Decorative Ways to Display a Collection

I love seeing how creative people are about displaying their collections of antiques, vintage pieces, or other collectibles. If you're looking for inspiration to display your own collections, take a look at these decorative ways to display! Let's start with a couple of traditional display options...

A classic Welsh Dresser or hutch makes any kitchen look cozy. In this VIctorian cottage kitchen the hutch is home to a collection of vintage teapots, teacups, and other ceramics and canisters. The teapots look especially charming grouped together on the top shelf. Although the shelves are very busy, that's part of the friendly appeal - inviting us to come in and relax over a cup of tea.  Everything framing the dresser looks fairly clean-lined and clutter-free, so the dresser is the focal point here.

For a more formal living room, dining room or library, a display cabinet with glass doors is a traditional choice for displaying rare books and small antique objects and statues. This new Jonathan Charles cabinet from our antique and antique-inspired china and display cabinets  is a handsome example. The Jonathan Charles Windsor cabinet is crafted with crotch walnut and starburst inlaid doors, as well as adjustable lighting to highlight your precious collectibles. The angled shape of the cabinet shows off every single piece within, while glass doors keep everything dust-free and safe from spills and knocks.

How about this for a fun way to display a collection of vintage model trains? The bright colors and varying lengths of the trains could have looked a bit messy, but the creative homeowner in California tamed and streamlined the look by perching the trains on symmetrical white floating shelves. The trains add a lovely dash of color and whimsy to the otherwise traditional decor.

Our customers Aly & Bruce in Oregon were also clever and creative about displaying their collection of vintage cameras. When I wrote a customer spotlight about the antique Chinese cabinet they bought from us (the Late Qing Dynasty cabinet front left of this photo) the story of how the couple bought it was romantic enough. But then we got a bonus with a glimpse of their gorgeous line-up of cameras. Can you spot the cameras, in the arched alcoves above the book shelves?

Here's a close-up (no pun intended!) of some of the cameras. They look wonderful arranged in simple rows about the books. Even this small space has been put to good use with lots of evocative visual impact, so it's always worth thinking about how you can make use of even a sliver of shelf space. Perhaps you have a ledge above a doorway or a plate rail in the dining room that would work perfectly for your collection of vintage apothecary bottles?

I've got some more ideas to share about displaying ceramics so I'll save those till next time. TIll then, I'd love to hear about your own decorative ways to display your collection. Tell us in the comments or on our EuroLux Home Facebook page!