Lights. Plants. Accessories. Final touches make house a home

Well, I'm at the last part in my series about decorating on a budget. Today, I'll focus on what really makes a house your home, the finishing touches that you add with accessories, lighting and plants.

In my model, I spent a total of 15 percent, or $7,415, with 2 percent or $989 on lighting, 8 percent or $ 3,954 on plants and 5 percent or $2,471 on accessories. Keep in mind that this was a budget project and would be considered low for most homes.

Since the finishing touches are a very important part in making a personal statement in your home, let's look at what you can do when decorating on a budget.

Lighting can really make or break a room. The proper placement of lighting should make your home inviting and welcoming. Along with being a decorative item, its main purpose is function.

You should always have the three types of lighting in a room: general, task and accent. General lighting brings overall light into a room and allows for safe and easy access in and out. This would be lighting from a ceiling-mounted fixture, a light kit on a ceiling fan, wall sconces in a stairway or even up light from a floor lamp. The second type of lighting is task. Task lighting is specific lighting for a specific task such as a table lamp for reading or working, or a pendant light over your kitchen table for eating. The third type of lighting is accent light. Accent lighting will be directed at a certain item such as an up light behind a tree, spot lights on artwork or a small light placed in a bookcase.

Lighting does not have to be expensive, but it needs to coordinate with your color scheme, theme, mood and style of your décor. You can be creative with a simple lamp base and then dress up the shade, hang a tassel on the lamp or use a decorative finial.

One thing that I've notice during the last couple of years is that attractive and interesting lighting has become more affordable. So, do a little shopping and spend some time looking for a lamp that you really like, as lighting is not one of those things that is changed out very often.

In my model, I only placed one lamp per room; you'll need at least two or three to properly light your rooms.

In my plant budget, I only used silk plants that included small and medium counter greens, trees, floral arrangements and plants for the pot shelves. Plants bring a room to life, bring the outside in, soften the lines and hardness of furniture and are great fillers.

When buying plants, look for the best that you can afford. The quality of silk plants has come a long way over the years. What you want to do when buying silks is to ask yourself, "Is this a plant that Mother Nature grows?" If not, don't buy it because it won't look real.

Floral arrangements are still one of my favorite ways to make a home look like a model as they add an abundance of color. But unless you have a real flair for floral arranging, have them custom made.

Accessories are your personal touches; they reflect your personality and bring life to your rooms. Whenever I talk about accessories, there's one thing you will always hear me say: You should have at least one thing you love in each room. It could be something that sparks a favorite childhood memory, a special item brought back from a trip, a gift from a friend or just a great find on a shopping trip. These are the things that make your home unique and distinctively yours.

In my accessory budget, I included frames, books, towels, kitchen items for the counters and above the cabinets, place settings for the nook and dining tables and a few theme items in the more visible areas and the children's rooms.

Along with your special personal items, here are some general rules to keep in mind.

* One larger piece is better than a bunch of smaller ones.

* Accessories should reflect your colors, theme, mood and style.

* Group accessories in odd numbers using height, texture and color.

* Group your collections together versus scattering them around.

* Vary the height of the accessories on a table. If they are all the same size, use books or glass blocks to raise them up.

* If you grow tired of your accessories; rearrange them, swap some with a friend, consign them or refinish them.

Even though lighting, plants and accessories was last in the series, they are a very important part of your decorating plan. When putting together your plan, make sure that you have at least 10 percent to 25 percent allocated in your budget for them. Think of accessories as jewelry for your home -- one nice piece on a basic black dress is more stunning than a bunch of your smaller items worn together.

I hope you've enjoyed this series and are ready to start decorating your home step-by-step in the new year. As with everything you do in your home, remember to have fun, be creative and happy decorating!

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by e-mail to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 7380 S. Eastern Ave., No. 124-272, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.