’s YHL approved, looks like I’m going shopping!
One question, what is the thing beside your tv that looks like it’s glowing?
YoungHouseLove says
Leigh- It’s a salt lamp. Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/03/good-to-glow/
Hannah S- We actually removed the back of the bookcase because it was creased and shoddy looking and painted the wall behind the bookcase itself. Here’s that post for ya. As for colors, anything from a soft gray to a brighter yellow or golden wheat color would look lovely- even a soft mocha would be a nice accent. Hope it helps!
Samantha- How about some dried uncooked beans, or even some softly fragrant deep chocolate coffee beans? There are lots of other ideas, just look around the kitchen or your grocery store. Good luck!
Allio- Since the room is so neutral you can go many directions, aside from the punchy lime green that we chose, you can go with a clementine orange color, a violet or a gray-blue, and even a teal tone. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah S. says
I noticed in one of you pictures you have a white bookcase that looks blue on the inside…did you paint the backing or did you buy this way? I just bought some cheap bookcases from ikea and I was thinking about painting that cardboard-ish piece before nailing it to the back. They are black bookcases and are set against a Benjamin Moore Acadia White (similiar to Sand White) wall and my other walls nearby are Hawthorne Yellow. Any suggestions on what I should pain them on the inside??? Thanks!
Brittnee Hallman says
The lotus votive you have is similar to my rose votive! I found it at Marshall’s for $4! It goes great with any mixing of decor accessories! :)
Madigan says
Thank you for the great ideas! I love hurricanes (and apothecary jars) for decorating. It is so simple to change the contents for the season. For ‘seasonless’ I like using beans (coffee or dried in different colors).
Your collection of little vases is darling! Great pops of color.
Kristin - Australia says
I LOVE this post! So many fabulous ideas – definitely one of my fave posts of yours ever. So funny that I never noticed your little white planters before – here in Oz, on the other side of the world, I am nursing my own little obsession with the exact same planters!! I currently have them in the bathroom holding cotton balls and buds :) They look amazing on our new clear glass and chrome shelves.
Keep up the great work guys – it seriously amazes me how much you two can do with such a little baby (I was barely able to make it out of my PJs when my gorgeous boy was that age!!)
K xo
Samantha @ Mama Notes says
I needed this post. I have been trying to find a good centerpiece for out kitchen table. Right now we just have a little candle and it looks so stupid ha! I always pass those glass containers at Target and I never know what to do with them!
I think I will try what you did, with some fun things in the bottom and a big candle. I love having a candle on the table. Hmm what else could I fill the bottom of a big glass jar with, around the candle?
Amanda W. says
Hi Sherry,
Just wanted to tell you how helpful and fun this post was! Also, thanks for having pics of Clara- they are too fun! It gets me excited about having kids someday (me and the hubby have been married 3 yrs…maybe soon? :) ) You are doing a great job with being a new mom and keeping up the website and know how much we love your decorating (and John’s too!) :)
Liz says
To find glass jars for a steal, you could also try your local hardware store (not Home Depot/Lowes). I get all my canning jars there and it’s the cheapest place I’ve found so far. For anyone on the eastside of Los Angeles, try Baller Hardware on Hyperion – it’s where I go.
Kathleen says
THIS is the post I need—as one who lacks confidence in her own decorating ability, I LOVE seeing all these ideas together, because I see things that I can use in my home for little or no money! Love it~
Lauren says
Hey Sherry! Where did you get that mirrored shelf that has your monogramed mugs on it? I looked at your source list…but don’t see it there. I know you have the subway station signs above the toilet…but looking at the reflection I can see your shower curtain. Maybe this is a new/old picture? Anyhow, would love to know where you got it from! TIA
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
That was from Bed Bath & Beyond for $12 on clearance. It was actually labeled as a “CD shelf” but we loved that it was white and mirrored so we filled it with bathroom stuff instead of CDs!
xo,
s
Karen says
Love this post, as I do most of your posts! But I’m really looking forward to how you’ll accessorize once your beautiful baby girl is on the move! That will be a real challenge for you :)
Cara says
Great suggestions and photos, as usual! I can’t help but notice that most (if not all) of your books on display have the dust jackets removed. I prefer that looks as well but I never know what to do with the jackets. Do you store them in some clever way or just toss ’em? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Cara,
We toss them! No need to hang onto something we don’t like!
xo,
s
Rachael says
I love this list! My mother always said I should own stock in the TJMaxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls – I could live there! One additional item thats one of my favs – pitchers (they’re not just for OJ anymore!) work well around our place for flowers, shelf decor, and at the table. Great finds at garage sales, thrift stores, etc. and come in so many shapes, colors, sizes. My current obsession hails from our Pier 1 clearance center.
Lauren (in PA) says
Fun Ideas!
One idea that crossed my mind, with the letters (initials), you can also get them plain in wood, or cardboard and decorate as you wish,with paint or scrapbook paper and can be cute, DIY and inexpensive all at the same time!
Kristen says
Love the post! Where did you find your wreath in #4?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a clearance find from Pottery Barn. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Anna says
I love the idea of using white ceramic figures! I was wondering where you got your tv stand?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from Target. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Brittnee Hallman says
YHL,
I just noticed that your couch has an over hang of fabric at the bottom. Is this a slip cover or just the way the couch was purchased? If in fact it is a slip cover, would you happen to know where I could find a cheap one at for a sleeper sofa? TIA!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Brittnee,
Both of our sofas were purchased with custom slipcovers on them (we didn’t get them at the store or retrofit them). We’ve found that you can find cheap slipcovers at places like Target & Bed Bath & Beyond but they rarely look very fitted or polished or you can spend around $400-$600 to get a custom one made (which seems a bit crazy since that’s nearly the cost of a whole sofa). We know that’s not very good news at all but slipcovers are hard! We always suggest googling around to see if you can find a tutorial so you can attempt to whip one up yourself (or beg a friend or family member who’s great at sewing for some help). That seems to be the way to go when it comes to getting a polished and custom look without breaking the bank. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erin @ Letter Soup says
This is a great list! I especially love the ideas that are both cute and functional, like the white, remote-hider box and the lidded jars.
As a summer activity with my kids, we’re reusing baby food jars to make an alphabet collection. http://tinyurl.com/39voo43 Unfortunately some of our choices have not been very decorative. (An arm broken off of a Han Solo action figure…)
devon says
Great post. Where did you find the rectangular tray that you placed on the top of your toilet tank? It is exactly what I need. Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Target! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Gemma says
I love this post, is so creative and lots of ideas that I love. We live in a very small rented apartment at the moment and is sometimes a struggle to make things pretty! One of my favourites is in our bathroom, we have a little wooden tray (Ikea wooden soap dish!) with lots of different shells we have collected on our travels. We also collect corks (Champagne and assorted fizz)that we write the dates and event names of special occasions on (eg anniversaries and birthdays). However at the mo they are not so prettily decorating a window ledge so I may use one of your suggestions to display them when we move (to a hopefully bigger location- with more storage!)
Good post guys
Jessica says
Walked into Marshalls today and there (as if sent straight from YHL) were three perfect wide glass cylinders (from #3 in your incredible list above) sitting on the shelf waiting for me. Did I mention that each one is a different size? And that the total cost was about $17? Thank you for the detail you pour into your blog. It’s design therapy. What’s not to love?!
Anna, Sydney says
Question, dear young ones.
On #12, when you remove the book covers, do you toss them out, or file them away?
Great post, thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Anna from Sydney,
In most cases we just discard the book covers and so far we haven’t ever regretted it!
-John
Renee says
The photo of the collection of white tapers on the coffee table: Are those a special kind of candle or did you do something creative to make the wax drops colored? Love That Look!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually burned a red candle so the wax dripped down the white tapers like blood. Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/and-now-from-some-halloween-fun/
xo,
s
MiMi says
Hi
Where did you get those beautiful green table runners? BTW Clara is so cute and her room is adorable, congratulations to you both.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey MiMi- They’re from Pottery Barn (on clearance a while back). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lily says
I love your site! Thanks for the many helpful ideas — I’ve been going around applying that rule of three to the rooms around here, and it’s so useful.
As a writer and a reader, I thought I’d put in a plug for saving the covers of your books. Should you happen to acquire something that’s a first edition (for example, we began reading the Harry Potter books beginning with the first one, before anyone had really noticed how great it was, and so they are all first editions), its value plummets when you remove the cover. Also, much thought goes into the covers of books — particularly literary fiction, cookbooks, design books, and fine nonfiction — and it seems like a shame to throw those kinds of covers away. Many of them are really beautiful. When I was in my twenties, in English graduate school, I did indeed throw all the covers of my books out. And now, having just turned fifty, I do regret it.
YoungHouseLove says
Good to know Lily! We definitely support everyone living the way they like to, and saving anything that has meaning to them. Thanks for the tip for any book collectors (or future book collectors who don’t know it yet)!
xo,
s
jennifer f says
ok I know I’m a little late in responding here…but I absolutely love this post. I have a few of these items already, but most I don’t!!! I’ve def added them to my bday and xmas lists. This may seem like a stupid question, but about how many of each of these items do you suggest? Like, should I get a bunch of those glass cyclinder vases? or are 2 enough? And what about the hurricanes? Should I get sets? Or just individual ones? I know your rule of 3 for grouping, and I’ve noticed at places like pottery barn, things like vases or glass jars or candle sticks come in 3 sizes. So, for a medium size house (4-3 bedroom house with 2 living spaces) how many vases, candle stick sets, etc do I need? And should they be the same? Or maybe have a few different sets of 3 candlesticks. Thanks (can you tell I’m type A :-)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a good question! Maybe start with one of each and then collect more as you go (for example, if you see another cylinder vase that’s slightly larger or smaller grab it for a more layered and collected-over-time effect? You’ll probably get the most bang for your buck by collecting one of each thing (for a ton of possible combinations when using them together) and then building your collection from there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jennifer f says
thanks for the fast response :-) you don’t think it will look too mis matched and uncoordinated if I have a grouping of different sizes and styles of the same thing?
YoungHouseLove says
Usually if things are the same shape and the same material (ex: glass cylinder vases) they look good in a variety of sizes. Although you can always snag one or two or even three of each thing if you have the resources and want a perfectly balanced look. We just collect things over time because we’re cheap and not used to buying a ton of things at once. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah says
First of all, your blog is my bible when it comes to decorating our first house!
My favorite vase filler which I didn’t see on your list is definitely whole coffee beans. You can just buy one bag at the grocery store and reuse them in a clear vase, or even in a tray with some candles. It looks surprisingly elegant, and smells nice too!
Whitney says
I just found this post, and I love it! One question – the hurricanes with the silver ornaments in #2 – can you tell me about how tall they are? I’ve seen them in some of your other posts and they always look perfectly proportioned for table settings, etc. Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
They’re around 12″ tall. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jennifer f says
I’m finally getting closer to having all of the “tabletop essentials” LOL. I’m currently loving a bunch of PB candlesticks (mercury ones, clear glass ones), but am not sure how much and how many to get. I see above you say to have a “slew” of them, but what does that mean? Most of these candlesticks come in groupings of 3 or 4 (since 3 is the magig number). But is it ok to have 3 of each? I don’t feel like that flows well when doing a mantel or something…I can see having 3 on one side, but then would need something else. So..what are your thoughts? How can I mix and match candlesticks, and how many of each kind, and how many kinds do you recommend?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so hard because there are probably 100 right answers and not just one perfect formula. We have tons of different candlesticks that are flexible and fun, so I’d recommend three on one side (one small, one med, and one large clear glass one) and then another two for the other side of the mantel (perhaps of the same size and made of mercury glass). It’s easier to cluster varied heights and materials. Good luck!
xo,
s
Michele Bautista says
I love, love, love the ottoman…I know you mentioned you got it at TJ Maxx…how long ago? Who is the designer/brand…I really would love it for my family room!
I also love your creative ideas…Thanks for sharing!
Michele
YoungHouseLove says
Sadly there aren’t any designer names on it. We go it about 1.5 to 2 years ago. Hope it helps!
xo,
s