This Trend Makes My Home Feel Like a Museum in the Best Way

Over the years as my style became a bit more eclectic and artful, bust sculptures took the place as one of my favorite accessories to display all throughout my apartment. I purchased my first bust while antiquing with my mom, having started to notice them in many of the rooms I was admiring on Pinterest and Instagram. My collection has now grown to encompass nearly 10 different styles, which perch on my fireplace mantel, built-in shelves, entryway table, and more. Can you ever have too many? I think not.

What I love about busts is how quickly they can elevate a space and turn a simple shelf, for example, into a beautiful vignette. Given that busts are generally on the taller end and made from stone or marble, they also add welcome height and texture that may be missing from your usual display.

But most of all, busts are the perfect mix of sophisticated and quirky. They are more elegant than many of the mass-produced decorative objects that you’ll find at home stores, and they almost always tell a story. While they are not a functional item by any means, busts are so much more whimsical than your average figurine or trinket. I will always make them a decor priority, even in my relatively compact apartment. 

If you’re unsure how to source the best busts for your space, fear not, as you can find these guys at a variety of shops—and oftentimes for great prices, too. My first few busts were ones I picked up at antique stores or flea markets, but I also found beautiful, vintage-looking pieces from big-box retailers including Zara Home, CB2, and even Amazon. 

Etsy is also an excellent resource for busts of all styles—including some authentic pieces from Greece—and you never know whether one will pop up on a resale site or at a garage sale, either. The newest addition to my collection is actually a sizable piece that I scored on Facebook Marketplace during a casual morning scroll through the platform, and I love how he looks in my living room.

Whether you’re looking to amp things up in your space or just experiment with a new style, busts are an excellent trend to embrace and one that will stand the test of time. Who says your decorative accents can’t also be museum-worthy, after all?