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Most people want a home that reflects their personality, interests and family history but using collections, inherited furniture and travel souvenirs as decor in a way that feels intentional rather than cluttered is often the challenge.

Interior designers say the solution isn’t to hide these objects, rather it’s to edit collections, group special objects and, when appropriate, juxtapose them with modern elements.

Lori Steeves, founder and creative director of North Vancouver-based Simply Home Decorating says walking the line between curated and cluttered can be tricky.

“My biggest strategy successfully integrating personal items is to contain and group them rather than scattering them throughout the home,” says Steeves.

For smaller items she often opts to place them in shadow box frames to create a wall display, gather them on a tray, or group them in a cabinet where glass doors make them visible and also keep them dust free.

Grouping tchotchkes, curios and keepsakes also make one perceive the collection as one object instead of multiple items.

“That’s a great way to contain visual clutter,” says Steeves. “I encourage people to edit their belongings and their collections because sometimes it can be distilled down to just one really great item or a collection of three great items.”

Carla Bond-Fisher, founder and creative director of Kelowna-based Sticks + Stones Design Group , says the instinct is often to display everything at once because it all has meaning.

“That’s where spaces can start to feel heavy. If you don’t curate intentionally, the space can feel accidental rather than thoughtful,” she says, noting scale matters.

“If everything is small, the room feels busy. Balancing a large heirloom piece with negative space and a few intentional accents makes the space feel refined,” adds Bond-Fisher.

“Edit first. Choose the pieces that resonate most and give them room to breathe. Negative space is just as important as what you place in a room. It allows the eye to rest and gives meaningful pieces the attention they deserve,” she says.

Bond-Fisher also loves the impact of juxtaposition.

“A contemporary sofa paired with a vintage chair. An antique vessel styled on a very clean console. A traditional chandelier above a minimal dining table. Mixing eras thoughtfully creates depth and prevents a space from feeling overly traditional or like it came straight from a catalogue,” she says.

The foundational decor in a space is all-important, says Bond-Fisher noting if larger elements are clean and timeless, it creates a calm canvas.

“From there, layer in one or two meaningful pieces. Perhaps an antique sideboard or a significant artwork. Then support those pieces with smaller accents that don’t compete,” she says.

Steeves often encounters people who have inherited furniture and are grappling with how to present it in their space.

“Keeping a whole set of dining furniture — table, often rickety chairs and a sideboard — may not be the best way to honour a memory,” she says. “If you keep the whole set it can look like a museum or an old house from another era. Again, it’s about distilling it down to what’s most important,” she says, adding in most cases keeping the table makes most sense. Pairing a heritage table with contemporary chairs combines old with new and brings the whole space up to date .

“It’s all about keeping the one thing that’s the best of the lot to evoke that memory or remind yourself of where it came from and not be too literal about it. If grandma left me her dining set, she didn’t necessarily mean that I was going to have to take this into every home that I ever live in for the rest of my life,” says Steeves.

Bond Fisher says one of the biggest mistakes people make is treating every surface like a museum shelf.

“When every horizontal space is filled, nothing feels special. The eye needs negative space. Personal pieces deserve breathing room. They should feel intentional, not accidental. Keep what tells your story now,” she says.

Steeves says displaying personal items in a secondary space is also an option.

These may include family photos, collections and souvenirs bought on vacation.

“People can amass collections over time that often don’t form a cohesive grouping — or buy a souvenir like a ceramic pot on a European vacation. It can be difficult because these things may have a totally different esthetic or character to the rest of your home,” she says.

In these cases she encourages people to move these possessions into more personal spaces like hallways to bedrooms or gather them on a tray in a space outside the living room and dining room.

Steeves says there are so many decorative items in homes that are haphazard or unconsidered.

“We could have things that were a gift from a relative that you never resonated with but feel obligated to [display]. It’s really important to look at your space with a fresh eye now and then and think: what can I remove from here? What isn’t serving me or representing me anymore? What maybe drains my energy,” she says.

Sometimes people keep expensive decorative items although they regret the purchase.

“Because of your investment you feel like you have to hang on to it. But it’s really the opposite of what you should do. Anything that has guilt around it has no place in your home,” she says.

Steeves suggests taking a photo of a cluttered space is helpful.

“It disembodies it and you see it in a new way. Stand back, take a wide photo and look at it later with a critical eye,” she says.

She also cautions against the picture-perfect homes seen on social media sites.

“I just find there’s such a proliferation of AI generated perfect spaces that have no personality. Don’t strive to replicate these soulless, boring, impersonal spaces that you see online. What makes a space unique is incorporating your own quirks and items and things that represent you,” she says.

Over the years Steeves has incorporated many heritage items into homes such as pianos, used colours sparked by vacation memories as the colour palette for a complete design or integrated hobbies such as quilting or photography as meaningful art throughout the home.

One unusual injection of personality was inspired by a couple who had a boat and loved fishing.

“In the powder room in their home I suggested that we choose this outlandish fish wallpaper as a tongue in cheek reference to something that they really enjoy. At first, they were a little hesitant because it is a little over the top, but ultimately, they love it and they say everybody who comes into the house uses the powder room at some point and talks about the wallpaper. It’s a real conversation starter,” she says.

“Don’t be afraid to inject your personality. You should do what really works for your home, your space, your personality and family,” says Steeves.

Bond-Fisher believes we’re entering an era of slower, more thoughtful design. “People are craving homes that feel like them. Less algorithm, more authenticity.”

Related

• How designers are embracing historic design features in contemporary homes
• How designers translate travel into timeless interiors

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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

1747 Balaclava St., Vancouver

Type: Five-bedroom, four-bathroom detached

Size: 3,082 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $3,142,000

Listed for: $3,998,000

Sold for: $4,240,000

Sold on: Jan. 16

Days on market in this listing: Eight

Listing agent: Karley Rice PREC at Macdonald Realty

Buyers agent: Shannon Vrlak PREC at WESTSIDE Tom Gradecak Realty

The big sell: According to listing agent Karley Rice, four offers were received for this Kitsilano Craftsman-style house that pushed the final sale price well into the $4-million bracket. What was on offer is a location just off Point Grey Road on a landscaped lot, together with numerous updates that blended with the property’s 1912 origins. Wood floors, overheight and coffered ceilings, crown mouldings, bay windows, a wood-burning fireplace, and stained-glass windows with bespoke shutters all check the character box, while a chef’s kitchen with superior appliances, spa-like ensuite bathrooms, custom panelling, skylights, and accent walls in designer paint colours showcase modern touches. The principal living area is on the main floor with four bedrooms upstairs, and the lower level has two separate entrances, a family room, fifth bedroom, workshop area, mud room, laundry and storage.

97 — 3880 Westminster Hwy., Richmond

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,801 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,185,000

Listed for: $1,269,000

Sold for: $1,272,000

Sold on: Jan. 23

Days on market in this listing: Six

Listing agent: Jessica Chen PREC and Jason Ng at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Howard Hu PREC at eXp Realty

The big sell: Richmond’s Terra Nova subdivision is home to Mayflower, a 157-unit townhouse complex that was built in 1997 in the city’s northwest corner near No. 1 Road. The three-level homes feature integrated side-by-side double garages, and access to a range of amenities including an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, an exercise centre, a lounge/party room, and a playground. This particular home has high ceilings and an open-concept layout on the main floor, two spacious balconies, and a number of upgrades with a remodelled kitchen complete with island and a full appliance package, updated lighting, new carpets and hardwood floors. Additional big-ticket items provide peace of mind with a new roof, hot water tank, and a garage motor all installed within the past three years. A flexible lower-level recreation room could be used as a home office, gym, or fourth bedroom. The unit’s monthly maintenance fee is $459.02, and rentals are permitted with restrictions.

2822 Victoria Dr., Vancouver

Type: Six-bedroom, five-bathroom multiplex

Size: 3,215 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,872,000

Listed for: $1,549,000

Sold for: $1,550,000

Sold on: Jan. 27

Days on market in this listing: 11

Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services

Buyers agent: Justin Deng PREC at Sutton Centre Realty

The big sell: This five-suite income-generating property resides on Vancouver’s Victoria Drive just one block to John Hendry Park and the Trout Lake Community Centre as well as the amenities throughout Commercial Drive. Built in 1910, the home features licensed self-contained suites with updated kitchens, bathrooms, and electricals, and there are balconies to the front and rear. The top and ground floors have two one-bedroom units each while the main floor has a two-bedroom suite, plus there are separate laundry and utility rooms. The backyard contains a single carport and there are two open parking spaces. According to listing agent Bob Bracken, the current rental revenue is $6,050 per month but there is potential for more. The property sold just over the asking price in 11 days with five offers.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

Related

• Sold (Bought): Renovated Gibsons cottage showcases modern comforts
• Sold (Bought): Rental income strengthens appeal of Kitsilano property

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