We all collect things from our travels to exotic places – mementos, artifacts, and other exotic and interesting stuff. And we don’t give much thought while bringing it all home. However, incorporating these treasures into our home decor is a different ball game. One that we postpone or avoid as much as possible. For the most part, these impulse buys usually get relegated to hidden corners, cupboards, or deep storage.

Indian culture has abundant options for the curio collector – from theme-based concepts to collections of unique pieces. So, how do you display your love for curios within your cozy living space? Let us take have a look at some brilliant yet easy-to-do home decor ideas for all curio lovers.

For the Entrance: Use this part to show your love for your little curios, to everyone who enters your home. You can keep a long table with drawers and add an assorted collection of curios on the table. This will not only make your entrance look gorgeous but create a style statement too.

For the Living Room: The best place to experiment with your amazing collection of curios, the living room is just the place for you. Install staggered shelves on the walls with spotlights to accentuate the look of the room and your curios or decorate the center or side table with your favorite pieces.

For the Bedroom: A long headboard above your bed or a side table serves the purpose of displaying your amazing collection of curios. You can also arrange them on your dresser to complement the intricacy of the room.

For the Balcony: Transform your balconies into exciting spaces that tell interesting stories by placing fascinating curios like a lamp or a candleholder tucked away in a quiet corner.

Design a feature wall

Those handwoven baskets and bowls which are quite a find can be fixed to a wall in a gorgeous grouping. She ties the space together by pairing the woven baskets with a rustic dining table, chairs, and a suspended light fixture, while the straw-woven stool further accentuates the whole look.

Display a regional textile

The exquisite array of textiles can be quite the temptress when it comes to holiday art shopping. Given that fabric is easy to pack and is durable, it is more likely to make the trip back home in one piece. Some textiles are so intricately patterned, they work better as wall art than bed linen. So why not showcase them for everyone to see?

Tip: To make sure it lasts the test of time, frame the textile between two sheets of glass like you would a painting.

Pair the old with the new

Half the fun of exploring somewhere new comes from searching for unique artifacts. But having a theme in mind can greatly narrow down your search.

Let it take centre stage

When you’re on your holiday high, buying a native costume/accessory is a common habit – whether to appropriate a part of it into your wardrobe or just to keep it as a remembrance. Sadly, it often ends up gathering dust in your cupboard never to be looked at again. Instead, treat it as an artwork and display the different cultural stylings as wall art.

Put quality over quantity

Just because you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped, doesn’t mean you have to put everything on display. Sometimes it’s best to embrace the ‘less is more' philosophy and showcase only the real treasures of your loot. The keyword here is moderation when it comes to bringing the feeling of a holiday home.

You can opt to elegantly display your selected treasures on floating shelves or as in this case, hollow wicker blocks stacked on top of each other. The aim is to distill down your travel experience to fit your home.

Tip: Exploit dead space under the stairs or near entryways and landings with in-built shelves to display those assorted keepsakes. Narrow bookshelves are ideal to showcase those tiny bits of art that you weren’t quite sure what to do with. Create a divider of curio collections to separate two zones of your living space – it also adds an element generating interest among your guests.

Make art out of your travel-related paraphernalia

All your postcards and maps don’t necessarily have to go into the bin or be tucked away in a box forgotten till it’s spring cleaning time. Frame and put them up as a collage.

Show off your photographs

Taking pictures of your travels is such a key part of the holiday experience. However, sadly, those brilliant memories end up hidden from sight on computer hard drives most of the time. Instead, use simple frames to line up your best shots or the ones that mean the most to you. Every picture has a story to tell.

Mask your wall

How many are too many? When it comes to tribal masks, the answer is, it is never too much. Let your collection of masks from around the world be the piece de resistance when you group them on a wall. The less the symmetry the better, as it gives an edgy feel to the look.