collected

"...Collections are expressions of personal style." At some point in each of our lives, we've been collectors of something. For me is tarted with rocks I found in the stream in my backyard, ten to marbles I'd received as gifts for holidays, onto glass Sobe' bottles that I would by and drink every time I rode my bike down to my cities only gas station during the summer. I always had a collection growing up of some sort or another, and I still do even to this day. Although my "collections" have changed over the years, they all meant something to me at the time, they were important.

I would wager that the majority of people have a collection of things, or even a possession that is of importance to them. These items make us who we are, they are indeed "an expression of personal style". Integration of these precious but often random items into our homes can be quite tricky.  The more obscure, the more difficulty we have putting them out on display in our homes because often, they really just don't fit with everything else. We then end up putting those pieces we hold dear in the back of a closet never to be looked at again. This should not be the case, and there are better solutions to this dilemma.

Insert - the book Collected: Living with the Things You Love. Consider this book the guide to identifying what type of collector you are (not all collectors are created equal, they range from modest-ist to colorist to neutralist to zoologist to seasonalist etc. there are 15 different types!) and then showing you ways that you can make your collections look beautiful in your home. With over 300 pages of examples ranging from each collectors style, this book is sure to lead you in the right direction to making your collection shine in your home. 

After reading through the book, I believe here at Akin we resonate most with 3 types of collectors, the minimalist, neutralist, and naturalist. We believe in having an edited home, full of things that are useful and beautiful. We also love our neutrals, we never get tired of them. Using a neutral color palette creates the ability to use a wide variety of pieces from different eras and mix them seamlessly together to create a cohesive look.  You can't go wrong with neutrals.  I would also say we're naturalists.  We love incorporating nature into the homes we design.  The more invisible the transition from the indoors out, the better.  This of course depends greatly on the architecture of the home.  However with subtle references in the homes decor, from geode bookends to driftwood sculptures, you're well on your way to that naturalist feel.

We hope that you will embrace your individual collections and take on the challenge of displaying those collections within your own home.  By doing so your personality and personal style will shine through your home, not to mention you'll have some great conversation starters when entertaining!  If you feel like you'll want some help along the way, feel free to pick up a copy of this book on Amazon or contact us here at Akin!