Interior Design Ideas Inspired by Museums

We all have much-loved hobbies. For some of us, it’s all about collecting stamps and coins. For others, it could be making crochet doilies or macrame plant hangers, or even picking up tribal masks or quirky hats! Whatever it is that helps us to get our mojo on, these hobbies give us endless hours of joy and relaxation.

So how can you display all your hobby collectables in your home, safely and stylishly? Here’s some inspiration to help you transform your spaces into personal expressions of beauty!

Display Pieces on a Console

Lovely collections of delicate blue china should never be hidden away—put them on display for the world to see! You can choose to show off a few pieces on a vintage console table, like this home owner has done, and intersperse them with potted greens or cut flowers. Add a beautifully framed gilt-edged mirror to complete the picture-perfect vignette.

China that’s left in the open is a dust magnet. Taking time off to dust every day could be tedious and could result in breakages if you’re not careful! To minimise your housekeeping, invest in a custom-created decorative cabinet that can be mounted on the wall, and displays your valuable collection to perfection.

Here, this lovely collection of plates is mounted directly on the wall, and is displayed to best advantage against the delicately patterned blue and white vintage wallpaper. The grey wainscoting and ceiling cornices add to the old-fashioned charm.

Create a Gallery Wall

Is artwork your thing? Whether you love to paint yourself or collect the work of other artists, you can show them off by creating a gallery wall. Pick pieces that go well together and move them around to create an interesting composition. Have too large a collection to display? Switch them around every month so that your décor never gets old!

Here, a collection of leafy prints is the focus of this modern living room. Note how the simple black framing helps to tie different sizes and shapes of prints together.

A gallery wall highlights family photographs, bringing to mind precious memories of fun-filled holidays and get-togethers. Vintage black and white and sepia images are juxtaposed in between modern photographs in a lovely coming together of the old and the new. Your gallery wall collection can grow organically, with photographs being added to commemorate milestones and events.

Spotlight on Sculptures

Take a cue from curio showrooms and put all your collections in a display showcase under accent lights! This museum-inspired seating area uses accent lights to highlight the collection of statuettes and artwork. Custom-created art hangs on each column, accentuating the space with unique visuals.

Here’s another interesting way to make the most of your museum-worthy collection of artwork. Make sure that you rearrange the pieces every once in a while, to refresh the look and rejuvenate your spaces.

In this Scandinavian styled interior, floating shelves in wood hold an interesting collection of modern sculptures. Each piece holds its own and forms an integral part of the carefully curated narrative.

If you love creating art yourself, it’s important to carve out a creative corner in your home. Here, this artist’s nook gets plenty of sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The shelves lined up against the wall hold a collection of hand-crafted artefacts.

Hand-Crafted Treasures

The revival of Cottagecore in home design means that crochet, tatting and needlework pursuits are definitely having a moment! If handwork is your hobby of choice, use every opportunity to showcase it, right from delicate placemats at the dining table to crochet doilies on the console!

Macrame is another 70s craft that is once again in the limelight. If this deliciously knotty craft interests you, make room in a corner of the living room to display wall hangings, plant holders and whatever you will! Also note the collection of wicker baskets that are creatively showcased as wall décor.

Love the intricate art of cross stitch? Make sure the world knows it! These lovingly crafted cross-stitched cushion covers take pride of place on the living room couch.

Coffee Table Collection

Your living room centre table can become a conversation starter, with pretty displays of artefacts that you have curated over the years. This unique coffee table is fashioned out of an antique brass plate (or thamboolam), and is the perfect place to show off a collection of designer vases and candle holders.

Four display sections below the top of this coffee table can hold collections of stamps, marbles and travel memorabilia. The glass top protects small items from dust, while showing them off beautifully.

Tips to Display Your Collectibles

• The backdrop you choose for the display is almost as important as the display itself. A gallery wall should ideally be painted white, so that the pictures are highlighted. When displaying sculptures, keep in mind that light coloured objects show up better against a dark background (and vice versa).
• Collections of small items are best displayed behind glass shutters or under a glass tabletop, as dust could damage them.
• Accent lighting emphasizes and highlights your collections. Use adjustable track lights on the ceiling, or spotlights inside display cases.
• Closter or corral smaller items together, if there are just too many to display. They may look better as a group rather than individual pieces.
• If your collections have antique value, get them restored and cleaned by professionals. Household cleaners may not be gentle enough and may strip old porcelainware, for example, of its surface lustre.

Looking for more décor ideas and how-tos? Get in touch with a HomeLane designer right away!