Today I want to show you how to display antique and vintage collections!

Collections of beautiful pieces, whether that be antique, vintage, or something else, gives your home personality and soul. Recently I had a reader ask me how she can keep her collections feeling fresh and how best to display them, so I thought I would write a whole blog about it!

this post

To me, the best part about collecting your favorite types of items is the journey of it all. Curating and adding to your storied collections is such a thrill, always on the hunt for ‘just one more’. But, how do your collections stay fresh and updated so they don’t feel stagnant? Join me as I teach you how to display antique and vintage collections so they feel inspiring!

This post contains affiliate links. That simply means I earn a small commission on on clicked links. As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my small business!

Creative Ways To Display Antique and Vintage Collections

Group items together in odd numbers.

This is a technique that I learned a few years ago from my husband actually! Groupings of odd numbered items are more comfortable to the eye. I especially love groupings of 3. Take a collection of pottery pieces for example.

Instead of having all of those pieces in one spot, try breaking the collection up into groupings of 3 and displaying them in different parts of your home. For example, play around with displaying 3 on an end table in your living room, 3 more on a shelf, and 3 more on a credenza.

Move your pieces around until you find groupings that feel cohesive to you. Depending on the size of your space, you can also try groupings of 5 or 7 as well!

Use a glass front cabinet.

These types of cabinets are not only beautiful pieces of furniture but they are perfect for holding collections as well. You can buy new cabinets with glass doors from any retail store these days but I prefer searching antique shops for them. Old cabinets, especially wood ones, have so much character and will show off your collections in a gorgeous way. An added benefit of displaying curated pieces in a glass front cabinet is that you can mix and match different collections together. You can pair glass jars, pottery, and enamelware altogether and the cabinet makes it all feel cohesive.

To add height to your cabinet display, try using vintage books to put underneath some of the pieces. For dimension, insert some faux greenery stems into your display. You can either try putting stems in items like jars or bowls or laying them on the shelf itself. The joy is in using your creativity to showcase your special collections. That’s what creates a home that is filled with charm and soul.

Utilize a picture rail.

Picture rails are one of my favorite ways to display collections. They allow for creativity and expression, creating a display that is one-of-a-kind and can be re-arranged easily. Picture rails allow you to display many pieces in a meaningful way without sacrificing floor space.

When it comes to styling a picture rail to display a collection, the beauty about it is that are no rules. My suggestion would be to lay out all the pieces on the floor that you would like to use on the picture rail and then just start arranging. Keep moving your decor around until you are happy with how it looks. I wrote a whole blog post about about styling decor using picture rails. Feel free to check out that post for some more helpful ideas!

Hang a collection from hooks.

For a collection of smaller pieces, try utilizing some pretty hooks! You can easily find vintage-inspired hooks at the hardware store. Arrange the hooks in a pattern- like way on a wall, similar to a gallery wall. You can also screw your hooks into wooden boards or pallets and then hang those on the wall.

By hanging up your collection, you create a unique visual interest, almost like an art piece. You can also rotate what you have hanging up on your hooks, either seasonally or if you just need a change.

Display on open shelving.

Open shelving is the simplest way that I have found to display collections because you can move and switch things around easily. You can personalize the shelving to fit your space in terms of size, color, hardware, and placement of them. There are many options to choose from in stores and online or you can choose to make your own!

By displaying a vintage or antique collection on open shelving, it truly is a curation of who you are and what you love. Like a piece of art, you are letting whoever sees it to depict it in their own way. Your collection will be viewed differently by each person who looks at it.

My hope is that these ideas for how to display antique and vintage collections were a help to you. It can feel overwhelming sometimes to figure out what to do with your very special pieces. Try out one of the suggestions above or come up with your own way! Let creativity lead you and find joy in the process.

Let me know in the comments below which one of these ideas you want to try out for your collections!

Find more inspiration for your home.

Create DIY Projects for your home.

Go shopping in The Antiqued Journey shop!

If you are loving my content, please consider subscribing to my e-mail newsletter. In return, you will get a free digital download as well as weekly inspiration delivered to your inbox. I would love for you to be a part of The Antiqued Journey community!