Speaking of displays...

I highlighted some great tabletop and mantle displays the other day in my post on ceramic animal figurines. I'm always in awe of people who can arrange things so beautifully in their homes, since I tend to fall in love with objects, but then I'm useless at displaying them in creative ways. Which is why I was delighted to see this post yesterday by Chez Larsson, a Swedish visual merchandiser. She give a simple overview of some basic display techniques used in store displays, like:

Group items in a triangular shape

and repeat similar items in odd numbers

I especially like her trick #5: "Keep it simple. Don't try to display all your nick-nacks at once. Store some and bring them out to switch your displays around." This is something I really need to work on - I tend to put things out and then leave them in the same spot forever.

Check out the full post on Chez Larsson for more pictures and tips from a professional!

Ceramic Animal Figurines

For some, the thought of ceramic animal figurines, might conjure up thoughts of grandma's cluttered curio cabinet, but when used sparingly, a cute little animal here and there can add whimsy and warmth to mantels and tablescapes. I recently purchased this pair of peacocks from Etsy seller VintageEye, thinking that I might use them in my shop photos, but I think they're a little big for that. So now I'm looking for the right spot to display them, and I went to Flickr in search of inspiration from some display masters.

Sfgirlbybay is constantly re-arranging her home and never seems to run out of new ideas. Here's a collection of deer atop one of her Keep Calm posters.

Another sweet deer, this one tucked in among some colorful dishes, by type.wright.

Lena Corwin displays a pair of proud doves atop a stack of books.

A colorful deer gang (or is it a flock? or a herd? maybe a posse) adorns Just Jenny's mantle.

And who wouldn't want to sit down to work with this little owl collection by Decor8 at your desk to keep you company?

To find some little friends to liven up your own displays, there's plenty to be found on Etsy:

How about some owl salt and pepper shakers?

L: Vintage owl salt and pepper shakers from thirteen leaf home; R: Vintage Grey Owl Salt N Pepper Set from Ugly Betty Vintage

Or a deer?

L: Ceramic Deer with Antlers Figurine from The Aviary; R: Vintage Deer Figurine from The Constant Gatherer

Or maybe some swans?

L: Vintage Swan Vase or Planter from How Now Design; R: Vintage Andre Richard Salmon Pink Ceramic Swan Figurine by Vintage Eye

So many cute animals out there, just waiting for a home....