Can't let go of collectibles, souvenirs, and family photos? You're not alone! Any household that's been lived in by real people has their share of sentimental things that are just too cherished to part with. And honestly, while many of these end up in attics and garages, many also deserve to be proudly displayed!

If you want to showcase your personal objects without making your home look cluttered or unsophisticated, we're with you. Here are fab ways and decorating tips to display sentimental items with elegance and style.

 

1. Dedicate a shelf.

Perfect for displaying a variety of objects

Whether it's a built-in unit, a floating wall shelf, or a special display cabinet, shelves are the most straightforward option to showcase your prized items. But don't just place things in a row. Add more appeal by mixing various objects, designs, colors, or shapes. Also layer them by placing small items in front of taller ones.

Below, our real-life customer John has created an eye-catching shelf of family photos, topping it off with a flower arrangement and a custom family wall art. Guests will gravitate to this corner, for sure!

 

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family Name "Home" Premium Panoramic Canvas

 

In another example below, the open kitchen shelves go from plain and utilitarian to cozy and pretty. The trick is to mix practical everyday items (like pots and pans) with decorative ones (like wall art). Now it looks like an intentional display!

Wall art pictured above: "Y'all Come Eat" Canvas Wall Art and Personalized "Kitchen - Seasoned With Love" Premium Canvas

 

2. Style on a console.

Perfect for displaying a few select pieces

Here's another foolproof way to spotlight your favorite things: arrange a few on a console table, complement with a plant and an artwork, and voila -- an elegant vignette! If a console isn't an option, you can also do this on a sideboard, buffet, or credenza. All you need, really, is a mid-height horizontal surface to style.

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family Name Color-Choice Premium Canvas

 

3. Color-coordinate.

Perfect for displaying a collection or similarly-colored items

A cohesive color palette is soothing to the eye, so if you have cherished things in the same color scheme, you can turn them into a decorative presentation. It doesn't even matter if the objects aren't strictly related. Just take a look at the example below: some ceramics, some pictures, and a woven mat all come together in one stylish corner because they're color-coordinated.

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "It's So Good To Be Home" Premium Canvas

 

Here's another lovely demonstration of the power of a color scheme. GearDen customer Erika took the sepia tones of old family photos and used them as her color palette for this sweet gallery corner. It looks so nostalgic!

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family Names On Tree "Family" Premium Canvas

 

4. Fill a wall.

Perfect for displaying photos and wall art

A classic way to showcase your favorite pictures is by hanging them as a wall gallery. There are two fantastic ways to pull this off beautifully. One is by framing your photos in uniform frames, then arranging them in a neat grid on the wall. This results in an effortlessly elegant grouping, just like what our customer Jerisha F. did here:

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "This Is Us" With Names On Background Premium Canvas

 

And the other method for a gallery wall is to go eclectic: put together wall pieces with various colors, sizes, and styles. To make them all work together, show a color or two that are similar across most of the pieces. Bonus style points if you can match this color with adjacent furniture, like the orange tones in this example:

Central wall art pictured above: Personalized "Love - Names On Hearts" Premium Canvas

 

5. Mix and match.

Perfect for displaying flat artworks with three-dimensional objects

If your cherished objects are a mish-mash of flat pictures and random tchotchkes, we highly recommend the wall art-plus-table combo. For this one, you'll arrange all your three-dimensional things on a tabletop (like a sideboard) then hang all your pictures right above it. Check out the maximalist example below, featuring cute little plants and an array of artworks:

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "This Is Us - Crazy, Loud, Love" Premium Canvas

 

If you're more into the minimalist style, this method can work for you, too! In our example below, a collection of books and souvenirs are complemented with an artwork over the table. The trick here is that everything is on theme -- all shabby-chic!

Wall art pictured above: "All These Dogs" Premium Canvas

 

6. Collage them.

Perfect for displaying photos and flat mementos

Collaging is something we learned as kids in art class, but it can translate into an elegant grownup artform. Smaller pictures, postcards, notes, and prints can harmoniously be displayed together in one frame, if arranged with symmetry and cohesiveness. Just look at this lovely baby collage by Angela from Mommy Diary: 

 

Want to step up your family picture collage? Have it custom-made! Here at GearDen, we make customized canvas collages featuring photos you choose, topped with a family-themed quote in sweet calligraphy. Having your photos printed on canvas turns them into a lasting artwork!

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "This Is Us" With Photos Premium Canvas

 

7. Light 'em up.

Perfect for displaying one-of-a-kind collectibles

For items that you're truly proud of, it's a fantastic idea to create a custom shelf with inner lighting. An alcove or shelf with a subtle warm light can turn any collection into a museum-like display. The good news is that you don't have to spend a ton to get this look. There are lots of inexpensive LED strip lights available out there -- just make sure you get the lighting temperature that suits your display best.

Metal art pictured above: Personalized "Tree Of Life" Custom Metal Sign

 

Another way to illuminate your shelf? String lights! These are not just for Christmas trees and kids' rooms -- there are actually various types of string lights to create various moods. For instance, those with tiny bulbs are called fairy lights or rice lights, which look magical when draped over a shelf. Another type are globe lights, with bigger, rounder bulbs that give your display a more vintage, grownup look.

Metal art pictured above: Personalized "Family Tree" Custom Metal Sign

 

8. Layer on a ledge.

Perfect for displaying wall art and framed pictures

If you're like us who get carried away collecting artworks and pictures, this is for you! Use your mantle or install a picture ledge on your wall, then lean your pieces on it in assorted rows. Place the larger or taller ones at the very back and the smaller ones in front, while keeping the arrangement casual and varied. Below, our pink "Enjoy Today" floral print is layered on top of our family tree custom wall art. We love the combo of rustic and whimsical!

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family Names On Tree Premium Canvas V2 and "Enjoy Today" Premium Canvas

 

9. Accentuate with molding.

Perfect for displaying select large pictures and poster

Picture-frame molding is perfect for exactly that: framing pictures! So, if you have great posters and prints you want to spotlight, grab some peel-and-stick molding and little bit of paint, and create a large 'built-in' frame on the wall. Our favorite example is the DIY project below by The Page Edit. It transformed their hallway from a plain rental room to a gorgeous Parisian-inspired space!

 

Here's another example by savvy mom Samantha Farmer. She uses the same technique as above, but with an arched top using flexible wall molding. The result is an uber-elegant gallery wall, which you would never think was done on a DIY budget!

 

10. Use an old fireplace.

Perfect for displaying books and bulky items

Got a non-working fireplace? That's real estate that shouldn't go to waste! That cozy alcove can house your bigger or heavier items like books, jars and vessels, plants, or even extra throws. Make sure, of course, that the fireplace is thoroughly clean before you place your beloved objects in there. For a tidier look, stash these things in cute crates or baskets before pushing them into the alcove.

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family "Home Sweet Home" Rustic Premium Canvas 

 

11. Use an awkward corner.

Perfect for displaying novelty items

Many home interiors have extra corners, random floor spaces, and awkward nooks that hardly fit anything useful. Why not turn them into a showcase? A few custom-fit shelves could turn that unusual space into a dedicated home for your knick-knacks. And if you feel the space is too small, consider going vertical by installing shelving from floor to ceiling!

 

12.  Redecorate a bookshelf.

Perfect for displaying books, framed photos, and tchotchkes

A good old bookshelf is a no-brainer for displaying things, but to make it a real visual treat, refinish the bookcase with something that pops. Maybe it's a new stain, a lick of paint, or some contrasting hardware. Our favorite method is by wallpapering the insides of the shelf with a pretty pattern that contrasts the rest of the paint.

Also, for decor purposes, it's best not to overload the bookcase. Curate and arrange your items in a way that leaves lots of 'breathing space' around them. With that, your favorite things and your bookcase itself become an artful focal point.

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Family Initial And Name Premium Canvas

 

We hope this list inspires you to bring out those cherished personal items of yours! They'd make lovely reminders of your favorite times, and serve as conversation pieces, too.

Speaking of conversation pieces, did you like the canvas prints and metal art featured here? Browse GearDen.com for more! We have many personalized wall signs and metal decor pieces that could go so well with your personal display. Happy decorating!