There are very few of us who don’t manage to collect bits and pieces of clutter on the flat surfaces of our homes. Sometimes this stuff is just rubbish, but at other times the clutter is actually stuff we love and want to have in our home. 

Books, magazines, objects de art, decorative items, photos and artwork, even the cute cards and pictures done by our kids … This stuff can end up looking a mess, but there are ways to display them at home that will make them less about clutter, and more about decoration.

1. Hide everything!

When it comes to clearing up clutter - even the stuff we like - the easiest way is to just hide it all away in some clever storage areas. This apartment in The Topiary has a built-in storage system in the living area that enables art to be displayed, a television to be hung, and decorative and other storage space to be hidden or seen depending on the owner’s choice.

Images Credits: Neu Konceptz

The study in this Bishan home has lots of storage space hidden behind a statement artwork that slides together to form a map of the world.

Image Credit: Luova Project Services

The entryway of this St George’s Lane HDB apartment has made the most of the space around the required bomb shelter to create a built-in shoe cupboard.

Images Credits: Urban Home Design

Storage options don’t have to completely hide everything you love away. The beautiful millwork of the sliding screens in this Bellewaters apartment creates not only a feature wall in the room, but gives the owner the option to show off his objets de art when not watching television.

Images Credits: Mr Shopper Studio

2. Show it off!

If you don’t want to hide away the bits and pieces that you love, you can always show it off in a stylish way. For example, this Stirling Road apartment has created an affordable ‘library’ with books and decorative items on shelving units.

Images Credits: Design 4 Space

If your love of books is powerful, design a dedicated library into your interior design scheme like the one in this Jalan Mutiara apartment.

Images Credits: Fineline Design

This Edgedale Plain apartment’s version of a built-in shelving system is a stylish way to add storage for books and decorative items into a living room, without the ‘clutter’ taking over the whole space.

Images Credits: Free Space Intent

For apartments that don’t have a lot of floor space, look into building ‘up’ and making the most of the walls like the floor to ceiling storage in this Hillington Green apartment.

Images Credits: Fuse Concept

You can also take up the space around your entertainment area to create built-in book storage and places for your decorative items like the system in this Bukit Batok Avenue apartment.

Images Credits: Fuse Concept

3. Mix it up

Another way to make the most of your favourite items in your home is to make a concerted effort to make it all look as pretty and as stylish as you can. Add indoor plants and art pieces to your books like in this Margate apartment.

Images Credits: Aiden T Pte Ltd

If you prefer a more minimal interior design look, be discerning about what you put on display. The curated minimal look of this Sumang Lane apartment comes from leaving some display spots empty of items.

Images Credits: Adroit Interior Design 

Plants can be added to any sort of storage or display system. In this Waterside apartment both the built-in shelves and the free-standing furniture pieces have been used to display indoor plants alongside art pieces, photos and other decorative items.

Images Credits: Aiden T Pte Ltd

Anywhere in your home can be a space to display your favourite things. The kitchen in this Anchorvale Crescent home has a shelf that holds not only spices and condiments, but also small plants and decorative toys.

Image Credit: DB Studio Pte Ltd

This Sophia Hill apartment has also used dedicated display areas as part of the storage system for kitchen items to create a decorative, but also functional, space.

Image Credit: Fuse Concept

And if you have a huge collection of some kind, you can create a purpose-built storage system, like the one in this Sumang Lane apartment, to show off your favourite things.

Images Credits: Fineline Design

Looking for more interior design inspiration? Check out our 3 Ways to design a Muji-inspired home interior or read about 7 Singapore homes that look like hotels and resorts.