There is more to your decor than your furniture - Tips for displaying your collectibles

A beautiful home is about decorating with what means the most to you, and it's no different when you think about what to put on display. Mementoes of everything from world travels to your childhood can all find a place. Keep your presentation from becoming chaotic by concentrating on your choice of colours, such as the pale seaside shades shown here, and thread those colours all the way through. Always remember that less is more. This display appears so inviting in part because of its clean lines and spare palette. Overstuffed bookcases just seem confusing and dusty in comparison.

GET DOWN TO EARTH
Natural elements, such as seashells, stones and fresh flowers, are essential to a country display, providing an organic quality that keeps things from looking too slick.

REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT
Give symmetry to all the objects on your shelves by lining things up. In this cozy room, single cottage garden flowers in rows of vases soothe the eye. Keep your rows to no more than half the length of your shelf, though, or they'll lose their effect.

ADD MOVEMENT
Contrasting groupings of low and high items add visual interest and keep the eye moving over all your displayed objects, so that every corner gets noticed. Here, stacks of books periodically interrupt lines of shells and flowers to ensure variety.

THINK ABOUT YOUR SPACE
Take into account the size of your shelves. This bookcase has shallow shelves set closely on top of one another, so diminutive flower arrangements and other small items make the most sense here.

READ INTO IT
Vintage hardcovers with paper jackets are the most evocative of lazy days at the cottage spent reading old favourites over and over again. Stack books horizontally and vertically, crooked or straight, they'll never look out of place.