7 essential accent pieces interior designers say will never go out of style

1. An Object D'art as Accent Piece

The best way to bring in vibrance or colour into a room—without repainting the walls or changing the furnishings on the upholstery—is through pieces of art. It could be a painting on the wall or a unique artefact, or even a local handicraft made by indigenous artisans. These are pieces that not only liven up a room and build a story through your interior decoration, but can also be handed down for generations to other members in your family.

Style Tip: Looking to celebrate local styles and crafts in your home? Support craftsman and their art by buying local curios and handicrafts, which will also double as thoughtful accent pieces in the home.

2. Pendant Lights for home décor accents

The best way to upgrade your home interior décor is by switching up your light fixtures. The easiest way to do this is by swapping out your conventional light fittings for pendant lights. Taking up less floorspace than a standing lamp, a hanging lantern can be placed over a side table next to the sofa. This will not only create a unique look, but can enhance the style and design of the table below.

Style Tip: You could also hang a single or row of pendant lights over the dining table depending on its shape and design. When hanging lights, you have to find the perfect height to place it at. Too high and you may need to turn up the wattage; too low and one may feel crowded—or worse, bump into the fixture!

3. Heirlooms for accent décor

While it feels safer to store away any heirlooms or heritage pieces passed down from your ancestors, they also make for interesting accent pieces around the house. If you’re looking to add something truly unique in your home interior décor, these heirlooms are usually one-of-a-kind objects that will tell a quiet story of your family’s history. To avoid any damage over time, find a secure spot in the room for placing it.

Style Tip:Similar to hanging art, accent plates can be displayed singularly or to form a pattern on a wall in the living room. You could either group together pieces in a similar design or hue, or even hang them with no particular theme in mind. Let the uniqueness and intricacy of these heirlooms speak for themselves.Looking for a wallpaper to pair this with? We love Asian Paints’ collaboration with India’s favourite fashion designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee. 

4. An accent sofa for home décor

To create visual intrigue in a room, you need one grand piece of furniture that not only ties the room together, but also makes a style statement. Since the main purpose of a living room is to seat people together, an accent sofa can make a big style impact in your home interior décor. While you have to look at the functionality of the piece along with its comfort, picking a unique or unconventional style for your couch will make your living room design stand out from other homes.

Style Tip: This living room is divided into two parts. To bring it together and create a sense of continuity, the large sinuous sofa not only creates a sense of flow between the two spaces, but boasts a design we’ve never seen before.

5. Coffee table accent

Another element in the living room, which is mostly used to display décor objects or serve snacks or food when entertaining guests, is the coffee table. Since this is visually placed in the centre of the room, you could create a style statement with an accent coffee table. But what makes for a unique accent coffee table? Intricate design details, wood carvings, unusual materials paired together or even the entire piece painted in a bright unassuming colour will make your living room’s style stand out.

Expert Tip: If you’re looking to give your living room a makeover without the hassle of a renovation or changing all your furniture, swapping out your coffee table is a more reasonable option. If the room looks a big drab and you want to create a sense of opulence, 

6. A classic chest of drawers for home accent décor

A chest of drawers is probably the most versatile piece of furniture that provides multiple purposes in every room. While offering ample storage, its surface on top serves as a mantlepiece for displaying curios, objects and books or even mounting the TV. Placed next to a dining table, it also serves as a sideboard for cutlery, crockery, pickles and other condiments. A well-designed chest of drawers will work as the most utilitarian accent piece of furniture in an any room in the house. If you’re looking to elevate it’s style, try painting it in a unique or bright colour, or using an unconventional finish for its exterior. 

7. A pair of Accent Chairs

A classic statement chair is a piece of furniture that is collectible and sometimes doubles as a work of art. The interesting thing about chairs is that they’re pieces of furniture that are required in every room of the house and are light enough to be moved around to different spaces when needed. You could invest in modern Chinoiserie-style chairs, a more comfortable recliner like the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman or something classic and minimal like a set of Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh chairs.