Thursday, November 3, 2011

Collections on Display: Shells and More

coffee table displaying shells

I know someone with a lovely collection of shells, some quite small, which are very meaningful to her — and they're tucked away in a cabinet. It would sure be nice to have them out on display, where she can be inspired by them each time she passes by. And one possible way to do that would be to use a coffee table specifically designed for displaying such a collection.

The table above is part of the National Geographic Home Collection by Lane Furniture, but I'm not finding it on the Lane Furniture web site. (This photo comes from Tropic~7, who displayed it on Flickr; it's licensed under Creative Commons.)


coffee table displaying shells in sand

But other options abound. This is a sand tray coffee table from John's Furniture and Cabinets.


wicker coffee table with display space for shells
shells on display in coffee table

Here's a coffee table from Spice Islands Wicker. The shell box (and the shells) are an option on this table. Someone who already has her own shells wouldn't need to buy a collection, but the table and shell box are interesting.


shabby chick curio coffee table aqua blue

For those into the shabby chic look, there's this curio coffee table from That's So Shabby. There are six choices of paint color for the top of the table.


Mission-style curio coffee table with knife display

Here's a Mission-style curio coffee table.]


coffee table to displaying shells

You can get a display coffee table from Pottery Barn, too.


coffee table with collection displayed between two pieces of glass

And then there are the custom pieces. This one was made in 2005 by Berg Design Architects. [via Shoebox Dwelling]

Related Post:
Reader Question: Controlling and Displaying the Collection

1 comment:

Marcie Lovett said...

Ooh, Jeri, these are all very enticing. I disbanded most of my collections, but I held on to my seashells, which I add to periodically. Many years ago I put them inside a clear glass lamp and kept new ones in a clear glass jar in the bathroom.

For someone who doesn't have room for a coffee table, there are lots of ways to display what you love. Stashing them in a drawer or cabinet keeps you from admiring them regularly and the opportunity to make you smile when you see them.