Think me crazy, but a great place to find display inspiration is a catalog or showroom. While not interior designers, stylists for home goods retailers are still paid to group objects, display art and generally make a room look great. It's their job. Here's what we learned:
Don't worry about making your rooms looking catalog-ish &mdash they won't when you're using your own unique, eclectic objects. (I.e. not a room full of IKEA, or West Elm or whatnot.)
• Less is more, and white space is a good thing, from West Elm.
• Bright colors make bright colors pop, from Pottery Barn.
• Displaying fruit like a collection in a bowl warms up a seemingly cold, modern space, from Room & Board.
• Organic material, such as this huge piece of dried material, gives a room life, from West Elm.
• The traditional triptych, stood on its head, can also make a big statement, from Williams-Sonoma Home.
• At least two matching pillows helps unify your sofa's pillow collection, from Williams-Sonoma Home.
• The front of books &mdash not just the spines &mdash can be art, too, from Pottery Barn.
• The right rug can be art, and displayed as such, from Crate & Barrel.
• Displayed wine can be art too, from CB2.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
As someone who is a visual merchandiser, I can add a few more:
*Repeat an element (like color or texture) several times to create impact and make the eye move around the room.
*Layer accessories (lean picture over a picture/mirror hung on the wall) and vary height in your arrangments
*You can hang artwork a little higher than the normal 6 inches above a piece of furniture if you fill the negative space with something--decorative box, picture frames, etc.
*Vary your artwork arrangements. Don't just have several large pieces spread out. Mix in some that are stacked or hung in rows.
view queenbee1230's profile
Thank you Queenbee1230! Excellent advice!
view sassafrassy's profile
I like the philosophy. Pic #6.... there's actually no room on the coffee table for anything. It's like "No sir, this table is properly and fully decorated, therefore, you must place your coffee cup elsewhere...". Knick-knacks can slowly take over a space and make it designingly cluttered. Let it breath, man...
view Laughing Tiger's profile
My rule with little things like an old tool or cog or any found object is... it should have an interesting story behind. Or in front of it :-)
view Laughing Tiger's profile
I really like the cookbook display! I'd love to do that with other books.
view Akino luna's profile
I've never understood this disdain for catalog stylists. A see plenty of pace to put coffee, drinks, magazines, even canapes, etc on that same coffee table. Don't let yourself be intimidated by good design. Use it! Those who have it do.
view quiltmaster's profile
I think the disdain comes from the fact that stylists aren't designing for use. Form follows function, except there isn't any function.
And three pictures hung in a line isn't the same as a triptych. They look fine, if somewhat impersonal.
view FantasticMrFaux's profile