338 ACCESSORIES

Accessories should be acquired gradually, in order to allow time
to find the most effective object for the special place where it is
to be used. Almost all accessories have some functional as well
as esthetic value, but usually a few articles are chosen which
justify their existence by their beauty and mental stimuli alone.
Variety is a source of pleasure in accessories; they might well
differ in size, height, texture, color, age, period, cost, and origin.
Complete sets of matching accessories for desks or dressers are
usually monotonous; a collection of articles that agree in scale
and feeling and are made of the same materials is more interesting
than sets. Pairs of objects, however, can frequently be placed to
advantage.

Expressiveness. Accessories should be chosen to express the
same idea as the home itself. Indeed, it is more important for ac-
cessories to carry out the mood of a room than it is for them to
have unusual beauty. For example, a room with a rustic feeling
would suffer from the, intrusion of a sleek Modern article, no
matter how fine it might be in itself.

The personality of a family is revealed in its accessories; some
of the telltale things are books, periodicals, plants, work, and
hobbies. Certain hobbies, such as well-mounted groups of stamps,
coins, photographs, maps, or prints, might provide distinctive
notes in home decoration. Collections of interesting bottles or
china could be effective in a decorative scheme, if well placed
and not too extensive. See pages 60, 223, 278, and 350.

Line and Form. In line and form the accessories should con-
form to the general design feeling of the home. Period, Non-
period, or Modern furnishings should include accessories having
the same general line and form as the furniture. However, devia-
tions from the general style are more acceptable in accessories than
in other furnishings. The present vogue is to use much larger
accessories than formerly.

Color. An accessory should be carefully related in color to the
furnishings of the room where it is to be placed; if possible, it
should be tried before being purchased. Although accessories
often provide the brilliant color accents of a room, it is well to
choose some accessories that have less compelling color than others.
Chinese accessories which are suitable in either Modern or period
rooms are often selected because of their delightful coloring.