Living with a Sterling Silver Collection

As you may imagine, I have a few collections. Being fairly practical, I don't like collecting just for the pleasure of owning and amassing a treasure-trove of objets d'art.

I enjoy using what I own and sharing the pleasure with family and friends. I use my dinnerware china, crystal, and silver at mealtimes and when not in use, store them in kitchen and dining room display cabinets. I also display decorative china on side tables and cabinets as accessories whose colours co-ordinate with the colours of the room. Decorative china can make even a bedroom look warm and inviting. Because china pieces are fairly large, collecting must be done carefully. Too much can literally force you to move to a larger house. Strange as it may seem, I know of people who have done just that, in order not to be restricted from further collecting.

Among other things I collect, I especially enjoy silver. Using silver often is important to keeping it looking its best, and having it develop or keep the rich patina of old silver. Taking all of that to heart, I like napkin rings so much, they have become a must every time I set the table. At a dinner party, it is especially chic to use mismatched sterling silver napkin rings to add interest, and whimsy. It is also often a good beginning to dinnertime small talk. I rotate my mismatched sterling silver napkin ring collection by displaying a few on a sterling silver tray on a table to sparkle up a corner of the living room.