Everyday Display Ideas

Coastal

• Use elements from the sea to create a coastal-themed display. Use seashells as the focal point for your display on a shelf or mantle, with sand as the base for a shoreline effect. Incorporate driftwood as a backdrop and use a variety of shells including large conch and sea urchin shells. For a nautical effect, use a fishing net as the base for shells. Illuminate the display with three to five votive or pillar candles in shades such as aqua blue that mimic the sea. For an island-themed display, add candles in coconut shell molds and use faux or fresh-cut palm fronds in a vase for a tropical arrangement.

The Arts

• Display your child's artwork with a curtain rod and clip rings. Hang the curtain rod within easy reach on a prominent wall and use circular drapery clips to hang everything from watercolor projects to pencil drawings. This display option is convenient, and you can easily change artwork as your child brings home new pieces from school.

  You can also create a more casual display with a clothesline and clothespins. Simply use decorative hangers (such as those used for hanging houseplants), and screw them into a wall at opposite ends. Tie a horizontal clothesline at both ends to the hooks. Use colorful clothes pins or natural wood pins to show off artwork.

Holiday

• Take the holidays to new heights with displays that incorporate nature with household items. Place tall twigs or branches in a large tin bucket or planter. Stabilize the container with rocks or sand. Arrange the branches in an aesthetically pleasing manner and spray-paint them white. Gather leftover yarn from that afghan you never finished knitting and make small pom-poms to hang on the twigs as ornaments. Opt for an all-white theme with the yarn, or create an eclectic display with a variety of colors. For a festive kitchen display, use shorter twigs in a vase and hang cookie cutters on them for a table centerpiece.

Glassware

• Arrange an elegant display with tall glass vases. Opt for clear-glass in coordinating heights that don't vary more than 2 inches. Using similarly shaped glassware maintains continuity for more formal displays. Group vases together on a large tray and illuminate them from behind with natural flame candles. (If you're on-the-go, and have a tendency to forget about lit candles, opt for battery operated votives.)

  Create a contemporary display with a row of vases on a buffet or mantle. Always adhere to an odd number such as five or seven vases. Odd numbered items avoid symmetry and add visual balance. Fill vases with water only or add a single flower such as a rose, iris or lily.