A quintessential human characteristic is to derive joy from our surrounding environment. After all, who hasn’t picked up a particularly interesting or visually striking rock as a child and carried it back home. Nowadays, however, we spend an increasing amount of time in our homes, which have become the background of our daily victories and struggles.
Naturally, we want our home decor to spark positive feelings such as joy and excitement while also representing our unique personality and style. We can achieve this by displaying the items we consider to be appealing in some manner or that we have a strong interest in. Indeed, who wouldn’t prefer to proudly display their painstakingly created collection of antiques, instead of it gathering dust in a drawer somewhere or being packed in an attic or a basement.
Simply putting your collection haphazardly into the visual spaces of your home risks bringing about the opposite effect by creating a cluttered atmosphere. The items could take over the decor, dilute the room’s focal point, and make guests feel cramped and overwhelmed. To avoid this outcome, you can try following a couple of important guidelines.
Group Objects By A Common Trait
While you may truly believe that each object of your collection is worthy of being admired and deserves to be displayed, this is usually not a good idea. You do not want to scatter items across the whole house and create a vibe of messy arrangement.
A better approach is to separate your collection into distinct groups of items based on a common trait or theme. This can be a general similarity in shape or sharing approximate color palettes, anything can work. You can even add items from different collections and start to mix and match. Put your green porcelain figurines alongside the green bowls, vases, antiques, etc., in a dedicated space. The group of items would immediately draw the attention of your guests and entice them to come closer and examine them.
Presentation Is Important
After deciding on the group of items that you would wish to weave into your home decor, do not just place them on a shelf and consider the job done. Introduce some order and arrange the objects. Trays, glass jars, bottles, or baskets are a great way to organize the items and make them pop. Take into account the backdrop of your display as well. Neutral-colored walls should be prioritized as they would not visually interfere with the presented items.
Don’t Pay Too Much Attention To Monetary Value
While it may be tempting to showcase the most expensive object in your collection, do not automatically place it on your mantle. Drawing too much attention to the price tag could appear a bit tacky.
Furthermore, it is not a certainty that the costly item is the one you cherish and appreciate the most. Focus on things that have meaning to you and think about how to display them accordingly. Even collections with little or no inherent monetary value (the aforementioned rocks, paperclips, buttons, etc.) could be arranged into a classy display with just a bit of effort.
Conclusion
Displaying as much of your collection while not encroaching into the cluttered territory is a delicate balancing act. If you follow the suggestion outlined above, however, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Do not forget that nothing is set in stone and you are free to readjust and play around with the display until you are satisfied with the result, even if that takes weeks and going through several different iterations!
