Styling help needs the items also. Size/shape/colors will need to be taken into consideration.

Should every shelf hold an item? Should groups of three be put together?
I’d rather not have it look crowded so how many items should be displayed?

The shelves can have a grandfather clock between them or be side by side. Either way, should they have a foot b/ them or be touching?

Maybe I need to get a decorator to come to my house.

Honestly, I'd start out placing things and then tweaking.

I don't think every shelf should hold an item . Why don't you have a go at it and post some photos here and we can all give you some opinions? Your head might spin but you might really like some of the advice.

As an aside, I know that when I take photos, often without even getting to ttype my question, certain things become a lot clearer seeing it in the photo as opposed to in real life.

Here's a great blog post on this topic:

https://www.stonegableblog.com/decorating-a-bookshelf/

I agree that the best way to start is just to get all of the stuff you potentially might want to use out and then start rearranging.

Less is generally more in terms of it not starting to look as if you are just stocking a gift shop.

My designer actually did arrange my tchochkes when I moved back in and it was interesting to watch her tweak and discuss why she was making certain choices. Her mother was a retired designer and so they would get into it over certain things.

I just sat back because I had no vested interest in how things were displayed except that I had some pieces I especially liked and a few pieces that were only of sentimental value. For example I have a covered dish with cherubs and flowers that belonged to my grandmother - fake Meissen type of porcelain - and I keep it on a bureau in my bedroom because I like seeing it and thinking of her although it would not be something I would purchase on my own in a million years.

it's been my experience use bigger objets so you don't get an antique store/gift shop display vibe.

Smaller items of like usually look better ganged together on a tray or raised up say something like a book, pieces of marble, or clear display cubes/risers

Also, I would add some kind of small lamp to illuminate

Thank you for such wonderful advice. I look forward to reading the blog too!

These display etageres are in my foyer. I took away shelves next to fireplace in my family room and hung two big mirror image abstract paintings instead.

I’d post a photo of how they look so crowded now, but I need to decide what is most special first before posting.

Thank you! Do you think a grandfather clock can go b/ them? This clock and a side table in the first part of foyer are the only traditional pieces of furniture I saved.

The article was very interesting. It takes talent to put all that together.

Just wondering why the display case is set half on tile and half on wood.

Interesting information. Arranging shelves is a talent all by itself.

Wondering why the cabinet is straddling the two different floors?

I’d rather see special items peppered throughout the entire space, than all of them arranged in one spot.

Here is a photo of clock and etageres without items. (Those on it we’re just placed there upon moving.)
I know furniture is from different styles, but this helps tie in the traditional sideboard in front of foyer. The rest of furniture in the house is more transitional.

So do you think clock needs to go bye bye? Will clock work better if I made more space between it and etagere? Or just leave it the way it is and minimize the clutter?

In the blog article, I noticed right away that the display case was half on tile and half on wood. She mentioned in passing that the tile in the foyer was going to be replaced with hardwood, so I figure that will be resolved soon.

I think the clock looks really crowded now. Try more space on either side of the clock. I'm still not sure that the styles of the clock and the etageres will work together, but maybe once the shelves are decorated, it will look ok.

IMO the clock just doesn't work there - while some styles can be mixed I think the very traditional brown wood clock centered between two contemporary brass etageres just doesn't work.

Also I think you need negative space there especially once you have put stuff on the shelves

Hi there!
I took off some keepsakes and kept more meaningful ones, but I’d love some advice if anything needs to be rearranged.

If I keep the clock for now, I will increase the distance between it and each etagere by 18 inches.

8 feet across from these are two oil paintings with more contemporary frames….. no crowding on this side at all.

Thank you!

There is too much visual clutter all around, not to mention the clock (while beautiful) is a completely different style than the shelves. I would start by moving the clock to another place, leave space between the shelves, and take off about 1/2 of the items. You need some “boring” items, books and maybe greenery. See example.

I will try, but every time I go by these, the memories call to me. I’ve downsized to my final home till my kids put me away 🤣These mementos def tell my story.

I agree that there's just too much on the etageres. I also can relate to the memories calling to you after downsizing.

I still have some things that I could part with if I had to, but most of what I have I do love and enjoy seeing it around.

Does the background wall have to be white? It would look better if the wall behind the shelves and objects was a rich, dark color. Can you show us more of the surrounding space?

I certainly can relate to certain objects being imbued with memories and sentiments as I had to deal with way too much stuff when I remodeled - everything from furniture inherited from my grandmother and mother - to tchochkes (some inherited; some gifts; some bought with memories of buying) plus coming from a family of "hoarders I also had some schoolwork of mine from elementary school.

You have come to a forum in which you solicited design advice - so objectively yes the etagere and clock don't look good in terms of objective design. However, if it makes you happy to be able to see these objects then why not? My mother never met an tchocke she didn't like and so her home was objectively "cluttered". It was very neat and tidy but there wasn't a a bit of space or table top that didn't have something on it.

I opted for going through and displaying only those objects which I still truly loved or gave me pleasure to view. I am not sure that a crewel picture would be something I would currently buy but it was embroidered by my mother and so I like looking at it in my bedroom - on the other hand I have two large plastic crates - one stuffed with all of the embroidered stuff done by my mother including valences and pillows and the other with all of the embroidered linen tablecloths my grandmother made.

I also have a lot of objects packed away - too many but I wasn't ready to physically part with them. It has been several years since they were packed away so I doubt that I will ever go through them again.

One way to keep memories of objects is to take photos of them as you then have the ability to keep all of the memories without having to deal with the physical clutter.

And one thing I have learned in terms of inheriting objects is that people don't live in the objects and so it is okay to get rid of some of them and just cull down to the ones that epitomize your relationship and memories of that person.

The clock definitely doesn't work there. I would push the two etageres together to make it one unit. It would simply the look. If possible, a darker color on the wall would make the beautiful furniture pop. FYI I have a sentimental grandfather clock also and put it in my bedroom. Turned of the chimes of course !

You sound like me! I just moved and got all new furniture except for clock and a Maitland Smith side table. I am so proud of my husband for thinning out his stuff. I’m going for a minimalistic design, but this is the only area it’s not working 😂

The thing is I don’t know what shelves to remove from and keep empty. I really don’t want to go out and buy more items just so they fit. I’d like to use what I have and work with that. So if anyone has ideas on how to arrange these items in the small compartments of these etageres….or even telling me what needs to go, I think I can find another home for them. My dressers and night stands are empty (not counting remote controls). For example (and I haven’t even tried this), the gold bowl can be removed and placed in my kitchen with some lemons in it to put on my island next to an orchid I have there.
I don’t want to go out and buy more things for it except perhaps picture frames and a small plant.

I’m thinking I need to get a designer out here who knows what she’s doing. I’ve had 3 who said the original way I had it (before removing some things!!) was fine 🫤 Maybe it looks better in person but to me it was way too crowded. The hallway is eight feet wide and about 20 feet long with and arched ceiling about midway. So the etageres and clock are in an 8’x10’ area.

Sooo confusing! My husband likes the clock and the etageres. I’m not sure the clock will fit anywhere else so I’m hoping more space between these will help.

Enough rambling!! You all have been so kind to offer needed advice. Thank you. I do know that this is small stuff, and I’m thankful to have many sentimental memories.

😱😱😱 Oh lord no the last thing I wanted to do at this stage was accumulate more stuff although I have made a very few additions. I used to collect vintage Fiesta and have it displayed in upper glass front cabinets and ironically had to buy a few to balance out color and shapes so it looked better.

And I am currently looking for the perfect object for my dining table centerpiece as my tastes have outgrown the sequin fruit which I enjoyed at an earlier stage.

I worked with my designer in terms if culling and arranging and it might really help to have someone go through the sorting process. I also found that I was objectively better able to release objects I no longer really liked, needed and or had true emotional bond with the help of am objective person with great design sense

IDK anything about design, but just looking at the photos I have two immediate reactions.

1. The clock is a no go with the etegeres.

2. The etegeres by themselves are very busy, so any decor should be large and simple

My DH came with a grandfather clock and it has never fit with my decor styles. It now sits in the kitchen /family room, and while I was originally skeptic it looks fine there and blends in instead of standing out. Do you have a wall in the kitchen, hallway, anywhere?

Sometimes when you have a lot of small collectable items, it works best to group a few together to appear as one larger item. Do you have any of those you could do that with?

Some other thoughts are maybe have darker/heavier appearing items on the bottom and lighter ones higher up. That dark wooden? box doesn't fit. If you have anything tall and slender, I'd be tempted to remove the glass shelf (shelves) that span the distance with no frame under it, and add a tall item, for at least one of the shelves.

The tiny china saucer, and other small items should go higher up and on the little shelves, not the lowest bottom shelf.

The photo album needs to go. Put it on a bookshelf or coffee table, etc. Same with the empty photo frames. Let this be like an art gallery display.

Sometimes it can help to gather all the possible items in one spot and take photos. That way people here can help with the display better. Also photos of your other spaces so they see a style and what can work best.

Another aspect is …when guests arrive do you want them to stop there…at the door to view them …or is this really a more of a memory lane experience for you to enjoy?..

We took a break from analyzing this part of the house for a while! DH and I can’t part with the clock, and there is nowhere else to put it. So we put distance between clock and etageres as suggested. We also cleared away more items.

Maybe we’ll add some greenery
and/or books over and under some objects to create height on some shelves??? Maybe combine items and leave some shelves blank???
Any ideas how I can use these same objects and move them around to create symmetry?

I included a photo of the entire 8’x20’ foyer. Hoping the Maitland Smith side table at the front of the foyer helps tie in the clock. I prob need something next to Maitland Smith like a tree or replace it with with a longer less deep side table as oil above Maitland Smith is the same width.

Thank you for helping me!! I want this area done ✔️

Have you tried the clock on one of the opposite walls instead of art? Or on the other side of that arch near the doors?

I just feel like it looks squished in there and needs to stand alone. Not because there isn't enough space around it but just bc of the size difference it's going to look that way imo.

justcallmepool That may work. Here are two photos of the first part of the foyer. Which side of the opening do you think would work? On each side of the opening, there are light switches in the middle of the walls.
But I like this idea! If it works, would I put the two etageres together?
Thank you!

Hey Amy

I'm not sure which one it will look best on. Part of me is thinking the shorter wall, on the left. But I would prob also try it on the right wall, to the left of the light switch, and then maybe a short plant next to it in the corner.

Prob the short wall and then either stack or hang the art pieces side by side on the right side wall.

Then yes, I'd push the etegares closer together. Maybe not touching but idk 6 inches apart? play around and see what looks best.

I understand the clock struggle though. I've moved ours around all over the house in a variety of rooms, and oddly it found it's best spot on a kitchen wall, which I would have never thought of.

Thank you! I’ll put tape on the floor for those options to get an idea before moving it.
Take care!

I used those floor sliders under ours to move it or else it dings and dongs and DH thinks I'm trying to break it haha

🤣
We haven’t used ours in so long and it was in storage till our house was built. I need to get it fixed because it’s not working.
Good idea to use the floor sliders or blanket under it. We don’t want out hardwoods scratched.

Hi, it’s me again. I hope I’m not bothering you. I decided I want to move the clock!

Sooooo

What do you think about moving the grandfather clock to the first part of the foyer? Will it go with a more contemporary console than the Maitland Smith shown in the photos above? I need to replace the Maitland Smith with a longer console because the painting above it is the same size and right now it looks top heavy. I’m hoping since it’s not right between those two contemporary etageres, it’ll work there?

Hi

I'm no pro but I think the clock can just act like a neutral piece and go with anything. Mine has sort of just melded into the background haha

Hi wonderful helpers! So often I read a discussion and wonder what someone who needed advice eventually ended up doing. So that’s why I’m here almost two years later! And I’m also here to thank you for helping me through these hard decision making periods.

Here are some photos of what my foyer looks like today. I moved the clock upstairs and pushed the etageres together. I minimized what is on the etageres as well. I bought a larger credenza and new artwork above it. The little stool near the front door is for my dog. The chandelier is in the front part of the foyer where the ceiling reaches 20 feet.

I may get a bench to go across from credenza on left side facing the door.
Hope you are all well!

Thank you; I’m less stressed today!

My grandfather clock went upstairs in my “exercise room” loft. May not be as attractive as an extra den, but practicality won out when we downsized 😂