Collective Wisdom: Display Ideas for Collections of All Kinds
It was almost 43 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the floor in the middle of our first apartment watching my new husband unpack his collections: Japanese netsuke; pre-Columbian (as in, before Christopher Columbus) whistles; Edwardian silver calling card cases.
I was flummoxed. I had never heard of such things, much less imagined them. My dad was a Boeing engineer, and as such brought an engineer’s exacting criteria to interior decoration. Quite simply, if something did not have a function he recognized as necessary, it was shown the door. Watching Mike unwrap, caress and sigh over each item, I couldn’t help myself. “What do you do with them?” I asked. He gave me a long look that could have been construed as, “What have I married?” But he said, “I enjoy them; I wonder about the lives of the people before me that owned them; and I marvel over the workmanship and care it took to make them.”
If you, like my husband, are an inveterate and compulsive collector, good for you. Collections express your personality, represent something of who you are and reveal your interests — even your passions. Let’s talk about ways to display those collections that keep your room from looking cluttered, but still allow you to both share and enjoy them.
Bird prints are a popular collectible. They bring the outdoors in; they offer charm and color; and you can indulge in them without investing megabucks. This lively green wall is the consummate backdrop for them, while the similar framing gives them a unified look.
If you love prints, or vintage photos like these, framing them identically is an excellent way to unite multiple pieces. Also note the care taken with the composition; the shape of each photo was taken into account before the pictures were mounted on the wall.
Don’t let Mikey see this, or he’ll want to collect maps. The secret to a successful display like this is careful planning of the hanging pattern. The large map in the center is flanked by maps in varying sizes, but the arrangement maintains a close-to-common top and bottom line.
And just to prove there are no rules, the frames are wonderfully varied, even as they have a similar profile.
Once again notice how wall color can bring life and interest to a collection. This group of clocks is arrayed on one surface, with that fabulous color behind them, rather than being spread across the room. This approach creates great impact and avoids a cluttered feel.
It can be tricky to display small collectibles, especially when they are all the same size and you really have a lot of them. Here’s a perfect solution: a wall built out to create alcoves.
If you have a plate rail like the one in this lovely room, you have a ready-made place for your collectibles. I am particularly entranced by the way the wall color and the brightly colored chairs nod to the colors in the bottle collection.
Here’s an excellent approach when your collection is made up of lots of pieces: customized shelving. Once again (do you see a theme here?), the furnishings below the shelves mimic the colors in the collection for a very cohesive feel.
Coffee tables that hold collections are an ideal way to present a grouping of “smalls.” Better yet, your goodies will be safely out of the way of tiny, inquisitive hands.
Using glass jars to hold collections of smalls contains them well, avoids clutter and eliminates all concern about having to dust them. Plus, the jars can be moved to a new spot whenever you want.
If you have a mantel and a collection, you have a marriage made in design heaven. The way these vases are tightly grouped — and the mix of shapes, colors and textures — is a textbook example of great composition.
Another mantel, another collection. Notice how that one tall globe makes this display work. Without the marked difference in height, the pop would go out of the collection. Remember when you are collecting that varying heights will aid greatly in achieving memorable looks.
If you collect lots of different things, a cube-style étagère like this one might be just right. Remember that, just as in room design, it’s all about mixing — your shapes, your colors, your textures.
But if you collect things of similar sizes, colors and shapes — like these pewter mugs — that’s fabulous, too! Just group them together rather than displaying them singly. This pewter tray is perfect for this collection.
Console tables are often just right for displaying collections, particularly of large-scale items like these blue and white vases. On the table … under the table … they could even be on shelves over the table.
But note that this works so well because of the other elements used in the display. The mercury glass vases and the lush floral arrangement give the composition depth and texture, taking what could have been a hard edge off the porcelains.
This entry showcases a collection that emphasizes texture in a neutral palette. It is so well done that at first glance, I thought the dog was a piece of the collection!
There’s no rule that says you have to limit your collecting to accessories. This assemblage of black chairs is a lovely example of collecting items that you will use and enjoy every day.
Finally, if you collect textiles, an open linen press is a super place to display them. Just remember to refold the pieces occasionally to avoid fade lines.
If your rooms feel boring or impersonal to you, start collecting something! You don’t have to amass great quantities or spend a ton of money. Remember: Two is a pair, three is a collection.
More: Edit Your Photo Collection and Display It Best — a Designer’s Advice
