This is part 3 of a miniseries, Summerize Your Home Cool, Calm and Collected {no it’s not me spelling the word summarize wrong, it’s an attempt to be funny and lazy instead of saying how to make your home summery for the summer}

I just decided that this post needs a link up party so we can see your collection–link up at the bottom

In the last post about Calming your home, I told you of my love for all things accessory and how that can easily make my home feel cluttered and uncalm. Well, I have found a way to balance my love of things with my desire for a calm home.  It’s collections.  Like those birds up over our guest bed.  Even though there are 18 or so little black birds flying around, because it’s presented as a collection, it looks put together and not cluttery. It’s kind of like cheating.

All of these misfit white dishes magically turn into a collection when placed together on a wall. Whenever I find another plate, I just pop it up there.

I’m still working on a wall full of my black and white prints and shelves and stuff.  But I’m never one to wait to show you something till it looks perfect.   We all know that will never happen.

Our wall of empty frames up the stairwell.  I add to this wall little by little.

Grouping items of similar shape or color or identity is a great way to make a statement, not spend much money, and still display things you love or find interesting.  If you have things scattered about, consider grouping them for greater impact and for a more pulled together feeling.

There are millions of things that a person could collect or group here are 7 out of millions because it’s Monday

  • urns
  • framed photos
  • framed art {by the same artist or maybe same color palate, paint by number}
  • potted plants
  • framed maps
  • vintage cameras
  • mirrors

Here are some examples of creative groupings:

License Plates @ Vintage

Silhouettes @ Tatertots and Jello

Painted Vases @ ish and chi {she poured paint on the inside, brilliant}

Here’s an idea that anyone can do: display your collection of diamond rings.

Photo: Martha poor thing, I’m using her photos for evil, not good.  But I do love this picture.  However, I prefer to spend my money on lamps, not diamonds.

Framed Starfish @ While She Slept

Tissue Paper Pom Poms @ Home and Harmony

This could take forever to try to link to all the geniuses who have created collections so, just now I had a great thought–I want to see your collections.  Feel free to link up to an older post, no need to add in a link to Nesting Place unless you feel like it.  This is purely for inspiration purposes.