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Is decorations the right word to describe things such as figurines, candelabra, handicrafts you put in a showcase to make it look attractive?

Oh you got nice decorations in there.

I need to get some decorations for my new furniture.

Do these sentences sound natural to a native speaker?

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  • 1
    They are commonly called ornaments. They might also be mementoes, keepsakes or heirlooms, depending on their origin and significance to the owner.
    – Mick
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 11:04
  • 4
    To which you might add knick-knacks and trinkets. Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 11:23
  • 1
    "Decorations for my furniture" would not be idiomatic. We could say "I need to get some new decorations". It's "for my furniture" which makes it unnatural.
    – TimR
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 11:46
  • 2
    I can't think of a word specifically for things placed in a display cabinet. Ornaments is about as generic as you can get, but ornaments can be placed anywhere, and not all objects in a display cabinet need be purely ornamental.
    – Mick
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 11:52
  • 2
    There is also bric-a-brac.
    – Mick
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 11:57

1 Answer 1

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They are commonly called ornaments:

a small decorative object

Although the word decoration might sound appropriate from its definition:

an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate; adornment

it doesn't really work here. If you told me someone had "nice decorations" in their home, I would assume you were talking about Christmas decorations, not items in a showcase.

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