SECTION 3: ACCESSORIES
Even the most austere modern life can’t be lived without at least a few trappings of consumer culture. Try as we might, it’s impossible to avoid the reality that our homes are social spaces. The dining room is supposed to be dined in, regardless of how expensive and authentic the furnishings are. All this living comes with messy “things”—children to be molded, pets to be coddled, and choice collectibles to display. As the master of your own domain, it’s up to you to control these accessories.
Choosing the select few things, people, and pets that will offset the unspoiled white walls and concrete floors should be a delight. These are the finishing touches, the final brushstroke on the canvas of your life, in which nothing is precious and everything is purposeful. A journey through the rooms of your home should reveal a mixture of textures and forms. The gradient hues of white and gray should only be interrupted by a pop of color in the form of one stellar Finnish glass vase or a child’s wooden blocks, beacons of color in a monochromatic maze. Robust steel and plywood are warmed by a handsome novel or a stack of magazines fanned out on the coffee table.
In this section, it’s our aim to help you navigate the complex process of accessorizing your life. We’ll zero in on what vintage periodicals and highbrow books should be displayed on your open shelving, help you determine whether you are a cat or dog person, suggest what kind of amplification will complement your vinyl and iPod purchases, and more.
