Too much stuff for comfort. I'm sure there are many awesome pieces in there, but I'd feel suffocated in a home like that.

The Kraemers are antique dealers in Paris. They have an antique gallery in the 8th arrondissement, but it's not one where you can window shop!

I imagine everything in that apartment could be bought -- for a price!

I wouldn't want to live in a such a crowded apt, but I would love to visit and look at everything in there. Lots of treasures for sure.

I feel suffocated just looking at the pictures.

Chijim, you do find the best photos! Thank you. Some fabulous furniture but overpowered by (IMO) excessive art and accessories. However, it would be fun to look at everything.

There's exuberance, and then there's this which to me speaks more to a lack of restraint. I'm sure they have that place filled with items that the likes of us Home Goods shoppers cannot even fathom. That doesn't mean it's been curated properly though.

Jim, how do you feel about spaces that are this "full"? I know you're a proponent of layering, but is this overkill to you?

I'd kinda expect a tag on everything. It doesn't look like a home.

I do love all the color though.

That's the first time I've seen a tapestry hung on the underside of a staircase. Lot's of lovely stuff, but it does give the feeling of a shop.

I looked at the pictures for a long time trying to find something positive to say...I looked so long I developed asthmatic symptoms that were triggered by subconsciously feeling that everything had an old house mold smell and was being held captive against its will. I feel a strict sentence on lack of air circulation and a slow strangulation...then, death. The question is: was this done purposely to punish ugly? Or, is the collector a sadist?

Puzzling!

Obviously there are many items, but if we focus on quantity or whether or not it's liveable for us personally, it may mean missing a chance to study, IMO.

For example, I would never have thought to use a solid bright blue carpet, but it creates a wonderful border for the patterned rug. In the 2nd pic, look at the blue matting and how it ties all the artwork together, and then works so delightfully with the settee. Speaking of the settee color, I love how it pairs with the purple cloth on the table in front of it. And, what IS that cloth? In the first pic, what are those little frames that border the tapestry?

Anele, you are TJE best! .)

Uh...THE. best!!

Chijim, years ago did you show us a bit of your home with lots of lovely dog art? Perhaps it wasn't yours and I just imagined it was ? It was layered and I loved it.

I love the layering on the walls - I wish I could do that. The middle of the rooms - not so much as I don't see any rhyme or reason to that area.

auntjen

There's
exuberance, and then there's this which to me speaks more to a lack of
restraint. I'm sure they have that place filled with items that the
likes of us Home Goods shoppers cannot even fathom. That doesn't mean
it's been curated properly though.Jim, how do you feel about spaces that are this "full"? I know you're a proponent of layering, but is this overkill to you?

___________________________________

It's a bit much for me too, but I can appreciate it on a more eccentric, OTT way--meaning somebody really going for it.

anele_gw

Obviously
there are many items, but if we focus on quantity or whether or not
it's liveable for us personally, it may mean missing a chance to study,
IMO.

Yes, that's a great way to train the eye.

Don't dismiss just because you can't afford to duplicate or OTT, look at vignettes, scale, pattern mixing, etc

martinca_gw

Chijim,
years ago did you show us a bit of your home with lots of lovely dog
art? Perhaps it wasn't yours and I just imagined it was ? It was layered
and I loved it.

Speaking of a another place that's OTT in style - Howard Slatkins apt.

http://quintessenceblog.com/home-video-susanna-salk-howard-slatkin/

that is almost bordering on "hoarding".... although for them being dealers i am sure its not. but Ugh!! just too much, makes me stressed just looking at it.

i am de-cluttering., getting more bare bones as i age!!!

The 2nd to last picture I like. The floor space that is available makes for a more open feel. It might be due to lack of rugs. Normally I like rugs even layered. Somehow though no rugs work well and it still feels somewhat cozy even though the chairs do not look overly comfortable.

The first picture at the top brought back a memory of a shop I visited several years ago with simular collections all crowded in. I had ( for real) a severe reaction to mold or something. My lungs filled with fluid and I thought I was going to die.

It makes me want to go look at all the things more closely! Gorgeous apartment!

I could only live there if I had household staff and a secret room with bean bag chairs to escape to...oh, heck, not even then... but there are some beautiful items to behold.

Jim, I LOVE your beautiful rose walls and adore the dog prints. I remember swooning the first time I saw your room. I think I have to add some dog prints to our living room. Almost all of my art is animals of some sort but mostly cats.

Love those last pics, which is strange because I am fairly minimal in real life, but then my home is so small I feel its best for the space, but a true "maximalist" wouldn't let that stop them. Thanks for posting these, great stuff.

The chairs in the first two pictures! Oh the chairs! Gorgeous! I like the second picture in Slatkins' flat for the floors, very cool! My dad would have loved the beautiful dog paintings! He let my mom buy a painting in a small gallery, which was very extravagant for him, but only on the condition that she pick one that had a dog in it somewhere! I have very fond memories of that painting. :-)

A nightmare all of them...

The title of this thread caught my eye because I'm a passionate collector of antique Chinese porcelain, most of it 18th century, but also some 1500 year-old tomb figures and some 19th century pieces. I hope it's not presumptuous of me to post here because I live in a very modest home and also must seem like a stranger, because I ordinarily post on the antique roses forum with a few forays into the hot topics area.

I don't like a cluttered house but that feeling is often at odds with my wish to collect, although I've had to slow that down because this can be an expensive hobby. For that reason a lot of my pieces have cracks and chips and are very far from museum quality, although their history and artistic merit make me love them just the same.

My question is whether I've overdone the clutter or there might be a better way to arrange all this "stuff".

In the first photo, there appears to be a television hidden in plain sight. A big black hole of a tube tv managed to blend right in.

Rooms that are layered because the occupant just has so many interests and things they appreciate are great in my opinion. They look personal and genuine.

However this is the first of the "layered" homes I've seen on this forum (wish we still had the very old gallery side that had lots of layered room photos.) that I had trouble appreciating. Maybe better photography would have helped. I'd certainly accept an invitation to visit there, but I would want to just just and look and look and ask questions about the things to be seen. It's a museum!

Where do you "Netflix and chill" in a place like that?

Ingrid, you'll get more responses if you copy/paste and start a new thread.

I commented on your collections on another thread. They are all lovely and bring your personality in to your home, no matter where you're living. For me, I love the horse in front of firebox and think it deserves a more prominent place, such as on the left of mantel where it can be better viewed. Here are my suggestions (sorry so long):

First picture, more books on the table, each with a low object (bowl, plate or the like). The two statues would be displayed with the third similar (group like objects) that's in the next photo (between bowls), placing two smaller cups inside cabinet. The books appear very heavy to my eyes over the porcelain, so I would a) move books to bottom shelves, b) do a mix of books and porcelain on all the shelves or c) no books and just porcelain.

Everything in the third picture is just lovely, but I would move the small vase over so that it's not right in front of large one, rather in front of plate somewhat.

For the mantel, I would move everything on left side of mantel to the right side, with vase/plant to right of artwork. Remove small bowl directly under art. Place horse in front of firebox on left side of mantel. Three small statues on left side of hearth to the round table (light objects on dark table for more contrast). I can't really see what's on the round table beside the dog. Wondering if he would look cute on hearth left of firebox with the two objects currently on the right of firebox. (They would need to be moved to other side of hearth if you take my suggestions above for mantel to balance things out.) I would group things differently on the desk against wall. If you rearrange bookshelves, you could intermingle some of the smaller things on round table in this room with the books and porcelain.

I understand what it's like to have a lot of objects collected over the years, locally and when traveling. Seeing them brings us great pleasure and memories, so we want to have them out rather than rotate.

Martinca, I don't know what I've done to deserve such a generous comment, but thank you so much!

Chijim, I love your home. It's elegant, warm, and interesting! Exactly what I aspire to!

Ingrid, you have a good eye for vignettes. My favorites are the one by the red wall and the hallway spot with the bouquet.

allison, thanks so much for your suggestions. Your comments are so spot on that I wonder whether you might be a professional decorator. I know you can't see this from the picture but the horse with its protective cover is much wider than the mantel, which is actually quite narrow and bumpy, with raised and lower portions. The horse is also quite fragile, having been around for some 1500 years and being made of easily breakable material. There really is no other place for it. I'll implement some of your other suggestions, and then I believe I will begin a new thread, since I also have other rooms with yet more porcelain which could benefit from a fresh perspective. I'm sorry I didn't see your reply in the other thread but will try to find it.

anele, I'm pleased that you like some of the groupings. I often change things around because I'm never really entirely pleased with the total effect. I think some outside advice would help me to see everything in a new way.

Anele, I just think that kindness is your second skin....you're not even aware of how it shines through.

Ingrid, glad I could help. I am not a decorator or an ID, but accessories and decorating seems to be "my thing" - that's what friends say. If you ever get tired of the horse, let me know! You're right, I could not tell it was too wide for the mantel, and still think it needs a place of more importance. How about on top of the desk or a chest somewhere in your home. I look forward to seeing other pictures of interesting collections.