How to Build Collections That Give Your Home Character, According to a “Chronic Collector”

One common thread running through the country houses, penthouses, and everything in between on Homeworthy is a sense of collectedness. Our hosts’ homes are filled with things they’ve acquired over time, each with a story to tell. And while collecting can feel like something reserved for serious art enthusiasts or antique aficionados, New York City interior designer Alexander Doherty makes a compelling case for simply buying what you love.

From books to art, Doherty’s collections give his apartment a character that can’t be replicated. He credits that authenticity to years of collecting without necessarily knowing where everything would end up. “I realized that all of the furniture and objects and everything that came into this apartment was stuff that I’d had in storage,” he says. “Everything in here is new to me, furniture-wise, not necessarily objects and paintings, but furniture-wise.”

So, how do you build a collection that feels just as personal? Here are three places to start.

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Follow Your Eye, Not the Art Market

With so much art to choose from, figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming. But building a collection doesn’t have to mean chasing recognizable names or investing in pieces with impressive resale values. Start by paying attention to the artists and styles you’re naturally drawn to, and don’t be afraid to return to them. After all, the art you live with should be something you genuinely enjoy looking at.

“I discovered this artist called Oscar Troneck maybe 15 years ago, and subsequently, I’ve been buying paintings of his whenever they become available,” Doherty notes. “And some of them are in the frames that I bought them in, and a lot of them have been reframed. Some people would say, well, this is an overkill.””” We’d beg to differ. If it makes you happy, it’s never overkill.

Build a Library Worth Keeping

A personal library doesn’t need to be filled with rare first editions or leather-bound classics. The most interesting bookshelves are often the ones that reflect the person who lives with them, whether they’re lined with novels, cookbooks, art monographs, or well-loved paperbacks. Rather than treating books as decorative accessories, think of them as a collection that grows alongside your interests.

Doherty’s own library occupies an antique French bookcase he purchased in Paris and had shipped to New York. “I bought the bookcase in Paris and I had it shipped over here. I was very lucky that it just about squeezed in,” he recalls. It’s a reminder that the furniture housing a collection can become part of its story, too.

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Collect First, Find a Place Later

Sometimes the best things in a home are the ones that weren’t bought with a particular room in mind. A flea-market find, an antique discovered while traveling, or something that simply catches your eye doesn’t need an immediate purpose to be worth bringing home.

Doherty has spent years collecting furniture and objects without always knowing where they’ll end up. “As soon as I saw the things that I liked, they’d go into storage, and how long they were going to be in there, I don’t know,” he explains. His apartment is proof that a collection doesn’t need to be planned all at once to feel cohesive.

And perhaps that’s the beauty of collecting in the first place. As Doherty puts it, “But the importance is because I like it.”