Collection
noun/ an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition or as a hobby .
Over the years I have collected many things. When I was a little girl it was dolls. As I became a teenager shoes were my mania. When I got my own home it took me some time to figure out what was actually my style, what I actually wanted to surround myself with. In case anyone on this planet thinks I have my crap too together, know this:
my first kitchen was pink.
So, we live and learn.
In my opinion when it comes to decorating nothing else has an impact quite like a collection, displayed une masse.
I began collecting green glass bottles about six years ago. For me this was an inexpensive collection to put together. I love the big jug in the middle with the handle. Its probably a Boon’s Farm bottle but I don’t care. I got it at Goodwill for a buck! I picked up most of these at thrift stores for under $3. I bet you I put the entire collection together for under $20.
I display them in my living room during the warmer months because to me they are decidedly Summer-ish. I just love how they look in a big group.
It is well know that I have a dish problem.. particularly transfer ware. But except for salad plates, you will rarely actually eat on any at my house.
I collect the black, brown and most recently the blue. Over the past year or so I have been working shades of blue gently in to our home. My Mamma also had dish issues. These English plates and platter are the ‘art’ in our master bathroom. Dishware of any kind is the single least expensive art you can find. Plates at any national thrift store start at $.50. Yet another reason why I love me a good Plate Wall 🙂
The effect is stunning.
Several years ago I picked up my very first brown apothecary bottle…..
And I was hooked. I really like brown as an accent color. To me it grounds, kinda like black does.
The big bottle with the cork in it was my first piece of brown glass and I paid $7 for it, I think. I really love how these look in our kitchen.
Antique books?
Now I have these all over the house in little vignettes. I try to coordinate the colors of the books with the colors of the room they are in, most of the time.
In our last living room I have simply displayed a bunch of them either their spins facing away between to corbels.
easy stuff:)
Mercury glass is my my most recent collection. It is not quite as versatile as the others in my crazy brain. I use it the most from October to February. I seem to associate it more with the colder months of the year. These are not as cheap or easily found as any of the other thing on my Mania List.
This collection is growing the slowest:(
So here is my theory on using collections as art in any room.
Group three or more pieces of a collection together, depending on the size. Larger = Less in my opinion. Vary the sizes and stagger the arrangement.
And don’t mix in anything else! Unrelated items distract from the gallery-like feel:)
In other words……kept it simple:)
Paige
Blogs I love!
http://www.stonegableblog.com
http://www.astrollthrulife.net/?m=1
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net
http://theessenceofhome.blogspot.com
http://seekinglavenderlane.co
http://funkyjunkinteriors.net
Love your collections! I collect many things also, most recently blue and white pottery (which includes transfer ware dishes). I also have a very large collection of Depression glassware that I display by color…pink, yellow, green, amber, blue and clear. I recently displayed some of it at a branch of the County Library and received many compliments. Very good tip you gave in your post: “…And don’t mix in anything else! Unrelated items distract from the gallery-like feel.” Good advice! Have a great day!