4 Ways to Display Your Vintage Treasures - Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out

You finally find it—the missing piece to your collection is in your grasp, and you take it home proudly. Your collection is now complete. So how do you display it without taking up more space? The answer: Decorate up, not out, by turning your collections into creative wall art. Here are some of our favorite options for wall displays, using creativity to give your collection the attention it deserves.

Photo by Bret Gum

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LEVEL HEADED

If your collection is able to lie flat, it can be used as a unique headboard in your bedroom. Here, the rustic feel of the old levels is juxtaposed with the clean, white bedspread, intensifying the headboard’s weathered look. You’d be hard-pressed to get the pieces to fit together perfectly, so it’s best to leave spaces in the middle of the display, creating an illusion of moving parts.

Tip: You can glue your pieces together for an easy mounting process, or hang each piece separately, keeping options open to use the item again in the future.

Photo by Bret Gum

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JUNK JARS

Jars allow you to creatively display your craft tools and supplies, while making your items easier to find. Find them at flea markets, and mix and match sizes and shapes—one style for each shelf. This arrangement can be a colorful and useful way to display your vintage buttons, string, keys and more.

Tip: If items aren’t as charming, store them in small pots instead, keeping them just as available but slightly hidden from view.

Photo by Bret Gum

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MIRRORS, MIRRORS ON THE WALL

Mirrors have a decorative aesthetic and also make your rooms look bigger. Create a cohesive mix by sticking to mirrors with a similar finish. Some antique mirrors at flea markets might be cracked, broken or just plain gone, but you can still purchase the frame and hang it with the others. Mix in framed paintings or pictures to add more diversity.

Tip: Plan your display by placing your mirrors on the floor and testing out the arrangement before hanging them. Measure the distance between mirrors and use that as your guide when you move them to the wall, to avoid making unnecessary holes.

Photo by Bret Gum

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DRIFTWOOD DISPLAY

“We’ve turned these driftwood pieces into jewelry organizers as one-of-a-kind as the pieces themselves,” says Katy Gardiner, creative mind behind curiographer.com. The jewelry is strategically placed based on its length to create a symmetrical design that allows you to see all your choices and prevents your pieces from getting tangled.

Tip: “When in doubt, go strong,” says Katy. “Use denser pieces of driftwood without warping or cracks, spread the weight across one long piece or multiple pieces, use rope or heavy hemp cord and hang the pieces from screws, not nails.”

Photographed and Styled by Katy Gardiner, curiographer.com

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