Every House Had One In The Victorian Era — The Kitchen Tool That's A Gem For Collage Walls

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Creating your own collage wall can be tricky, particularly when everything you hang seems to feel flat or homogenous. Well, one great way to add visual interest and depth to your collage wall is to layer in three-dimensional pieces. This doesn't necessarily mean running to your local home decor store to grab an oversized clock or sculpture, however. Instead, why not try checking out your local thrift store?

Antique shops and thrift stores are often full of fun, interesting items that can add both depth and a sense of history to your collage. One item you might be able to find, for example, is a cast iron trivet. You can think of these like durable hot pads, which are used to protect the surface underneath from heat damage caused by casserole dishes or other hot items. However, many secondhand and antique trivets come in beautifully detailed designs featuring everything from birds and leaves to crowns, stars, and decorative monograms. Therefore, they have loads of interesting character that makes them a great vintage find for collage walls. 

Cast iron was a common material for heavy-duty trivets, but they have also historically been made in a range of different materials, too. In a home in the Victorian period, you might see a trivet made from tile, a mixture of tile and wood, or even wire. By searching through thrift stores or antique sellers nearby, you may just be able to find one that suits your interior design tastes and the vision for your collage wall. Let's take a moment now to explore how to choose the right trivet for your home and how to hang it within a collage for the best impact.

Antique and vintage trivets can be found at various in-person locations such as antique shops, but you can also search for them on online marketplaces like Etsy or eBay. Remember to think about how you might display the trivet before you select one. Cast iron trivets are likely to be relatively heavy, so if you're looking to make this a renter-friendly upgrade, you could place the trivet near the bottom of the collage wall and lean it on a side table or console. Consider also the overall theme for your collage wall. If you are going for a more organic, nature-inspired look, you could search for a trivet featuring delicate floral detailing on it to emphasize that theme.  Alternatively, if you like sharp edges and clean lines, you could look for one with a simple geometric design that won't clash with other decorative items.

Once you've found one that you like, you can begin thinking about how to add this vintage find to your collage wall. It's generally a good idea to collect all the items you want to put in your collage and arrange them on the ground or on a large table. This allows you to visualize how the wall will look — and move things around — without committing to hanging everything straight away. One key element of sprucing up collage walls is variation. Therefore, if you have lots of other vintage finds that look like the trivet you have just thrifted, try separating them out with items that have different colors, textures, and sizes. This will help break up the wall and stop it looking too symmetrical.