I love a good vignette. Simply put by Australian NZ House & Garden writer Janet Dunn, “In the world of interior design, a vignette is a small, pleasing picture formed by grouping several objects…an arrangement that tells a story about you and your home.” A good vignette leaves you wanting to see more. It can be made up of collections, vacation finds, flea market treasures or family heirlooms curated over time. A vignette can be outdoors, on shelves, mantels, or tabletops. As a dear friend once told me, “I love all of your moments.” Moments is a good word for my vignettes as I am constantly changing and rotating things to keep our home fresh!
For me, a good vignette not only has a story behind it’s pieces, but should be pleasing to the eye. It’s much like a puzzle and sometimes it takes a few (or many) tries to get the pieces to fit. But when it’s right, you just feel it, like a painting or composition.
Sometimes it helps to take a photo of your vignette (this also works for an entire room). A photo won’t lie to you. Often it is glaringly obvious that something is out of place or just not quite right. The secret is to have fun with it! Here are a few examples in and around my own home…
A sweet vase of tulips and roses on a tiny rustic stool…
A vignette styled on a bench with art and some of my favorite decorating books…
Outdoor tables can be styled too. These metal geese came from our past home in Connecticut…
A small kitchen moment complete with a lamp from Target and some handmade ceramic quails…
A shelf vignette composed of vintage fishing floats, a handcrafted vase from a trip to Maine, and other aqua finds… 
A natural vignette in neutrals with a found bird nest which brings good luck…
Even a counter top bar can be styled into a vignette with fresh limes and a pretty seltzer bottle, a gift from our daughter…
A metal sphere, rustic bench and lavender plant form their own vignette…
An antique bowl with a coil of rope and wheat grass bring in the nautical feel for our East coast townhouse on the water…
Our mantel is made up of some antique bottles from Dreamy Whites, found beach stones, an old frame, an ammonite fossil, and an air plant in keeping with the organic feel of The Little Glass House….
What kind of stories do your vignettes tell?
