Trinkets and such - what do you do?

[raindropstea]

Trinkets, bric-a-brac, knick knacks, whatever you would like to call them... how much of this type of stuff do you have in your home and more importantly, do you buy it?

I'm on holiday at the moment and saw a lovely silver elephant with mirror inserts. It's pretty, but I tend to dislike trinkets and stuff like this around the house. It starts to look cluttered to me. I have gone to so many charity shops and consignment shops where these type of things line the shelves...

I'm reeling over whether I should buy this thing (and it would take up some room in my suitcase). I have other things similar to this at home, but I keep them at a minimum.

I love decor that looks clean and elegant. And I was looking through a lot of pics of home decor/design ideas (I keep a folder on my computer of ones I like) and these pics don't have much in the way of trinkets on shelves, etc.

[FatLittleWombat]

I have quite a lot of trinkets, 90% of them were presents and 95% of them are in boxes waiting to be thrown out. I'm not very keen on them in general. I think a few ornaments dotted around the house look nice, they're like pictures on the walls, they make a house look lived in. Two per room are more than enough though in my opinion. Any more and a house looks cluttered. Plus, you have to dust them! I much prefer pot plants now. They are decorative but look nicer, and they're alive, which adds to their appeal imo. I can't imagine ever again liking a trinket so much that I'd buy it.
Where would you put that elephant? Do you really think you will still like it once you get home, or will it just look like a tatty souvenir?

[strawhatsandflipflops]

We're the complete opposite, my DH calls it "tat", or in our case he calls some of it "quality tat" as we collect and or have inherited it from my parents who bought lots of antiques in the 50's - the early 70's when they weren't popular. My house is old and full of nooks and crannies, shelves, deep window sills; its on every surface, antique; porcelain clocks, bronzes, and sculpture, medieval embroidery, its goes on oh and books everywhere, and our loft is stuffed with books. Nearly everything means something, the stuff we've inherited has memories attached to it, I have photos of it in my DM's first home when she got engaged in the 50's, or we've bought it, for example during a memorable holiday an antique tribal mask from Borneo, or it reflects something that interests us, I have an Chinese antique cow, Im an ex dairy farmer and love cows.
We also collect original art and my DM was a very acclomplished artists so every flat wall surface has art of some description on it some walls have 10 pictures on all from different periods or different styles/mediums. Again much of it means something to me; my DM's paintings are how she lives on for me, I have paintings an artist friend did (now departed), when ever I look at them I think of her and also some rather nice early 20th century drawings/paintings by well established artists which also happen to be of people or places known to my family.
I agree dusting is a total nightmare but if you leave it it forms an even sheen so you don't have to do it .
When friend come to my house many comment on it all, some like it, not all, some don't like all our paintings, or our interested in one particular things asking what it is or where did it come from. Many comment on my DM's paintings/drawing I enjoy talking about her and her art so its a great talking point

[tiba]

I haven't bought any trinkets or decorative objet d'art for many years.

I'd rather keep a few select pieces that bring me great joy, and don't really feel I have space for anything extra, so if I bought something new, it will mean something else will go in the loft or be sold if not sentimental.

I tend to find it I want to buy something from a certain place I've been, I pick food items or something like a candle or smellies that will get used and then be gone again.

[tiba]

We do have an awful amount of books though.

I think I can manage with that as to me they are useful.

Conran's guide to easy living starts off with his mantra - Plane, Simple, Useful

It seems to work.

Plants I find come under useful as they cleanse the air.
Something that brings you great joy is also useful as it makes you happy.

So when I buy something now, it's do I love it ? Will I use it?

If no to both I don't buy it.

I'm pregnant at the moment so have been mostly applying this to my food shop

[raindropstea]

I tend to think the same as you do, fatlittlewombat. More than two trinket type things per room and it does look cluttered. My mum is a shopaholic and a pack rat and though she does have a very nice home, there is tons of stuff in it and decor items etc. she has a lot of decor and middle eastern type objects on top of the kitchen cabinets in a kitchen with cathedral ceilings and it's like when you walk in, your eyes don't know what to focus on because of all the stuff. I never want my house to look like that.

I don't think if I bought the elephant it would look like a tatty souvenir but I'm still not sure if I shouldy buy it. I took a few pics of the things in this particular shop I have my eye on including the elephant. What do you think?

[raindropstea]

Strawhats, some antique objects can look lovely when displayed well. I think clutter takes away from their uniqueness though... the items all kind of have to fight with one another if they're cluttered together. I stayed at a 120 year old farmhouse and it's lovely. There are some antique items mixed with more modern ones.

Tiba I definitely agree with you on the plants! They add a pop of color while being useful. I hate fake plants and greenery. Fake greenery on top of kitchen cabinets used to be everywhere. And they get so dusty.

That sounds like a good way to apply that idea to your food shop 😋

[FatLittleWombat]

Of those three things I'd probably buy the picture frame because it's useful.
What would you do with the wooden spoons? Expose them or actually use them for cooking?
The elephants are lovely, don't look tatty at all. If you don't have anything similar and know where to put it, why not get one seeing as you really seem to like it?
If you don't buy anything do you think you'll mind once you get back to the UK, or will you forget about it immediately?

[raindropstea]

I would display the spoons (it's the twisted handle ones I like) in a white porcelain pitcher I use for a couple other wooden utensils on my worktop.

The elephant would go on a bookshelf or mantle. I love mercurial glass and silver type decor but I don't have a lot of it (very against clutter for my house).

The picture frames look nice but I'm still debating if I really need one. They are made from a type of wood local to the area. But I wonder if that's bad for the environment?

[raindropstea]

I would use the spoons for salads etc but to be honest I don't often use salad spoons when I have one to serve it up... I just put the salads in the bowl. But maybe someday I would use them?

[FatLittleWombat]

Have you decided what to get op?

[raindropstea]

Hi, FatLittleWombat :)

I bought the elephant :) I must say I love it.