By Nikki Phipps
Whether you’re a collector of bottles, baskets, and tins or simply enjoy the way different containers look in your home, use your imagination when it comes to displaying them. Half the fun of collecting is showing off your finds in your home. Containers of all sorts can be both highly functional and decorative features of the house. Whether confined to one room or added throughout the house, there are numerous ways to showcase these items.
There’s no limit to what you can do with container collections like bottles, baskets, and tins. Recycle glass bottles by turning them into beautiful etched candleholders. Transform interesting pottery, decorative bottles, or other unusual containers into stunning lamps. Simply buy a lamp kit at a home center or decorative supply store, and follow the directions. Dress up old, metal tins; you can paint or decoupage these containers cheaply. Tins are also great for punching beautiful designs on to create subtle lighting with candles for various areas. They can also be used for holding various items throughout the home.
A collection of colored bottles and tins can add visual appeal to a living room or even a bathroom. Use them for extra color on shelves and windowsills. Add a bright spot to a dull kitchen with appealing bottles and jars. Display them in the kitchen filling them with oils and vinegars, spices, dried foods, or even cooking utensils. These can be displayed throughout the house as well. Fill them with flowers, coins, buttons, and more. Use them in the bath to store cotton balls, bath beads, bath oils, hairbrushes, and make-up applicators. And in the office, they can be used for housing writing utensils, paperclips, and other supplies. Don’t forget the kids’ room. Use a variety of baskets or decorative tins to hold crayons, pencils, markers, marbles, and small toys. Put interesting containers such as a galvanized tub in a child’s room to hold toys instead of using plastic bins.
Baskets are extremely useful, even for collectors. There are tons of things you can do with them and many ways to display them. You can even decorate them to fit the style of your home décor. Use a collection of baskets to hold fruit, antique croquet balls, towels, magazines, etc. Scatter them throughout the house and use them for miscellaneous things like trashcans and book holders. Line them up on a shelf in the bathroom to store all of your bathroom items or in a closet for holding shoes, belts, and other items. Place hooks in the kitchen and hang them from your ceiling.
Whatever type of container you like to collect, there is a creative way to display it while maintaining its functional purpose. Don’t feel limited to simply lining them up on a shelf or a display case. Use them to organize everyday items. You can never have too many.