No house feels like home when you first walk in. Creating a space that is inviting, warm and unique is a process for everyone. You must choose your overall style first, carefully choosing colors, patterns and shapes to fill your home. Once the basics are in place, you can begin adding those little touches that infuse your space with your own personality. Accents are probably most important in modern home interiors. With a minimal style and limited shades to work with, each selection has to add something to your overall vibe. Check out these 14 accents that are perfect for styling modern homes.

Maybe you see them and maybe you don’t… those acrylic legs on that dining table. Acrylic is a fun material to add to a modern home because it so perfectly sums up the style. Most acrylic pieces come in linear shapes and being transparent, they bring this ghost element to a room. Your piece might be a table or your kitchen’s bar stools or maybe your nightstand. A place that would look crowded with a wooden piece of furniture instead.

Modern styles provide so many fun lighting options these days. Shapes range from balls to cylinders to disks, all geometric masterpieces. First you want to take the measurements of your dining area and your dining table so you don’t end up with a chandelier or pendant that’s too big or too small. Then you can decide on your favorite style and start shopping for the perfect lighting piece to light up your modern dining area.

As you buy different furniture for your modern home, you’ll usually look for pieces that blend but aren’t too matchy-matchy. When the rest of your furniture is wood or sleek black plastic, you might want to consider shelling out for a marble topped coffee table. She will become the centerpiece of your living room, showing off your vase of flowers in the spring and your bowl of ornaments at Christmas. You’ll never regret opting for marble.

Wood tones can be tricky in modern homes. Too light and it begins to look Scandinavian. Too orange and you’ve gone mid-century. Too dark and you’re bordering on traditional. But a soft wood shade with a gray stain is just the in between you’re looking for. If you keep this shade throughout your home, it promises to look modern and you can use as much wood as you like.

Small modern living areas are tough to decorate because even though you strive for minimalism, you still need a space to store things. Rather than covering your walls with art, choose and open bookshelf to display your spines and let that be the focal point of your living room. While a blank wall may seem too empty, you’ll prefer it to a cluttered up space.

There is just something about velvet that no one can resist. It makes its way into all kinds of decorating, even modern styling. And it might be the best in a modern setting. When the rest of your home interior is so minimal, you can focus on the textures you do have available. So a velvet sofa will be so completely appreciated with the lack of other clutter.

Modern interior decor doesn’t have to be all boring squares and circles. This style does invite you to add interesting accents where you can find them. Go for sculptural wall shelving instead of the flat straight options. Choose a cabinet that has a little pattern on the front. As long as you’re staying within your color scheme, anything is possible.

When your home interior walls are black and white and gray, it only makes sense to make your focal point a brighter sofa. Because every modern living room deserves a pop of color. Pick a style that is basic and modern in shape and get it in bright blue or orange or pink. You’ll love your living room even more for that touch of personality.

Small spaces sometimes require a way to divide your living areas, purely for your own sanity. If your tiny modern apartment is driving you a little bit bonkers, consider using wood to create a screen that is both modern and useful. Tiny slats give you the privacy you want but in a way that is artistic and simple, blending right into your modern decor.

Wallpaper in a modern home? Absolutely. When you’re trying to design a child’s room that is modern but friendly, wallpaper is your best friend. Find a pattern you like that is big and bold and let it sprawl across one wall. This one accent will make your child’s space a haven for creativity and rest, a place they want to be that is warm and welcoming.

There are all kinds of modern styles that seem like obvious choices. However, to make your modern home interior more unique, sometimes it’s best to flip it around. Instead of dark cabinets with wood countertops, why not try wood cabinets with dark countertops? It’s a great way to add something unexpected to your modern kitchen without paying more than you were already planning.

Many modern styles can lean a little into another style to help round it out. Adding a few industrial accents to a home can help you achieve a sleek masculine style that isn’t too minimal. Black furniture and pipe shelving against modern lighting and texture is a great blend for a bachelor pad.

Fear never achieved anything. So embrace the metallic accents in your modern home! Brass fixtures, copper lighting, stainless steel appliances, anything that shines. If you aren’t wanting to go so permanently into metallics so quickly, start with smaller accents like a group of gold vases on your coffee table or a copper accent lamp. Just a little glitz can lead you to bigger glamour.

Never underestimate a good rug. When the majority of your furniture… and your home… is solid in color, a patterned rug can help you to bring everything together. This one accent can be your focal point in any room while it gives you a cozy place to rest your feet at the end of the day. You might say that a good rug is a real necessity in a modern home.