I have a corner in my family room that was bare after I moved a huge computer cabinet to another spot. I wanted some sort of shelving unit and but didn’t want a built-it piece. It took several months of searching flea markets and antique shops before I found an old store shelving unit that fits perfectly in the space between a window and wall. If you have something specific in mind, it’s worth the wait. I see no reason to spend money on a mediocre alternate. You can always find something around your house to fill the spot in the meantime.
It has original white paint that’s mostly intact. I love the charm and history of peeling paint. I would never repair or repaint it. If I wanted perfect, I would have bought something new.
Not only does it fill the corner of the room, but it’s perfect for displaying a number of collections. In the coming months, I will give you display tips and pointers on how to show case your collections.
- The first rule of display is things always look better when grouped together. I didn’t realize how many wood boxes I owned until I gathered them up to put on the shelves. If I spread them around the room or house, they wouldn’t have any impact at all.
- Think height, scale and texture when displaying collections.
- Odd number groupings look better than even.
- Look for a common theme among the items.
The top shelf has three different boxes. A reproduction salt box (made by my good friend Tom Giesfeldt), an antique candle stand and an old cutlery tray. They work together because of the same golden oak color and rounded back or handle. Stagger them (instead of lining them up all in a row) to give them some added depth.
The boxes on the second shelf are all oriented horizontally. A small antique tool box, a new hand-painted box and a reproduction candle box (also made by Tom Giesfeldt). The only thing these 3 boxes have in common is their shape, but that’s what makes them work together.
The cute little miniature chairs add more interest to the display.
The couple of grey gears on the bottom are my husband’s addition. They wouldn’t be my first choice, but he lives here too. I’m lucky; he rarely offers any design advice!
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