Displaying Collections on a Mantel

My favorite way to decorate is with special vintage and antique finds. I collect many things – shells, ironstone, Cornishware, books. Okay, okay, you get the idea! I thought it would be fun to share simple ideas for displaying collections on a mantel. These tips could also be used for styling a cupboard or a shelf if you don’t have a mantel.

Display Collections Together

There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing lots of ironstone, or Cornishware, or shells together in one place. Power in numbers, right? But there truly is something so calming about showcasing a collection in this way.

Vary Heights and Textures

To make a collection look intriguing you must vary the textures and the heights of the objects. On the mantel I started by adding the largest pieces of Ironstone and then I filled in the smaller ones. Next up, I dispersed pretty shells.

Many of the shells have been found or collected. A few were from our first trip to St. John when we stayed at Caneel Bay. Each night our bed was turned down and a shell was placed on our pillow so we would have sweet dreams. We brought our boys to St. John for the first time, read about our family getaway.

Add Flowers

I love this time of year because I can just go out to our garden to collect flowers to display in our home. I always love adding some flowers to our tablescapes or on the mantel or Welsh dresser. Flowers add so much happiness and also add a softness to displays.

On the mantel I’ve used a mixture of sedum, lace cap hydrangeas, and mountain hydrangeas. It feels very fresh and summery, but this look can also work into fall if you switch out the lace caps for limelight hydrangeas. The sedum goes a lovely deep pink in the autumn.

More About Our Mantel and Fireplace

This is such a favorite spot! I love reading here or writing on my laptop. On colder days, I enjoy the warmth of the fire.

A few years ago we completely did our fireplace over. Read more about our fireplace makeover. The mantel is original and we wanted keep it intact and highlight the rich wood. We painted the interior of the fireplace with high heat paint, we refaced the exterior with fossilized ocean floor, and had a bluestone hearth installed.

Those updates made the space so much more inviting and welcoming. You can read more about our cozy fireplace.

Keeping it Simple

I love collections but I love when they have an order to them. Since we added to our Cornishware Collection I had to find a new home for our Ironstone. So now it’s displayed here on the mantel:

I think it works in this space. Do you? I’d love to hear what you think!

More Ideas for Displaying Collection

Did you enjoy this post and want more styling tips?

Here are more ideas, simply click the text to read more:

Displaying a Cornishware Collection

Decorating with vintage finds

5 Ways to Style a Chippy Basket

Using Vintage Globes in Your Home Decor

Decorating with Shells

Styling with Vintage Cameras and Typewriters

Decorating with Fishing Floats

Let’s stay in touch! Join our newsletter for access to exclusive content, our favorite projects, easy recipes, and fun tutorials. You’ll receive the best design secrets delivered directly to your inbox! Sign Up Here!