Living in an age where a lot of focus is placed on “Out with the old, in with the new” it may be difficult for you to incorporate your porcelain doll collection handed down for generations, or your husband’s toy car collection. If this seems to be something of a bug bear for you, here are a few tips on keeping these collections manageable and stylish:
Have a focus area
Pieces of a collection scattered all over the place could leave your home looking a little bit cluttered, or just plain untidy. Instead of hiding your collection in box, have a focus area where all these objects are grouped together. That way, not only does this area create a theme, it also allows you to display your items in your personal environment. However, beware of creating a lot of work for yourself where the maintenance of your display could cause you to loath it. If your collection gathers a lot of dust, try to have it boxed, or placed in a display unit. Discretion is the key here.
Create a sense of order
By shoving everything together on a shelf, you may create a focus area, however, if the eye struggles to run over the collection naturally it will just seem untidy. By color or size co-ordination, or proper spacing, this problem can easily be alleviated. Should all your items be the same height and you’re afraid of it getting lost in the background, having wooden strips create ‘steps’ is an idea that could help in this regard.
Proper lighting
Items that have been passed down from generation to generation deserve their time in the light, and having a special place in your heart is all the more reason for these items to enjoy proper lighting. A wonderful idea for items such as toy car collections or cameras is to place them in light boxes. They really pop out and add a different dimension to the room. Other items such as dolls and figurines enjoy soft lighting.
Maintain and restore
Where possible, where it would not compromise the integrity of your pieces, keep them clean and well maintained. Having them full of dust and cobwebs does not really add to a great focal point in any room.
Focus on a specific collection
Having too many focus walls could end up causing a cluttered look once again, or turn your house into a museum. If this is not the look you’re going for, perhaps it is best to stick to one or two collections until you’re more comfortable with the display of the rest. Your collection should never put you under pressure, rather, it should complement your interior design.
Your collection is a collection for a reason, and whether this has sentimental value or brings back fond childhood memories, they deserve to form part of your design as opposed to contradicting your design. Employ good workmanship in terms of having light boxes made, and enjoy adding to your collection now that you have a plan on how to display them.
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