The Golden Mean Truth of Accessorizing

Various sized frames, a pair of candlesticks, organic material, different textures, shapes and sizes gives my living room table interest and a sense of balance.



The proportions of my Foo Dogs with this large vase is a nice example of a Golden Mean. Notice the texture I added to the vase by hanging organic beads and an old chain from it.



My lamp in front of a map of Rome helps to create a story, and allows the framed map to be a part of the vignette on the credenza. Wall art and table top accessories should be grouped together.


The amount of space between my Chinese deities are another example of the Golden Mean, while the turquoise beads in a bowl are placed near one figurine, also note, the height of the figure to the bowl of stones.


So I've been wanting to post about home accessorizing for some time now, because I think it's a very important element that a lot of people forget or just are afraid of doing when decorating their home. Over the years while working as a designer, I've found that there are several reasons why people do not put the effort into accessorizing; Some are afraid of over cluttering, while others just don't know how to mix and match and how to place decorative objects within a living space, and I think some are just down right lazy and don't want to take the time to collect things, as others don't accessorize because it may be unaffordable for them, which is understandable since home accessories really should be a large bulk of your decorating budget. Accessories brings atmosphere and drama to the interior, and helps to warm the home, its also an expression of who you are, the same as the clothing you wear! Accessorizing is serious art people and here is the the Golden Mean truth of it!

As much of our knowledge came to us from ancient civilizations, modern architecture and design also have been influenced by those who came before us. The ancient Greeks devised a formula for placement of objects, lengths and heights of buildings and columns, proportions of sculpture, art, etc. - based on proportions of the human body and its locations of features. They felt neither a point half the length or height nor one at a third or two thirds were satisfying, but that point between one third and one half, or between one half and two thirds was satisfying. This point came to be knows as the "Golden Mean." OK. I hope your still with me here. I know! Who knew that accessorizing can be so difficult right?

The following is for all you technical thinkers.
So, to arrive at the location of the Gold Mean on a wall, table, frame or proportion of and object mathematically, multiply the length, height or width by .5833 for the point farthest, highest or uppermost on object, or .4166 for the point nearest or lowest on object.

The following is for all you non technical thinkers.
Just eyeball the damn thing!

My point is, don't be too afraid and too lazy to accessorize! Collect objects on your vacations such as bowls of seashells, pieces of gnarled wood, and bring fresh flowers into the home. Remember to mix textures and colors together, and combine various shapes and sizes to the installation.
If your still confused about this formula, find a nautilus shell, and study the shape and proportions of the curved organic shape, because this miracle of a shell is the perfect, scientific example of the Golden Mean...Happy Accessorizing!