Various television shows focus on people’s heritage, from programs such as Antique Roadshow on PBS which showcases various items either collected or inherited, to programs that encourage people to sell their heirlooms to buy something else.

Are your family artifacts taking up closet or attic space but seldom if ever become part of your present life? If so, consider bringing some of them out of hiding and creating a vignette of your family history.

The vignette in this photo showcases a great grandfather who studied butterflies. Some of his valued reference books provide a base to hold his handwritten notebooks and the magnifying glass he used in his travels. Displayed in the shadowbox are some of his most valued specimens. At the center of the table stands his pride and joy – an early brass microscope. With the addition of a couple of photos, this story is complete.

What family stories would you like to tell? Was Aunt Beth known for her baking? Showcase her handwritten recipes along with some of her favorite mixing bowls, one of her big wooden spoons, and a photo of her at the table. Some of a great uncle’s old tools could be displayed on top of a bookshelf he built that you inherited.

Find your family stories and make them part of your décor. You can enrich your home’s style and your life when you share your family’s past with others.