12 Creative Ways to Display Your Prized Memorabilia
Did you know that the sale of antiques and collectibles online increased by almost 3% in 2020? This increase in online searches for collectible items is in part due to the effects of in-person stores’ temporary closings. This online demand is expected to increase sales of precious antique items.
Online shopping has had an impact on the growth of the collectible sales industry. The last 5 years saw a 5.3% growth.
The current antiques and collectibles sales industry is worth $2 billion. There are about 8,572 open businesses in this industry in the United States.
People’s collections are important to them, displaying this memorabilia the right way is crucial. Keep reading to learn some new ways you can display some of your most valued treasures.
1. Use Tabletop Frames for Small Items
You might think that frames are only made for the wall but tabletop frames are a great option for putting your favorite collection on display.
These frames can be used for your collection of photography showcasing your travels or you can use them to show off other unique items you’ve collected over the years. These frames are a perfect way to show your fascination with stamps and how much your collection matters to you.
Tabletop frames are the perfect way to keep your delicate items from getting damaged and an interesting way to let others admire your collection when they come into your home.
2. Lighting Can Add Some Flair
If you’re wondering how to display memorabilia in your home, the background and lighting around the display are just as important as the display itself.
Depending on what collectibles you’re trying to display, you might want to choose an area with solid colored walls. Wallpapers with designs or bright colors might take away from your display and make it look too chaotic.
The way you light your display can also add some flair and focus to your collection when people come by to see it. You can choose to light your display from above, below, or behind. Test out each option before deciding which works best.
3. Add a Scrapbook to the Coffee Table
While a scrapbook might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about putting your favorite memorabilia on display, it could be a great option. Whether you collect photographs, postcards, or ticket stubs from your travels, putting them together in a scrapbook is a wonderful way to put these items on display.
There are many great reasons to start scrapbooking. Reflecting on your beautiful memories and marking important life moments are some of the best reasons.
Putting your collection into a scrapbook to lay on your coffee table is a great way to preserve some memorable items safely while still allowing others to admire them. It’s also a great conversation starter for the company you have over.
4. Use the Right Cabinet for Your Beautiful China
The perfect memorabilia display for your delicate collection of china is a refurbished cabinet or a vintage style dresser. A beautiful piece of furniture will complement your chinaware or ceramic cookware well.
Using plate stands will help you put these beautiful pieces of china on display rather than having them stacked up and out of sight. You can add some dimension to your display by mixing different styles of china plates or adding your teacups or bowls to the cabinet as well.
Make sure that the cabinet you use is a more neutral color because you want your china to be the focus of attention.
5. The Right Frames Can Prevent Damage
The important thing to remember when creating a display for your memorabilia is that while you want your beautiful collection of items to be on display for all to see, you don’t want it to be in danger of getting damaged.
When displaying your collection of photographs or signed items, the right frame can help preserve them for years to come. If you want to know how to properly frame your autogrpahs, the process is simple when you do a bit of research.
There are different types of frames with different features to protect your autographed items. While a regular frame is the least expensive and can prevent damage from dust and fingerprints, it doesn’t do the best job at protecting your items from UV light.
Conservation grade framing protects against some UV light but museum quality framing protects against 99% of UV light while providing the best clarity. This way everyone will be able to clearly see your autographed photographs when you set up your display.
Using the right matting, multiple openings, or shadow boxes can add some great dimension to your display as well.
6. A Clear Box to Show off Your Prized Memorabilia
Next on our list of memorabilia display ideas are the common clear boxes. These boxes are so commonly used to display collectible items because they give a clear view of your items from every angle.
Clear boxes can also be displayed in many different areas. You can put an array of these boxes on shelves, on a tabletop, even on your desk at work. Some of the best items to put in these boxes are signed baseballs or footballs.
You can also use these for special edition shoes, or a delicate book that’s been passed down through your family.
7. Tabletop Displays Can Work for Bigger Items Too
Whether you put these items in frames or boxes, there are many different ways to set up a tabletop display for bigger memorabilia you want people to see. You can make a display of the military medals you or a loved one earned.
This can be a special homage to a loved one you’ve lost. You can have their medals setup on the table with a photograph of them in their military uniform in the middle.
8. A Wall Display Isn’t Just for Pictures
While using a wall in your home for your photography is a great way to display your skills, wall displays work great for other collectible items as well.
You can also create a display of your vintage plates on the wall. Different styles with similar color schemes create an interesting piece of art that can add something unique to your home.
You can also add your collection of woven baskets to your wall for some texture and something different in your home decor.
Antique or rare painting collections are also best displayed on the wall. Although you should be wary of adding too many pieces to one wall because you don’t want your artwork to get lost in a sea of loud decor.
9. Boxed Shelves Are Versatile
If you’re trying to figure out how to display collectibles in your home, boxed shelves offer a lot of versatility. Boxed shelves are a great way to display multiple items without making them look cluttered.
They work well on the ground or hung up on the wall. These shelves will add style while also being a functional way to store your prized possessions.
Boxed shelves are a great way to display ceramic figurines or antique books. You can also use these shelves for some of your favorite action figures. This is a good method of putting them on display without running the risk of damaging them.
10. Use a Mantelpiece for Displaying Antiques
A mantelpiece above a fireplace isn’t just the place to hang your stockings during the holiday season, you can use this area to display some antique figurines you’ve collected throughout the years.
If the fireplace is not in use, this is the perfect space to create a display of your collectible items. Quirky items like old trunks or a vintage record player can be set up in this area without making it look overcrowded.
11. Make a Creative Display Anywhere
While you might think a collection needs its own room for proper display, you can set up a display in any area of your home if you have space. A hallway between the living room and your bedroom can hold a table with some of your favorite vases.
Your collection of cameras can be used as decor set up on top of the dresser in your room. Your bathroom can even house your collection of antique perfume bottles.
12. Open Shelves Are a Great Way to Display Collectibles
Open shelves are the perfect way of storing your beautiful collectibles while still showing them off. Since they might be subjected to collecting dust, make sure you use these shelves for items that can easily be cleaned.
Your favorite pieces of china or glassware or even your artistically designed cutting boards can be placed on these shelves. Make sure you’re careful when placing them so you don’t break any of your valuable pieces.
The Best Ways to Display Your Favorite Memorabilia
Your favorite memorabilia shouldn’t be stored away in some boxes for no one to see. This guide lists some of the best ways to display your favorite collectibles. Using the right frames or creating a wall display are great options.
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