Collections Make a House a Home

Well, let's face it, we all collect something. Your collection may be a current passion, something friends and family have turned into a collection (how do we tell them to stop?), a "what was I thinking" collection from your past or maybe a lovely collection you inherited. In any case, collections can be an important part of your decor. They show personality, interest and serve as conversation pieces, to say the least. I designed model homes for years and one of our top rules was "no collections"... too personal, people can't relate because collections make a house look like someone else lives there, not them. "Like someone lives there", that is the key to meaningful collections in our homes.

So, now what to do with your collection? I have a very simple "2G Rule" to enjoying and displaying your treasures. 1. Group and 2. Ground - simple as that. This collection of vintage eiffel towers could be spread throughout my home, instead they are grouped together and grounded by a wall shelf creating a much larger impact than if they were diluted all around the house.

Here these little mirrors would have had very little impact sprinkled on walls here and there but, when grouped together and grounded by the French four seasons plaques, they act as one interesting element.

After years of treasure hunting I found that I was the happy owner of many mismatched pieces of victorian silver- cups, creamers & spooners. I used them as pencil cups, to hold makeup brushes and so forth but, when I grouped them together on this petite rack in my kitchen my little mismatched items became a group and again, they are grounded by the rack and French platter behind.

Here is a collection within a collection. The antique canister set is a favorite of mine and was not only designed to be displayed together but it looks bright and colorful when in-mass. Add to the canister set a collection of miniature California pottery vases in shades directly related to the canisters creating a cohesive corner of the kitchen. The two collections grouped and grounded by a corner cabinet now highlight both collections thus creating one interesting group.

Simple, interesting, colorful and unique are all traits we hope we have in the vignettes throughout our homes. This is easier to accomplish than you may think. 

Just give it a try...  Group & Ground.

Tabletop collections can follow the same rules of grouping and grounding using things like silver trays, mirrored plateaus or even old books to ground your grouped treasures. Enjoy your collections, display them for all to admire and appreciate, but most of all for yourself.

Happy Treasure Hunting!