The Art of Curation

The word curate is everywhere these days. It shows up so often in product description that I think it is the telltale sign that AI wrote the description, because AI just adores words like curate, thoughtful and intentional. They are perfectly good words, but they only matter if we understand how they relate to the idea of curation. Webster’s dictionary defines the verb as selecting the best or most appropriate items, especially for presentation, or publication. In the world of decorating, we see curated items all the time, although many have been downgraded to a simple collection because everything is crammed together on a shelf or tucked behind the glass doors of what used to be a China hutch. The goal is usually to avoid dusting, but the result is that nothing gets the attention it deserves. In my experience, collectors rarely struggle with the items themselves. The real challenge is finding a way to display a collection, so it feels elevated and curated rather than crowded. You must put time and effort into the art of display just as you put time and effort into finding the pieces you love. Let’s peek into an Orchid model to see how a properly displayed collection becomes true curation. It can draw a guest into the space, spark conversation and make a house feel like a very inviting home somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  Curation and collection
A collection is a specific something, like blue and white ginger jars. These jars can be brand new, or they can be ancient pieces from the Ming dynasty. Some of my clients collect glass. Some collect seashells and coral. Collections are vast and varied, and they usually tell you something about the person who gathered them. What makes the collection look elevated and curated is the way we display it and how we put it together.

  •  Living Room
This living room was once the television room and dining room in the Orchid model. After the homeowners expanded the home, the space evolved into a bar, an additional seating area, and a comfortable spot for entertaining.

  •  Display Cabinet
The large cabinet on the main living room wall once held the television. When the homeowners combined two households, their collections grew and the cabinet became the perfect place to showcase them. It was transformed into a display piece for her coral and shell collection, with cabbage row and blue and white chinoiserie woven throughout. The coral and shells bring natural texture and authenticity. The glass pieces add shine and contrast against the organic forms. The cabbage row and chinoiserie introduce color and a subtle rhythm that guides the eye across the entire arrangement. The homeowners added lighting to their former entertainment unit so their curated collection can be fully appreciated. The new illumination highlights each piece and gives the entire unit a fresh sense of purpose within the room.

  •  Special Touches
I love the lamp inside the display cabinet. That look is becoming popular again and many online retailers are now offering bookcase lamps. If you have bookcases, it is worth taking a look because adding a lamp or two creates that low lighting and warm glow that makes everything on the shelves sparkle and look more interesting. On the same shelf as the lamp, a watercolor of a duck sits beside a carved wooden duck. Together they create a charming moment that invites conversation, since visitors will naturally ask about the ducks and why they were chosen for the display.

  •  Pro-Tip
If you have a collection you would like to display but do not want to add built-ins, you can re-purpose an old television entertainment unit. Beautiful pieces are easy to find in secondhand shops and on Facebook Marketplace, often at a very reasonable price. With a little imagination, an entertainment unit can become a striking display cabinet that gives your collection a place to shine.

  •  White Console
The white console is styled with a large chinoiserie ginger jar and a coordinating lamp that visually connects back to the display cabinet. This pairing creates a sense of continuity across the room. The final element on the console is a striking oversized clam shell filled with greenery.

  •  The Bar
Having a bar for entertaining is always in style, and in this home the homeowners chose to have one custom built. They approached the design with great thought and many drawings. The dark cabinetry connects visually to the dark display cabinet, and the soft arch of the upper cabinets visually ties to the arch of the entryway. They selected a long stretch of white quartz for the countertop so the bar would relate to the white console across the room. They also made sure not to overlook the beautiful view or the importance of bringing natural light into the space. An arched mirror was chosen to fit perfectly between the cabinets, allowing them to enjoy both storage and reflected light. When the bar is in use, the view can be seen from that spot. On each side of the upper cabinetry, a curated collection of stemware catches the glow of the lighting inside the enclosed cabinets, creating a soft twinkle that adds charm and elegance.
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