The Art of Collecting: How to Give Your Interior a Character of Its Own

Creating an interior is, at its heart, about surrounding yourself with beautiful things that bring you joy. It often begins with a few objects that hold personal or emotional meaning. Think of a family heirloom passed down to you, a treasure found in nature, or a keepsake brought home from a distant journey.

These are the pieces that give your home a sense of personality and make your interior truly unique. Give them a special place in your home, perhaps on the coffee table or at the centre of a display cabinet, where they naturally draw the eye. In this way, you can create small moments of recognition and identity throughout your living space.

By surrounding yourself with objects that carry a personal story, you create that feeling of coming home.

When every decorative object carries emotional meaning and demands attention, a room can quickly start to feel overwhelming or even cluttered. To create a sense of balance, it is therefore important to introduce neutral objects as well. These might be seasonal decorations that you change throughout the year because they hold no particular emotional significance. They can be purely functional, such as a lamp or a vase. Or perhaps you simply choose something because you love the way it looks and want to fill an empty spot in your home.

To create a sense of cohesion, echo the patterns, themes or colours found in the meaningful pieces mentioned above. If, for example, you have a hand-painted Delft blue vase that has been passed down through your family displayed on the mantelpiece, let touches of blue appear elsewhere in the interior too. Or pick out a small detail from a cherished object, such as a piece of fruit from a still life or a ceramic insect, and bring that theme into other decorative pieces.

By repeating colours and patterns throughout your interior, you create a sense of balance and calm.

A home is meant to be lived in, and that naturally leaves its mark. It may be one of the most defining aspects of an interior, yet it is not something we always consciously consider. After all, everyone has their own habits and needs. The way you use a space therefore has a direct influence on how your interior looks and feels.

Do you mainly use your living room to unwind after a long day at work? Then you will probably arrange it very differently from someone who works from home. Perhaps you enjoy being creative, have children or pets, or simply feel happiest in a tidy home. These things all influence which furniture, materials and accessories are right for you.

If you find relaxation in getting lost in a good book, you might create a comfortable reading chair with a lamp beside it. If you love cooking elaborate meals and having friends and family over, a large dining table might take centre stage in your interior. And if you enjoy being creative, perhaps you need a dedicated space where your materials can stay out and where you have room to let your ideas take shape.

Your interior does not have to be beautiful alone. Above all, it should be a place that has room for the way you live.