Displaying your favorite things can warm up a room.

A display of your collected treasures is a sure conversation starter.

Arranging them effectively is key to their positive appeal.

What have you collected that you like to display? Clocks, tea cups, seashells, antique dishware, spoons, model cars, dolls, hats, books? The choices are almost unlimited, and some of us own very unusual collections, such as shot glasses or snow globes.

The holidays are a good time to think about how to display our treasures since many of us display so many holiday decorations this time of year. But displaying your beloved objects is also an important part of your interior design scheme all year long.

A thoughtfully organized collection can become the focal point of a room and a conversational magnet for your guests, while a disorganized jumble of items will just make a room look chaotic and cluttered. The key to effective displays is organization, organization, organization. Even when a display looks informal and artful, chances are the reason it looks so good is because a lot of thought went into its arrangement!

• Group similar items together rather than scattered through the house, so the theme of your collection isn’t lost.
• Group items in odd numbers – three, five, seven, and don’t arrange them symmetrically.
• Have small items professionally framed in cases designed by experts.
• Think about a glass topped coffee table that has a sliding compartment underneath to display items.
• Display your favorite things on bookcases, mantels, built-in shelving, breakfronts and cupboards. Use a contrasting shelving color to make your collection pop. For example, place a white collection on a dark colored background.
• Organize by color or vintage or size – or mix the sizes to look artful.

Display some of your beloved treasures to personalize your home environment. Your collection will give you joy and engage your visitors.

Copyright Hunter Douglas.