Collected Look Essentials #3 - Collections

In one of my recent posts, I talked about the fact that I think any room needs a touch of something antique, no matter the style of room. And recently, I also spoke of rooms that rely heavily on antiques and vintage items (like mine), really needing a touch of something modern in the room to break it all up. Since then, I've had several people comment or send me emails, either asking me to clarify (it seems confusing!) or stating that I've contradicted myself! And to some, it may seem that I have contradicted myself, but I assure you, I have not. Both of these articles exemplify my style of decorating, as well as some of what I feel to be the most important decorating tenants needed to make your house a collected home. I feel strongly that the best rooms really are the ones that take time to build, and that are not completed in a week. Houses should seem like they evolved naturally; like they took years to accumulate, and curate, and get right. They will have a comfort and familiarity that way, as well as speak volumes about those who live there.  So since I had so many questions, and I think it can be confusing for some who really want to get that look and don't know quite how to do it, I decided to put together a list of what I think are some of the most important essentials a home needs for it to feel real and true to you. These are only my opinion, not written in stone, of course, but they are the things that I think make a home feel "collected" rather than "decorated." It is how I've tried to do my own home, and it is how the most written about and beautiful homes are designed. Almost every respected designer talks about having a house be personal for you, and I think if you add a collection that speaks to you, it will add patina and warmth to your home.

Those past two posts covered two essentials; having something antique in every room, no matter what style, and needing something modern in even the most vintage-y feeling rooms. So here is, in my opinion, the third most important point in creating a room with character, and that is to actually have a collection of some kind. It can be any collection, truly, the sky's the limit. But a collection is one of those things that just adds instant character to a room. Now just like the antiques can go too far and create a room that is too dated or too cluttered, so too can too many collections. We don't want your house to look like a hoarder lives there! We just want to add a feeling that it has not been thrown together at one store. And what better way to do that, than to have a collection that takes years to curate? Now we can cheat a little! By going to antiques stores, we can get some pieces that might not have taken years to collect, but will look like they did. If you don't have a collection yet, you can easily purchase an "instant" one by going on Ebay, Etsy or One Kings Lane. There are so many things to choose from that it's possible to find one for any budget and any taste. And if you really don't like a lot of "stuff" (and I get that), then just make it a small one. Four or five of the same item, in one room, is enough of a collected statement and gives the room a distinct personality. And no, I don't think there needs to be a collection in every room in a house, just one or two will do.


China is one of the first things people think of when they think of "collections." A gathering of blue and white ginger jars or groupings of white ironstone are lovely, and can work in any style of home; from contemporary, to vintage farmhouse, to French Country, to Mid-Century Modern, to traditional, to an eclectic mix.

I love these splattery pitchers! Something I've not seen before. That's the nice thing about adding a vintage collection - it's something you won't see in every house in town.

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