7 Home Decor Pieces Your Room Should Always Have, According to Our Prop Stylists

Being a Spruce Home photo stylist is a pretty cool job: you get to go shopping, try out emerging decor trends that you might not have in your own home, and sometimes, even keep props after the photoshoot.

The Spruce Home's stylists often leave us coveting the dreamy decor accents they've used in our photoshoots, so we begged them to tell us about the favorites they find themselves reaching for time and time again.

Here are 7 timeless decor pieces our stylists frequently use when propping a set that you can try out in your own home.

Gold Decor Accents

Some people are afraid to use gold accents, thinking that they might come off tacky or overdone. With the right balance, gold decor can add warmth to a neutral interior or enhance a playful color palette.

"I always seem to gravitate toward pops of gold decor accents to add in a luxe feeling," says The Spruce's senior home stylist and producer, Joseph Wanek.

As an added bonus, reflective surfaces can add shine to an interior that doesn't get a ton of natural light. In the example above, Wanek scattered gold accents throughout to tie together this Art Deco scene.

Decorative Bowls

Bowls have become much more than just eating vessels and have instead turned into quite the versatile decor staple. In the shot above, a white pedestal bowl filled with decorative rattan spheres brings balance to this chic sofa table.

"I love a footed decorative bowl because it can just be left empty to look like a statement piece or be filled with items or a plant," Wanek says.

Bowls are also both seasonal-friendly and season-proof at the same time. "You can fill a statement bowl with pinecones over the fall and winter, but leave it empty for the remainder of the year," Wanek says.

Natural Elements

The Spruce's home stylist, Breanna Ghazali, emphasizes the importance of "bringing the outside in" when it comes to decorating.

"When styling any room or space, I always find ways to incorporate natural elements into my styling," she says. Her favorite ways to achieve this are through natural wood accents, landscape wall art, and using an earth-toned color palette to bring in some natural pops of color.

In the photo above, natural accents like wood furniture, pampas grass, a rattan tray, and a wicker lamp shade are complemented by rich earth tones.

Statement Lighting

It goes without saying that ample light goes a long way when enhancing your decor. Above, Ghazali used a wicker statement pendant light to bring texture to this cozy lake house-inspired scene.

"I love to use statement lighting to add interest in a room," Ghazali says. "I think a substantial chandelier or floor lamp can really tie a space together and help complete its styling direction."

Curtains and Drapes

Curtains and drapes have the power to completely transform a room depending on the direction you take them. Above, floor-to-ceiling gold velvet curtains add a touch of elegance to this vignette while further elongating the space.

"I think hanging curtains is a great way to bring in some color and texture into a space, and they can also help a smaller space feel more elongated," Ghazali says.

Books

Home stylist Lexi Juhl tells us about possibly the lowest-commitment way to add style to your decor—books. In this scene, the designer-favorite Assouline books were stacked on a coffee table to bring pops of color to the otherwise neutral props.

"I find myself always using books to prop for home sets," she says. In addition to being informative, books can also just be straight-up beautiful. Plus, it's easy to swap them out if they're no longer serving you.

Greenery

It's no secret that here at The Spruce we believe a green home is a happy home. Aside from the naturalistic elements, Juhl says there are visual benefits as well.

"Greenery helps the space come to life without being too distracting," she says.

And if a green thumb is something you're lacking, you can always try artificial plants instead. In the example above, ample greenery was scattered throughout to make a lush interior statement.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.