As you read my blog, you will soon learn I love silver! I love vintage silver flatware, unique serving pieces, and trophies. It started with a Martha Stewart magazine article about collecting trophies. I loved the shape and craftsmanship, as well as the stories they told on their engravings. Everything from first prize in a pickle ball tournament to "The NIMROD Point to Point Challenge Cup from 1986-2004." (I had to Google what a Nimrod was!) We don't see fancy trophies much anymore. I think that's why I enjoy collecting them, they are unique and they tell a story. Okay, and I like shiny things too.
I soon learned the difference between a collector and a hoarder though. My new acquisitions quickly took up a lot of space, and I needed to figure out a way how to make them look interesting before the family started an intervention! I started with that same article from Martha Stewart and tried to make these individually awesome pieces of history look equally awesome hanging out in my house. It took a LONG time! I found as I collected more and more trophies, I had to get more and more creative to again balance the collector/hoarder issue.
Here are a few collections around the house that highlight my love for trophies:
Its been fun hunting. And even more fun re-purposing them into every day use.
So, while refining my collection displays, I decided having little "stories" seemed to play well when decorating my house. I found when I had a large group of small trinkets, I needed to make them work together to have a homogeneous display, not just throwing them in a neat little line, like soldiers! So, what I found is height and texture are my friends. Mixing tall and short , giving little items center stage with a platform, and adding organic "greenery" seemed to make my story come to life.
Play a bit. Find some items that you can make your own "story" with.
