10 Must-Have Capsule Décor Pieces

Hello design lovers… Today I’m sharing my 10 Must-Have capsule décor pieces for your home. These are the furnishings and accessories that you can build your entire interior design around. They are timeless pieces and, when chosen correctly, will bring instant beauty, function, and sophistication to your home.

#1 Handmade Wool Rug: 

A great rug is the foundation for any room, and you can’t go wrong with a handmade wool rug. They are a classic choice and honestly mix well with any decor style. 

I personally love how adding a beautiful handmade wool rug to a room adds a cool, luxe vibe, not to mention the natural fibers are durable and will stand up to kids, dogs, and high-traffic areas. Another bonus is that these natural fiber rugs are made to last a lifetime. 

Remember, when shopping for a rug for your space, be mindful of going big enough in size to ground your entire seating grouping and to cover enough floor space in order to make a visual impact.

I work with incredible rug artisans to create my bespoke collection of rugs, and our Monitor Rug happens to be one of my very favorites. Its modern design features hand-knotted wool fibers that have a tonal quality, and its luxe high pile is cozy and welcoming underfoot. 

Shop these rugs:

#2 Wooden Chest of Drawers

A great chest of drawers is an essential Capsule piece for your home. Not only are they beautiful, but there are a few other furniture items that beat a great chest of drawers regarding functionality and storage. 

Not to mention that a great chest is probably the most versatile piece of furniture for a home. You could use it in an entry, living space, as a bedside chest, or even as a vanity base in a bathroom. 

When shopping for a chest, whether new or antique, look for high-quality details like solid wood construction, dovetail joinery, soft-close glides, and solid brass or bronze hardware.

Shop our Paxton Dresser:

I love incorporating our Bone Burst Chest or Paxton Chest into designs when I can. They’re beautifully designed and crafted with the highest quality heirloom furniture details. 

#3 Statement Lamp: 

Now that we’ve set the foundation in our room with a wool rug and gorgeous wooden chest of drawers let’s move on to the 3rd must-have capsule decor item, a Statement Lamp. Statement Lamps can come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. The key is to choose a lamp that makes a bold visual impact.

I personally love to incorporate at least one statement lamp into every room we furnish, and I have designed quite a few statement lamps for my collection. My favorites are our Vetro Lamp, Morpheus Lamp, and Terrence Lamp. Each one is unique and definitely makes a statement. 

Shop my favorite lamps from my collection:

#4: Overscale Mirror

Moving on to the 4th must-have capsule decor piece, an Overscale Mirror. A gorgeous Mirror is a game changer for a room. It not only brings character to a space but also reflects light from windows and lamps, bouncing that light around a room and adding a layer of interest and depth.

I love opting for mirrors that have a unique frame or shape; a few of my favorites from my collection are our Venus Mirror and Key Mirror.

Shop these Overscale Mirrors:

#5 Stone Accessories

For our 5th must-have capsule decor piece, we’re swooning over Stone Accessories. Although Marble, Onyx, and Alabaster have been having a significant moment in the design world over the last few years, stone accessories, in my opinion, are timeless. I love mixing both antique and modern stone accessories into a room to bring organic interest to a space instantly. 

I personally love designing pieces in alabaster. The semi-translucent beauty and natural satin texture of the stone are genuinely breathtaking. 

A few of my new favorite pieces from my collection are the Amera Trays, Ridge Candlesticks, and Ring Bowls. They all are beautiful works of art created in Italian alabaster and will bring a modern, organic vibe to any room.

Shop these beautiful Stone Accessories; each item comes in grey, white, and sand:

#6 Statement Side Chair

A Statement side chair is our 6th must-have capsule decor piece, and it’s one of my favorite items to add a distinct personality to a space. 

Statement Side chairs can come in all shapes and sizes… From traditional and classic to sleek and sculptural, statement side chairs should add unique character to a room and serve as a visual stand-alone statement.  

I’m always working on adding statement side chairs to my collection, and a few of my current favorites are the Stella Swivel Chair and our fully upholstered Bolster Chair. Both are totally unique, with unexpected details and unparalleled craftsmanship. You can also find the Stella Swivel Chair in Viola Davis’s home in this issue of Architectural Digest.

Shop my favorite statement chairs:

 #7 Original Art

Few things can match Art when it comes to personalizing your home, so of course, #7 on our Must-Have capsule decor pieces list had to be Original Art. I am a big believer in filling your home with artwork that speaks to your soul and sparks your imagination. 

I love sourcing artwork from local artists whenever possible and encourage you to get creative when looking for artwork for your home. 

An original piece of art has a way of evoking emotion and feeling like nothing else and is something that you can have for a lifetime. So choose the artwork you love, invest in original pieces when you can, and support artists in your community. It’s always a rewarding pursuit. 

Check out our post, How to Choose Art Like a Designer, to get all the tips and tricks for choosing, framing, and hanging art like a pro.

#8 Handmade Ceramic Vase

Moving on to #8 on our Must-Have capsule decor pieces list, Handmade Ceramic Vases. This is hands down one of my personal favorites on the list.

I am a big collector of handmade ceramics and feel such a connection to pieces made in traditional workshops by hand. 

The whole process of creating a ceramic piece, from the mold-making and hand-building components to the natural reaction of the glazes and firing process. I’m in awe of the process and obsessed with designing unique ceramic pieces for my collection. 

I work with incredible artists from Italy and Portugal to create my ceramics collections, and visiting the workshops each year is one of my favorite highlights of the design process. 

A few of my favorite ceramic pieces from my collection are the Twisted Vine Vase, Bangle Bowl, Spicci Line Vase, and Spheres Footed Bowl. 

Shop some of my ceramic pieces:

When you’re looking for handmade ceramic bowls and vases look for pieces that are either signed on the bottom or pieces that were made in countries like Italy or Portugal. Artisans in these places make ceramics using traditional methods, so you can be sure your piece is beautifully crafted and will last a lifetime. 

#9 Classic Sofa

A classic Classic Sofa is our 9th essential Capsule Decor piece for your home. You can never go wrong with a beautifully tailored, well-made sofa. Chosen correctly, it will last for years and be a staple statement piece in your living space. 

I generally prefer sofas in neutral, hardwearing fabrics such as linen, mohair, or chenille. However, depending on the client and space, I often lean towards a tailored sofa with a bit of a unique personality in the design. 

Two of my favorite Sofa Styles from my collection are the Lauren Sofa and Diana Skirted Sofa. They both have unique design details but still have classic proportions and timeless lines. 

Shop these sofas:

10th Unique Coffee Table

This could be because of its shape, scale, materiality, or functionality. The skies are the limit when it comes to coffee tables, so I recommend skipping the ho-hum options and going for something unique and unexpected. 

An excellent coffee table is a piece that you can have for years to come, and when you choose one that makes a unique statement, even better. 

I love designing coffee tables that are unexpected in their material combination or shape and find that when paired with more traditional upholstery pieces, a unique and incredible coffee table can make a room sing. 

A few of our very bestsellers from my collection are the Pivot Coffee table in white burl, which actually has a top section that rotates 360” for completely customized configuration, and the Rhaling Coffee, which is large scale but feels utterly weightless with its satin brass and glass construction. 

Shop these coffee tables from my collection:

Well, design lovers, there you have it, my 10 Must-Have Capsule decor pieces for your home. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I encourage you to approach your capsule decor pieces like your capsule wardrobe, building it one quality piece at a time. If chosen correctly, these design elements can last you a lifetime and provide timeless beauty and functionality to your home.

Check out the YouTube video of 10 Must-Have Capsule Decor Pieces for your home here.

As always, thank you for reading, and remember, good design is for everyone. So create a home that inspires you, have fun finding your capsule decor pieces, and fall in love with where you live, one room at a time. 

XO, Ashley