Some people thrive on minimalism and keep their homes clean. But for others, it doesn’t come naturally. Born from the viral TikTok, collecting is the new decor trend that’s all about collecting and displaying your favorite trinkets, in a format that replicates the ’90s apartments featured in TV shows and movies.
Clustercore is designed for those of us with “too much stuff”. Whether your pain point is clothing, books, plants, candles, or Carrie Bradshaw-style shoes, this new trend will give you an excuse to keep it all on display. It’s distinctly different from chaos, too, in that the sets are expertly curated ensembles that offer the illusion of being thrown together, but are, in fact, carefully put together. As interiors junkies, it’s safe to say the Ideal Home team are huge fans, and there are a few ways we love sporting this trend in our bedrooms and living rooms.
So, if you are tired of your family complaining about the many messes around your house – here is your answer, you simply collect.
How to experiment with cluster trend
A common misconception about grouping is that it’s just a mess, but it’s actually brilliantly orchestrated. Sometimes, ensembles accidentally happen through your most-used items or areas, like a bedside table, but other times you might want to go a little extra mile to achieve that nostalgic rom-com apartment aesthetic.
I’m a big fan of just putting it all on display and filling your home to the point where you can with the things you love to look at. I think if you want to look at it, it doesn’t matter if you have something all over the place,” says Skye McAlpine, author and founder of Tavola.
“It’s about building an art collection and then living in it, and then the sense of clutter doesn’t matter so much because clutter is all the things you love and the things that are interesting.”
Acnugs Choking on Flowers – Fox Academy
1. Get inspired by rom-coms
Beautiful perfume bottles, makeup palettes and mirrors are the perfect collectibles. The boudoir aesthetic has an abundance of small beauty and decorative items placed together on a table, creating a lived-in look that looks exactly as if your favorite leading lady left it behind.
The dressing table is also one of the quickest places to accumulate clutter, especially if you find yourself running late a lot, so it’s the easiest place to experiment with combos. If a vintage bedroom is what you aspire to be, trying this trend will be a shortcut to making it happen.
2. Stack your books
(Image credit: Future PLC)
For the book lovers among us, book bundling will come as no surprise. The books’ shape and size make them perfect for stacking, a quick way to make up the bulk of a collection’s corner. Whether you have a dedicated bookshelf or make the most of other surfaces, it’s easy to balance around the house.
“Since I am (obviously) an interiors geek, I keep a large stack of design books stacked next to my desk. I used to say it was for ease of reference, but there’s a lot more to do with one person these days.’ In doing so, she created a desk suite that reflects her interests, serving as both a ready-made storage space and a design feature.
3. Make your sleeping space a sanctuary
The mess should make you feel safe, not suffocated! To avoid this, don’t just pile loads of stuff on your shelves and on your walls; Instead, be selective about what you choose to include, and add pieces over time to allow your space to breathe and grow with you, says Paul Fleming, managing director of Fleming & Howland.
The bedside table is the perfect place to take this advice seriously, as excessive bundling can affect your sleep and your ability to relax. But if done right, it can mean you start and end the day surrounded by charming bits and pieces that fill you with joy.
Budding writer Julia Joson took collecting on board by “putting cute decorative items on my bedside table and desk because they’re so pretty to look at and make me happy!” I have figurines of my favorite shows and the media I consume. I’m also working on assembling an IKEA SKADIS pegboard and getting the basket attachments for a larger display.
4. Create a cluster bath
(Image credit: Future PLC/James French Photography)
A self-confessed cluster fan, Thea adds, “On the tiles around my bathroom, I stack candles, oils, bath salts, etc. on decorative plates.”
If minimalism isn’t your thing and you want every room in your home to feel like a reflection of you, then adding accessories to your bathroom is a great place to start. It is also better if the items are also useful, because the best decor is the one that combines style and function.
5. Cluster on trays for easy cleaning
What happens if you want to display all of your beloved trinkets, but also want to clean them regularly and with ease? The answer is trays.
“I have a top piece of advice as a whimsical person — I try to keep all my collections in trays or containers so they’re easy to lift when dusting/cleaning,” advises Deputy Editor Rebecca Knight.
Trays are having a moment in interiors right now, too, so whether you want to add pattern with scallops or want to introduce a pop of color to form the foundation of your ensembles, this is bound to be the one for you.
Large green wooden tray
Regardless of whether you choose to go full Carrie Bradshaw with your ensembles, or keep it low-key with a few select areas, we love how this trend normalizes the everyday clutter in our homes. And the best part is that there aren’t any rules.
So if you’re short on storage or just love an extreme scheme, combos are the person-approved messy style you’ve been looking for.
