Displaying Collections in the Bathroom

5 Uses for a Collection of Liqueur Glasses

Why is it, do you think, that so many of us feel a compulsion to keep collections of cherished objects in a room dedicated to otherwise... ahem... more functional concerns? Whatever the reason, we love seeing what people choose to publicly display in this most private of spaces, hence this roundup of bathroom collections from sophisticated liqueur glasses to vintage cartoony critters.

From left to right:

How about you? Do you, or have you ever, displayed a collection in the bathroom? What's the oddest bathroom collection you've ever seen?

(Images: As cited in the original posts, above)

Comments (16)

I would not display valuable (very dear to your heart) art in the bathroom. Moisture will build up and eventually it's quality will be ruined.

What is it about bathrooms that makes folks want to display seashells in them? Is it the water?

I have to admit that I've succumed to this cliche too - I have a gigantic conch shell from Nassau in my hall bathroom...

Seems to be a lot of emphasis on overly decorating a bathroom these days from too many paint colors going on too many nic nacs. Is it because of the economy many people are nesting more than usual so every room needs be overly decorated including the bathroom?

I think it may have something to do with the bathroom being the smallest room in the house, people cant resist the urge to "theme" it. When i moved into my new apartment I hung a couple of nautical themed framed prints and pictures from travels. I used some brightly colored accessories like an orange ikea stool and some hand towels and tray caddies in jewel tones, the overall effect is very Mediterranean. It is my the only room that feels finished so far. I think the ocean /vacation theme is a no brainer, it feels great to step out of a hot shower and see something that reminds you of a vacation. I wouldn't call the bathroom the most private room, I think it is one of the most public, since basic hospitality requires us to lend even the most casual visitor to our house access to this room. I would think the bedroom is the most private. Yay for people displaying their collections. Im a firm beliver you gotta display your collections or get rid of them. They are not doing anyone any good sitting in a box. One more thing, glass jars of shells look great but please leave a little counter space for your guests. Nothing is worse than staying with a friend or relative and having no where to stack your clothes or set your towel down because every inch of counter space is taken up with decorative soap or stacks of sea shells! Put a shelf above the door or glue them into a shadow box and hang them on the wall or something, please.

I love those little plants, but my bathroom doesn't get enough light to do that.. and my cat would either eat them or throw them all on the floor :(

My downstairs half-bath is all Parisian pink powder room. I have a shelf above the towel rack with eiffel tower memoribilla, bottles, tins etc. I think it makes the room more interesting!

I can only imagine cleaning all that stuff...
love clean, bare bathrooms... sigh....

We recently painted our bathroom & added shelves to make room for four plants, but this definitely makes me want to move on to the next step - framed wall hangings of some interesting type!

I think displaying collections in bathrooms can be wonderful, and add some whimsy or interest to an otherwise... "dull" room! Personally, I tend towards plants or pottery in the master bath and photos or framed art only in a half-bath, because like mariyaodessa says, the moisture can be murder for anything framed or of value to you.

LoriSF, I can only speak for myself, butpart of why I like paying special attention to a bathroom or powder room is that these spaces can often go forgotten or untouched from a design perspective, and it's always fun when a guest comes out of our powder room and comments on something that was in there. For example, this is our powder room:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhines1/4400977839/
Every time someone goes in there they either comment on the hand-painted walls or we start talking about the polaroids I have hanging up. Most of my decor is nice but nothing that would start a conversation, so it's fun having a conversation starter!

Thisparadesucks, that sounds really nice!

I've always loved that second picture, it would be beautiful in a beach cottage. Maybe I can convince my sister to it in their summer cottage...

I have a small aquarium on my bathroom counter, actually. The mirror is too large and allows one to see the toilet- I blocked it with a small aquarium filled with plants and fish. Guests do spend longer than normal in there, though.

Those succulents with no drainage are going to die, thus making them not very decorative.

I actually have some succulents with no drainage that have been doing fine for 6 or 8 months. You just have to remember only to water them once a month or so (depending on the dryness of your home), and repot (er, glass?) them if the roots start getting tonto the area where drainage would collect so they don't get root rot.

My powder room has a small cabinet over the toilet that holds my milk glass collection. I also have a painting on the wall, but don't worry about moisture ruining it, as it has no bath or shower.

FantasticMrFaux, is it just me or did you also notice that the succulents in the liqueur glasses are in the way of the faucet handles?