‘This isn’t clutter, it’s choreography,’ says interior designer and author of Arranged Things, Colin King, in a recent Substack post. Colin is a lover of ‘stuff’ (and the art of moving it around), particularly the appeal of accidentally placed objects that arrange themselves in unorthodox but attractive ways.
But what happens when this ‘choreography’ starts to feel like clutter? When we become hoisted by our own maximalism? If you’re an avid collector and arranger of ‘things’, you may find a bustling room can suddenly impart a buzzing sense of overwhelm. And then there’s the literal problem of gathered dust and unchoreographed gubbins.
‘Don't litter your drawing-room with bric-a-brac,’ instructs Elsie de Wolfe – considered the first American interior designer – in her book The House in Good Taste. Here, she laments what she calls ‘a souvenir drawing-room, a room filled with curiosities from everywhere!’ Published in 1913, her seminal work followed a period of fiddly design and mass-produced ‘knick-knacks’ that carried through the Victorian era. In response, Elsie called for fresh, airy, beautiful spaces that considered utility as well as flair. So, what would Elsie have to say about the growing popularity of ‘souvenir living’ and spaces layered with found objects and collected bric-a-brac?
Comparing a sparse, Scandi or modernist apartment to a layered home, richly adorned with decoration, it’s clear the latter comes with a heavy cleaning tax. It’s one thing to admire the beautifully arranged Spiral of Stones at Kettle’s Yard, or marvel at the bohemian ephemera strewn across Charleston House; it’s another to attempt to display your objets trouvés while also keeping them free from the layers of inevitable dust that accumulate when you don’t have museum-grade cleaning staff. So what’s the solution for those of us who pine to display our precious curios and keepsakes?
Elsie put great emphasis on what she called ‘sanitation’: ‘Instead of ignoring the relation of sanitary conditions and decorative schemes, the architect and client of to-day work out these problems with excellent results. Practical needs are considered just as worthy of the architect as artistic achievements.’
In other words, consider cleanliness, storage and chaos limitation at the design stage. There are myriad ways that design can limit mess and dirt, like arranging a heavily adorned space full of objects at a low level, so they’re easy to access for dusting. Also, try to find a way of sticking your clutter to a surface so you can easily dust without disrupting a delicate display. You might think about the surface on which you’re putting your clutter; dark furniture – particularly anything painted a dark colour or with a gloss finish – will likely show up dust and dirt more than a textured wooden surface that naturally hides imperfections and provides a forgiving neutral background.
And when persistent dust build-up is really wrecking your Kettle’s Yard-esque stone circle (and for fear of sounding too much like a women’s magazine from the 1950s), the natural cleaning brand Purdy & Figg recommends a simple recipe of 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, two tablespoons of melted coconut oil and a few drops of essential oil to naturally repel dust, or at least stop it from settling so quickly. And, for a room with poor ventilation and lots of decorative objects, you might try a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) air purifier, which traps 99.97% of tiny airborne particles, including dust.
Though literal cleanliness is a focus, there’s a sense that physical clutter can cause mental chaos. In a room full of decoration and distraction, is it possible to have an uncluttered mind? ‘I certainly live in a maximalist home, but I never feel that it is too intense or hectic,’ says interior designer Phoebe Hollond of Studio Hollond. ‘Actually, it does quite the opposite, allowing me to breathe and feel comfortable and cosy.’ But Phoebe acknowledges Elsie’s prescription for areas free from clutter: ‘I don't design a house to the last inch of its life, I allow room for more: for more objets, for another cushion, for another painting. The trick to this is to keep space; not every wall should be covered in paintings like a gallery, not every sofa should be overflowing with cushions, and not every floor should be covered in kilims. We need to see some bare wall space, some of the mantelpiece, and some of the wooden floor, as these materials and spaces help guide an over-the-top space to one that isn't too hectic.’
Like the best kind of sweet-and-salty food, Phoebe reminds us that light and shade are always fundamental to a successful scheme, where layered ‘stuff’ can be appreciated and admired precisely because of the space to breathe. ‘The interplay between restraint and profusion is essential,’ she says.
One way to achieve this, Phoebe suggests, is by using a ‘softer, more natural backdrop like wooden floors and off-white walls, then you add in the colours and textures and the layers. The background being quiet and soft is key.’ This is skilfully done in Christian Bense’s small apartment, which maintains a very restrained palette. In the dining room, he used Slate II from Paint and Paper Library and sisal carpet, which allows the busy shelves to speak for themselves without shouting over the noise of the rest of the room.
Stress on the eye can also be reduced by sticking to a clear theme within your displayed bric-à-brac, as former House & Garden editor Hatta Byng exemplifies in the array of beautiful, bright-white objects arranged on her Delft-tile-backed shelves. This way, clutter can build up without feeling aesthetically hectic, and objet enthusiasts are limited to a specific palette or theme, where self-control might otherwise feel impossible.
Carina Harford of Harford House agrees that compromise is essential when it comes to clutter, but focuses on storage. ‘For my projects I like to strike a balance between a good amount of closed storage for all the ugly things we all own and then creating some spots that are intentionally for the Good Things to shine,’ she explains. ‘What you consider to be a Good Thing is up to you, but I find an empty or overly tidy space is genuinely alarming. I love to see everyone’s “stuff”.’ I want to see old family photos and vases from holidays and tiny figurines that your grandmother gave you. It’s a visual representation of your emotional guts and I want to see it!’
Elsie advises that built-in storage should be just as attractive as freestanding furniture. Carina has executed that directive with this castellated, raw-sienna-coloured cupboard, where there’s room for both hidden and exposed shelving, to display and withhold in one unit.
Carina does acknowledge that ‘loving all the little bits and bobs can easily descend into clutter or, eventually, chaos, so keeping a handle on yourself is important.’ One solution to this chaos is limiting the amount you have on display, rather than the amount you own (although, as Carina points out, there is perhaps a limit to the amount of ‘pointless ceramics’ you can possibly fit in your house). Instead, rotate your most beloved items out of the ‘backstage’ hidden cabinetry and promote them according to mood or even season. There’s something very ritualistic and sophisticated about replacing a bright, summery vase with a moody one in dark tones for autumn.
So, worry not if you’re trapped between clutter-core and a sparse scheme that’s easier to keep clean and fresh. It’s not only possible to achieve both looks, but essential. Each aesthetic will look better for the other’s counterbalance. Each blank, clear space allows a layered, loved corner to draw the eye. When it comes to clutter, it’s about choreographed balance between restraint (not every item in your house needs to be displayed at all times; not every Staffordshire dog needs to come home with you from the car boot sale) and acceptance (dust is inevitable). And, overall, it’s better to live with and love your collections than let them gather dust in a cupboard.
