Most people at some point in their lives have a collection. While the item collected can be anything under the sun, the way the owner chooses to display the collection can really make or break the look of a room. It's always important to look at any collection with a discerning eye.
Make sure that you absolutely love each and every object in the collection. If you don't, it should be given away. This allows the collection to be a true reflection of your taste and not an assortment of gifts or trinkets someone else has selected for you.
Recently, I posted on
subconscious tendencies to collect certain items. But, as I mentioned then, a collection is all together different. This is a conscious decision to seek out certain items to include in your space. Here are some examples.
This is a small collection of Blue and White in my living room. In my opinion, a little Blue and White goes a long way. So, I have chosen to keep it small.
My second collection is of crosses and it's in my family room. A friend gave me a cross one year for Christmas and then I received another and before I knew it I had lots of crosses. So, I decided to hang them all together in a collection.
I took this picture during a re-design we did for a client in Crestline which is an area of Mountain Brook, Alabama. We grouped her collection of paper weights for impact.
This collection works for two reasons. It is an unusual material (I think it's alabaster) and the shelving creates a great element in the space.
I love the fact there are only a few boxes in this collection, but by grouping them together, you get impact.
You also get impact when the items collected happen to be the same color.
Here are several examples.
I think I would like this collection so much more, if the homeowner had painted the bookshelves a medium grey or a pretty greenish-blue. The lack of contrast leaves me underwhelmed.
Even brown works for adding impact when you have a number of items in the collection.
Sometimes the items collected are really what makes the collection interesting. It is a difficult to see, but this is a collection of minis (you know those small liquor bottles you get on planes). Also, the homeowner has gone to great lengths with custom shelving to display them.
In this case, it's match books, possibly from the homeowner's travels.
The oddity of an object can make it an interesting collection.
Also, a collection can be of only a few prized items.
It can be items that simply bring you joy.
Items that remind you of a favorite hobby.
Or, items that are practical and actually useful.
There are so many items that are collectible. Consider one of your own and showcase it in a wonderful way in your home.
