How do you display items you collect?

Emily
by Emily

Seemingly without intending to I have ended up with quite a collection of sea shells.

We do live near the ocean so that may be one way, but mostly mine are "found" at tag sales or our town swap shop. What do you collect and how do you display your collection(s)?

  10 answers
  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Jan 07, 2020

    Beautiful meaningful and thoughtful display.

    Exquisite placement.


    I collect various things, have downsized collections some with downsizing. Nutcrackers along the stairway to basement on a shelf. Bronze dogs an the library bookcases. Water globes on the basement window ledge. Vintage Christmas decor.

    Keeping things upwards and away from active grandchild.

  • Emily Emily on Jan 07, 2020

    I also have a small collection of dogs. . . but I love the bronze ones! Mostly I collect china, but since one also uses that, I don't consider it so much. Are the dogs the same breed or varied? Do your kids collect because my daughter does also (she too does the vintage Christmas)

  • Beth Beth on Jan 07, 2020

    You've done a great job displaying your collection of seashells! They look great and add a lot of charm to your home. I'm really bad at organizing and displaying things, but it's one of my goals for the year to do a better job enjoying my surroundings, and there's lots of inspiration here on Hometalk to help anyone get more organized.

    • Emily Emily on Jan 07, 2020

      Beth right now they are all in the basement. I keep thinking about using some of them to frame a mirror I have down there. I also collect china and this is how I use it in my sitting room.

  • Gk Gk on Jan 07, 2020

    I think it would be great to make a coffee table like this to display collectable items!

    https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/furniture/vintage-windows-equal-amazing-coffee-table-35004751

    • Emily Emily on Jan 07, 2020

      That would be beautiful. I know a woman who has items displayed in a smaller but similar glass topped table. The glass adds so much interest to what is seen through it.

  • I have a corner curio cabinet that I put all of my sentimental trinkets in :)

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jan 07, 2020

    Curio cabinet which displays and virtually eliminates dusting.

  • Megan Megan on Jan 07, 2020

    Hi! I LOVE tung oil or hemp oil for dull antique wood! It really add moisture back into the piece of furniture and brightens it up! Making it look almost new!

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 08, 2020

    What I do with my collection of sea shells is use them outside on my potted plants. Just put them on the top layer of soil, they prevent animals from digging into them, keep weeds down, and slow water evaporation. So pretty and practical.

  • Ken Erickson Ken Erickson on Jan 08, 2020

    Years ago I built a shaker style curio cabinet. Ensure an "L" bracket is attached to a stud in the wall at the top to prevent tip over.

    This past year I built 5 floating walnut shelves. The hardware was purchased at Rockler. Photo shows the shelves before adding do-dads.