Design Trends for Collectors

Dear Lee,

One of the biggest challenges for collectors — other than using restraint at flea markets and antiques markets now that they have started up again! — is how to display your newly purchased treasures. Be careful to preserve your collections and keep the items safe. Be aware, too, of shifting design trends to keep your house from looking “stuffy.”

Displaying your collections can be tricky. Safety, of course, is vital. I had a friend who collected green and pink Depression glassware. He had hundreds of dishes, glasses and serving pieces. He displayed all the glassware in a cabinet with glass shelves in his living room. You guessed it: One day, he heard a tremendous crash. The top glass shelf broke under the weight of too many pieces, and he lost at least three-fourths of his collection. Some insurance policies only cover part of the damage, if that. So, rule No. 1 is to be mindful of the safety of display cabinets. To this day, I don’t trust glass shelves.

Here are some other tips:

1. Don’t put colored prints, game boards or anything printed on paper by a sunny window or it will fade. Old printing from the 1950s frequently turns blue from sun exposure. You can put a film on your window to block the UV rays to help avoid some of the damage.
2. Interior design is moving away from minimalism and toward cozy, soft colors, knick-knacks and sculptural furniture. Natural woods are also coming back. Be careful — if your wood dining room table is set near a window, the end closest to it can be “bleached” lighter from the sun.  To keep the color uniform, occasionally turn the table so a different side faces the sunny window.
3. Adding layers of interest in rooms is popular again. That could involve an accent wall with geometric-patterned wallpaper (yes, wallpaper is back!) and contrasting decoration on tables and ledges, including interesting vases. Never put a vase that will hold water on a pile of books, despite what you see in the current decorating magazines. Water can leak from vases, especially vintage ones, and damage the books.
4. Wood floors still beat out carpet in most home magazines, which means area rugs are practical and can add to a room’s cozy feel. If you are using a large rug in a room, make sure all your furniture is on it — not half on or half off. This prevents trip hazards and ensures a table or chair’s stability.
5. If you have favorite artwork, here is one of my favorite decorating tips: Don’t worry about putting your picture in the center of your sofa wall. Put it where it looks good, considering surrounding tables, chairs and lamps. Be sure large pictures — and smaller art hung in groups — are at eye level.
6. Lamps aren’t just practical, they are decorative. In 2022, gleaming metallics and space-age shapes are popular. Don’t put the lamp where it can be bumped and knocked off the table. Put it where the light is needed.
7. Don’t worry about using too much color. It used to be you had a blue-and-white living room. Now it can be the color of the rainbow.
8. Most rooms now have white wood blinds or shades. If you do choose drapes, know that the days of curtains pooled on the floor are over. That was popular in the 1950s and again in the 1980s. Now they should just reach the floor.

I love that color is back in home decoration again. It is a perfect backdrop for any eclectic collection.