Clever ways to display your collectibles
I have just come back from my first every trip abroad sans Stella - a fabulous long weekend to celebrate my birthday in Arcachon, in the South West of France. If you've not heard of the place, think of it like the French equivalent of the Hamptons: endless stretches of beach by the Atlantic, shabby chic oyster shacks, uber cool yet understated people in expensive espadrilles... We cycled everywhere, had rosé wine (so clear it looks like white) at every meal, and just ate seafood as our 5-a-day... That's how people roll in Arcachon. In case you're wondering how the sans baby thang went down, I have no shame in admitting it: it was absolutely wonderful! I just left my 'guilt' bag at the airport and enjoyed four (FOUR!!!) full days of fun with my girlfriends, totally guilt-free. Every mama needs a break from now and then, non? You can see our adventures on Stella + the Stars' instagram feed.
One of the highlights (there are so many, I couldn't list them all in one post!) of the weekend was a trip down memory lane while we were at the beach one day and ended up walking by the shore collecting seashells. I grew up in Corsica and in the south of France so spent most summers by the Med and picking up seashells in the sand is a ritual that really reminds me of my childhood. Everywhere in Arcachon, I spotted glass jars with seashells stacked up in them. I brought a handful back with me to give to Stella and she started playing around with them straight away, which actually made me feel a tad emotional!
Picking up seashells... Photo credit: www.beachtreasuresandtreasurebeaches.com
It made me realise how great it is to collect stuff and I started to think of cool ways to display collectibles, not just seashells. At home, we have two big collections: my snow globes (I know I have this inner kitsch goddess desperate to come out sometimes...) and my husband's vintage star wars figurines...
I find collections of objects fascinating and so personal. I love collections even more when they are incorporated into the decor of a home rather than just stored in a cupboard. It makes such an impact and gives the space a really personal touch. So, how to display your items in a creative way?
A clever idea to display small objects like figurines and miniatures for example is acrylic shelves. It really makes your items stand out and its' just so simple and, more importantly, cheap!
See below what we've done with the hubby's Star Wars collection in our upstairs landing. I found these shelves on Amazon and they were £7 each! Needless to say, after years of storing them in individual plastic bags in a box at the bottom of the wardrobe, Mr Stella + the Stars was just delighted with having these little guys taking prime spot next to Stella's bedroom.
Stella + the Stars collection of Star Wars vintage figurines...
My little collection of snow globes is one of the first things you see when you get into our house. It's growing so fast, I am going to have to move them somewhere else now. They might even end up with their own acrylic shelving display, who knows...
Stella + the Stars' collection of snow globes...
If you have bigger items to display, a hallway or entrance hall is a great way to make an impact as soon as guest get in to your home. The image below makes me want to actually start collecting guitars!
Photo credit: www.traditionalhome.com
How about an antlers collection wall display? with a mini bar underneath obvs...
Photo credit: Pinterest
Even just a straw hat collection can look stunning displayed on a wall...
Photo credit: www.fieldstonehilldesign.com
And don't get me started on trinkets and things you collect under a cloche. It's such a fabulous idea and so easy to set up. Take inspiration from the image below - it's a project by an artist called Lucas Mongiello. Adore...
Have you got a weird and wonderful collection and need more ideas to give it the spotlight it deserve? I have created a Pinterest board with more inspiration for various collectible items. Happy decorating!