Curated Clutter: How to Display the Things You Love
What's the difference between clutter and curated clutter? A plan.
Curated clutter is one of the biggest trends I'm seeing this fall, and I love how it embraces a home full of collections, antiques, books, and art, arranged so it feels layered and personal instead of chaotic.
Photo by Alex Vincent
Here's how to do it well.
Start with what you already have
Before you buy anything, shop your own house. Pull out the things tucked in closets, boxes, and drawers: grandma's plates, the pottery you collected on trips, old frames, the silver you never use. Most people have the start of a great collection and don't know it.
Ideas on my Pinterest Board.
Go BIG with gallery walls
The gallery walls I'm seeing right now are generous. Collected art running nearly the entire wall, sometimes right up to the trim or the ceiling.
A few tips:
Mix it up. Oils, prints, sketches, small mirrors, and even textiles can all hang together.
Mix frames, too. Gilded, painted, and wood frames side by side keep it from looking like a catalog.
Lay it out first. Arrange everything on the floor (or trace paper templates onto the wall) before you put a single nail in.
Anchor it. Start with your largest piece near eye level and build outward.
More on gallery walls in 365 Days of a Happy Home: Day 126 here!
Plates on the wall
Vintage plates are having a major moment as wall decor. Group them in a cluster above a sideboard, around a doorway, or across a whole dining room wall. Mix patterns that share a color (all blue and white, or all with a touch of green) and the collection reads as one.
Fun collections on display: brooches, matchbooks, brass figurines, coin collections, race medals, and hats. More ideas here.
Vintage silver
Still trending, and still one of my favorite finds at estate sales. Trophy cups as vases, mismatched candlesticks grouped on a mantel, a silver tray corralling perfume bottles on a dresser. A little tarnish is part of the charm. Check out my blog post all about repurposed silver.
Stacks of books
The coffee table book stack is back. Choose books you actually love, stack them in two or three piles, and top one with a small object: a shell, a bowl, a vintage box.
Unmatched, collected furniture
Collected furniture is having its moment. A painted chest next to a wood side table, an antique chair beside a newer sofa. Pieces that were clearly found over time make a room feel lived in.
Baskets, wicker, and smart storage
The secret to curated clutter is having somewhere to put the real clutter. Baskets, lidded hampers, and clever storage hacks (a vintage cabinet hiding the printer, a skirted table hiding bins) let your collections shine without the everyday stuff competing.
Make it feel acquired, not bought all at once
The goal is a room that looks like a movie set, full of things gathered over years. A few details that get you there:
Heavy vintage frames. Ornate gilt or carved wood frames make even a simple print feel special.
Quirky ceramics. A cabbage-leaf bowl, an animal-shaped pitcher, a handmade vase. The odder, the better.
Statement lighting with warm bulbs. Swap in warm, amber-toned bulbs. That soft glow makes a collected room feel lived in, especially on long winter nights.
Photo by Alex Vincent
Where to find pieces locally
Some of my favorite places to hunt here in Vermont:
Perfect Piece Consignment in Manchester
Burgess Estate Sales (follow @burgessestatesales802 on Instagram)
East Barre Antique Mall
Quechee Antique Mall
The rule I always come back to
If you love it, there's a place for it. The trick is grouping it so it tells a story.
Need help displaying your treasures? Reach out at hello@mjginteriors.com