How To Display Collections Without Clutter
Collecting things is fun. For me it’s the hunt - I love baskets and bowls, so when I go anywhere I always peek into antique stores or handmade markets to see what I can find.
But this paragraph from one of my favourite books - Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh - reminds me to enjoy the hunt but keep the things I actually collect to a minimum, so they’re special.
“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. One moon shell is more impressive than three...For it is only framed in space that beauty blooms. Only in space are events and objects and people unique and significant - and therefore beautiful.”
So, how to display meaningful objects in your home in a streamlined way while maintaining space so they feel significant and beautiful?
Group them.
Waaay back when I was a youngster working in retail, a supervisor once told me that grouping a whole lot of one product all together on an end-aisle display was eye-catching and sold more. That stuck with me. And it applies at home as well.
The whole point of collections and mementos is to have them catch your eye so you can appreciate them. They should feel special and significant. They’re the things you want to stand out in your home above all the laundry and dirty dishes and socks on the floor (am I the only one who takes socks off and leaves them everywhere around the house?).
So I have two main “rules” when decorating so that the meaningful stuff like photos, collections, art and memorabilia stand out:
Start with a neutral backdrop - check out this post.
Group your stuff.
Let’s concentrate here on displaying collections by grouping them.
Shelving displays
Try to bring all of one kind of collection or items - for example, vases, books, dishes, pitchers, antiques - all together and display them on one shelving unit. See how in the photos below like things are with like? They all have either the same shape or same colour family. Even practical dish sets don’t look cluttery stacked on open shelving because they’re all in one colour. The eye is drawn to something large - and when you display a bunch of similar little things together to make one large display, it will show better.
Wall displays
The same tip goes for displaying artwork, family photos or collectibles on the wall. Group them together to make a display that’s way more impactful and also way less cluttery than having them spread out all over your home. Designer tip - this also allows you to save some white space in your home.
Surface displays
When you’re displaying collections of items on a surface like a coffee table, dresser or counter, try to corral them together. I love using trays, baskets and glass jars for this purpose. It makes such an interesting presentation and keeps them from getting scattered around and messy-looking.
Floor Displays
Even things like plants and large baskets or bins look amazing when they’re grouped together in one spot in the room! Bonus - it’s way easier to sweep the floors when you have more open space because things are spread around.
Action steps:
Re-evaluate your collections and decide what you really love and want to keep, and what you really don’t care too much about any longer and could donate. Remember that you don’t need to collect and keep ALL the shells, just a few will do, with space around them to make them special.
Bring every item in one collection out and put it on your table. Are they all similar in size, shape or colour? If there is an odd one out, consider giving it away so that the rest of your collection will look better.
Find a spot in your home to group them together and play around with the display until you’re happy with it. Remember to have “white space” around them.
Stand back and admire your work, and invite friends over to enjoy it too! I bet your displays will catch your eye every day and make you smile.
