I have a friend who is a collector of many things. She has made a hobby of combing the antique stores and the yard sales in her area for the fun and funky, the interesting and the unique. When you go into her house you are immediately struck by the groupings of items of all kinds – a display case with eyeglasses from nearly every generation; a basket in which sits a variety of unusual umbrellas; and a shelf on which she has placed tea cups of all sizes, shapes, and colors.

I admire her persistence – and her love for what she does – for sure. But what I have really taken away from my friendship with her and my observation of her collecting is the beauty of similar items in a variety of styles that are grouped together. It’s really interesting and fun; especially when you consider that most of us have been brought up to believe that good design involves the matching of furniture, fabrics, and accessories.

But the truth is that the really interesting designs are born from eclectic pieces that you wouldn’t ordinarily think would work together – but then do, perfectly.

Following in my friend’s footsteps I have chosen one piece that I really love in order to start my own collection – clocks. From the time I was little I have loved clocks of all shapes, sizes, colors, and sounds. And whenever I am in a store or shopping online I immediately go straight to the clocks; they just appeal to me on every level.

But I am not combing antique stores to find my treasures. I am ordering new clocks online where I can find a host of different styles to add to my collection. And I have to say that it all really just works – my traditional grandfather clock in my front living room, my collection of different style mantel clocks above my fireplace, the modern round faced clock in one room and the country pendulum wall clock in another. It has all come together and I really love it. That’s the thing with clocks; their versatility, their presence, their simplicity – they work in every room in the house.

Antique clocks are beautiful to look at but in many instances they just don’t deliver in terms of functionality. I once ran across a beautiful antique clock at an estate sale and I purchased it on the spot. I loved the way it looked but I was never able to bring it back in terms of functioning properly. Because it didn’t actually tell the time, the uniqueness of the clock was somewhat minimized; it almost looked plastic because the hands didn’t move and before long I just took it out of the room in which I had placed it, opting instead for something that still had life within it.

I was able to find this amazing website that allowed me to find all of the clock styles with which I was enamored but with modern functionality that would allow me to always have a working clock in the room that I had chosen

I began with a wall clock in the family room; a miniature looking grandfather clock that hung on the wall above the couch. While this is normally a more traditional design, I chose a wall clock that was more modern in design – made from lighter woods and utilizing wrought iron parts that made it a more contemporary fixture in the room.

In the living room I choose a grandmother clock as I did not have quite the ceiling height to pull off the use of a grandfather clock. I chose a more traditional styled grandmother clock with ornate carvings and traditional wood. It plays a beautiful melody every hour on the hour.

Above the fireplace I replaced the antique mantel clock with a clock that looks similar in design but has a modern technology. Now the room comes to life with the ticking of a beautiful clock – that looks beautiful and works perfectly.

There are many products by which we are able to pay our own homage to the passing of the years; ways in which we honor different generations by collecting particular touchstones to the past. We may use the china that was once used by our grandmother or we may purchase pieces of furniture that were popular during the year that our parents were married. By looking at pieces in this way we are not just putting merchandise in our home that is great looking and fits with our style; we are filling our home with a timeline of sorts; conversation pieces that we can use to tell stories of the past.

Clocks are a perfect example of pieces that have been used in homes throughout the generations; their function was always the same but the style in which they were created differs year to year. By collecting clocks from different years and putting them in our home we are able to honor the different styles that have been popular throughout the generations.

This is not to say that we should ignore the modern clock styles of today. In fact, it is easier than ever – with the help of the Internet – to find modern clocks in a variety of styles. Everything from mantel clocks and wall clocks to atomic clocks and grandfather clocks are available online through suppliers that provide offerings from high end manufacturers such as Howard Miller, Kieninger, and Ridgeway clocks. So whether their style is traditional or contemporary, consumers are able to find the clock for them; the clock that will tell the story of this particular time in history.

For quite a long stretch the trend of the day was something called “shabby chic” – a home décor that captured a mixture of the distressed look of antiques and the simple elegance of country farmhouse. Those who love the look of antiques may still shop the flea markets and estate sales for their one of a kind pieces, but when it comes to particular items they may desire more contemporary mechanics.

Clocks are those items that make for beautiful antiques; but if consumers desire a working and functional clock they very often need to buy modern pieces that offer the newest technology. This does not mean, however, that clock buyers need to sacrifice the beauty of the antiques in order to the get the functionality that they want.

High end clock suppliers offer contemporary clocks – with modern technology – that are made to look like antiques – designed in a way that would just as easily fit in a home 50 years ago. These antique inspired designs allow clock buyers to essentially have their cake and eat it too; they can have all the elegance, sophistication and beauty of yesteryear and still be assured that the clock they purchase will function as it should.

Most notable for consumers is the fact that they can visit these high-end clock suppliers online where they can shop from among a variety of different designs; no matter what kind of wood they want, or what kind of style – wall clock, mantel clock, grandmother clock, grandfather clock – they can be found through online clock suppliers.

Trends come and go; that much we know. Every time we turn around there is some other fashion trend we should be following, some other way to wear our hair, and some other popular method by which to design the interiors of our homes. Who has the time? And more accurately, who has the money? Keeping up with trends as they change year to year can wipe out a budget and keep us scrambling to remain in sync with popular culture.

When it comes to our homes, unless you have the time, money, and inclination to redecorate on a yearly basis, it is best to keep it simple and keep it classic. By adopting a classic palette – utilizing those elements that typically never go out of style – you can pay homage to the trends by infusing the room with small, inexpensive accessories that reflect what is currently popular. Then, as styles change you can easily remove those accessories and replace them with something more in line with the newest trends. The foundation of the room, however – the color, the furniture, the window treatments, and so forth – remain the same; and if you choose something classic and timeless you never have to worry that your rooms will seem out of date.

Clocks are some of those pieces that will never go out of style and will generally always remain the common denominator in classic design taste. By choosing from a variety of wall clocks, mantel clocks, and even grandfather or grandmother clocks, we can add to the palette of our rooms – around which everything else will revolve.

By making clocks a part of our design foundation we can move them around so that they best complement a particular room and work with the popular trends we periodically infuse into our home décor.

Anniversaries are like the Christmas holidays and birthdays in that there are so many options for gift-giving but nothing that clearly stands above the rest. We all have those people in our lives that are difficult to buy for and for whom we struggle with the perfect gift to give whenever the occasion arises. Anniversary gifts are not for everyone; they are generally given between couples or given to those people who we are closest to in our lives. The difficulty of giving such a gift stems from the need to make it something functional yet romantic, interesting yet sentimental; there are so many things from which to choose.

Clocks are one item that many people may not automatically think of when they think of giving a gift; yet the choice of a beautiful clock for a couple that is celebrating an anniversary (or a husband or wife with whom you are celebrating an anniversary) can be a wonderfully sentimental – and yet decorative and functional – gift.

Consider a beautiful antique inspired mantel clock – reminiscent of another time – engraved at the bottom with the couple’s wedding date and a special anniversary message; a wall clock that is an exact replica of a wall clock that used to hang in the home of a grandparent, also engraved and chiming the hour in a dining room or family room; or a grandfather or grandmother clock with elaborate artwork depicting a romantic scene and perhaps chiming a particular melody that is familiar and special to the couple.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be so difficult when you think outside the box. Consider a beautiful clock as an anniversary gift for someone you love.

Styles have surely changed over the years and for those who are following the trends, there is much from which to choose in terms of decorative pieces, color, and furniture. But there are still those of us who prefer our home décor to be traditional; choosing to forgo the trends and maintain a classically styled home. What people fear in following this design route, however, is that their home will be plain looking and devoid of character. This is something that is easily remedied, however, with the addition of more contemporary or unique pieces that will infuse some interest into a room or a home at large.

Clocks are those pieces that can be found in a variety of styles including traditional; and certainly in many cases they are chosen by homeowners that already have a traditionally styled home. But as a way to change things up a bit and give an otherwise traditional home a more modern edge, homeowners can use clocks in a variety of rooms in their home.

Interesting, unique, and non-traditional clocks can be found through online clock suppliers that specialize in matching consumers with the clocks that will best suit their personal style and the ultimate style they wish to create for their home.

So while a traditional room with classic furniture may be sophisticated yet plain, a fun and funky clock – whether it’s a wall clock hung in a living room or a mantel clock placed on a buffet in a dining room – can give a room freshness and a pop of personality.

There are a great many people for whom antique is the only way to go; they define their décor by adding pieces that have history, meaning, and physical character. To this end, shoppers comb flea markets, antique stores, and estate sales in order to find the pieces that will add something to their home’s décor. Clocks, especially, are pieces that can be found in antique stores and will automatically add character and depth to a room and a home at large. Everything from mantel clocks and wall clocks to grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks can be found through antique outlets and they most certainly add quite a bit to any home.

However, clocks do not have to be antique in order to be something special. Online resources have allowed us to do our shopping through the convenience of the Internet – and the purchase of clocks is no exception. Consumers can find high-end clocks of any style – traditional, contemporary, and everything in between – through reputable online clock suppliers such as 1-800-4CLOCKS.

For those who love the look of antiques, there is always the option of choosing products that are manufactured in the style of antiques but are constructed by modern clockmakers. Through such suppliers consumers have access to some of the most reputable clock manufacturers in existence – including Howard Miller clocks – that provide high quality modern designs that are made to look antique.

Antique clocks are wonderful but they are not the only way to add character and personality to a room or home. For those who want to purchase new but not sacrifice the look of antique, there are clock suppliers online that will help consumers achieve their goal.

It has been all the rage in recent years to purchase older homes and renovate them to reflect their past glory. Homeowners that purchase homes that are over one hundred years old enjoy structural integrity not often seen in modern construction, as well as unique designs that make older homes so beloved. There are challenges involved with owning older homes, however, as homeowners quickly realize when they began the renovation process. There is often a significant amount of time and money that is required to make the home exactly what homeowners want it to be – including the infusion of their own personal decorative style.

One of the challenges when it comes to decorating older homes is to keep the generational integrity of the home intact while infusing a touch of modern design into the home; it often helps to include pieces that span the generations, such as clocks.

Clocks would have just as easily fit into a home one hundred years ago, as they do in today’s modern construction and that is what makes clocks such a perfect decorative accessory. Homeowners can pay homage to the history of the home by including something that may have been used in the home when it was originally built – but the materials used in the clock are reflective of modern times.

Grandfather clocks are especially appropriate in this situation as they were something that was cherished in older homes; most homeowners could not afford to have a grandfather clock. But with the use of modern materials homeowners can honor tradition as well as the affordability of modern design.

When many of us think of cuckoo clocks we think of a roomful of clocks all chiming at once – the hour denoted by the sound of the cuckoo bird – in a home occupied by an eclectic – and slightly mad - clockmaker. The cuckoo clock is so a part of our cultural vernacular that it is referenced in books, movies, and televisions shows – often in this capacity. It is as much a part of American culture as any of our other perennial favorites.

The reality is, of course, that the cuckoo clock originated in Germany; first built in the late 1600s in a region known as the Black Forest. The origins of the cuckoo clock are largely unclear, but what is known is that this pendulum clock was created to mimic the sound of the cuckoo bird – the specific call that essentially defines the clock.

The mechanics of the cuckoo clock have largely remained unchanged since its inception but the popularity of the clock has remained steady through the centuries. Today, the cuckoo clock is still much beloved and placed in homes and public buildings as both a tribute to historical timekeeping and an ornate piece of décor.

Cuckoo clocks continue to be produced in traditional styles as well in more modern manifestations. Some of the traditional styles include townspeople and villages in miniature; some of the most artful designs consumers are likely to find on clocks of any kind. But whatever style of cuckoo clock that consumers choose to purchase they will find that it brings a touch of history and old world craftsmanship to their home.