This is what some of my display looks like right now. This is less than half of my stuff but its the same display in the same configuration in a different corner of the office. I'm looking to get new displays though. The Detolf is good for the cost but I don't like having toys effectively on the floor. Plus I want adjustable shelves that are better supported and a lot wider because there is so much unutilized space in this configuration
Yeah I really hate having things displayed so low to the ground. The only reason I choose shelves over cases sometimes. I love things to be as close to eye level as possible.
Ideally what I really want is some drawers at the bottom instead to store things like headers, boxes and board games. Gives me some more storage and forces all the toys up to a better visual height
I'm a big fan of the Ikea Milsbo. Positives: Cheap, adjustable shelves and lots of space. The best part is I was able to use Hue strip lighting that fits easily along the side. This is amazing as the strips are 80-90 dollars and allow for dimming and color change. If you have one of these cases this is a must. Negatives: Unfortunately, these have mostly been sold out for months now. Also, the shelves goes across the case but the middle bars on front are rather thick so there is somewhat of an obstructed view of any figures in the middle. Above Nicky noted the Rudsta Case which I think is new. I just purchased two of these and put one together over the weekend. A very nice minimal case that works with some of the cheap Ikea lighting options. I'd add photos but I either forgot how to add photos or something has changed. If someone can help me with how to add photos I can show some examples of these cases.
Thank you @nicholasfung ! I wasn't aware that Ikea made a shorter version of the Milbos case, which is nice to see! I do love the original taller Milbos, you can stuff a LOT of toys in it! Either way, if you live in earthquake country, make sure you bolt your cases to the wall to prevent toppling accidents! The Rudsta case also looks like a good bargain, but I find that a dark back board doesn't optimize the display of toys. Toys sorta sink into the gloomy darkness and doesn't stand out very well, unless you have very bright lights. My Nornas cases (now discontinued) had dark gray back boards which detracted from the display, so I lightly "velcro-ed" on a whole sheet of "wall paper" on the back board and the toys display much better!
Years upon years ago, when I had my yuge, dearly departed Garamon collection all housed (some would say crammed) into a single Detolf, I had a local woodworker make a custom riser for it. I gave him the dimensions/sketched out what I wanted, and he did a great job with it. Basically, it was a hollow cube/box with a square recess in the top that allowed the bottom of the case to sit snugly in it, flush w/ the outer top edge of the Detolf's bottom shelf/floor. The surface it sat on was a separate, removeable piece, so that I could place a sandbag inside the box- wanted to make sure the thing was well-weighted to avoid possible tipping if I was moving it (I put some of those inconspicuous felt sliders on the underside at the corners). I removed the Detolf's feet, so the two surfaces made direct contact, and for extra security, I drove a single, inconspicuous black woodscrew through a neatly pre-drilled hole in the center of the bottom shelf. Oh, and before all that, I had given the box a nice finish with a flat black paint and then some Rust-Oleum "hammered metal" copper spray over it. Looked great, worked great. Doing the same kinda thing with a drawer would be very cool, but you would definitely want to make sure the thing is well-weighted... or, alternatively, you could design something with a more pyramidal shape/sloped sides, rather than a straight cube.
I have used a Ikea Milsbo in my son's room. Whilst there are many positives, Ikea have only allowed for lighting at the very top of the unit (holes in the metal); therefore, if you would like to illuminate each shelf, you'd need to drill the metal and make you own holes for the other three shelves.
^^^ VERY nice @Mr Fox ! I hadn't considered a creamy white display case before, but it looks very classy, light and airy (perfect match for the soft gray walls and stepped creamy baseboards). I still have a huge box of GID to unpack, so perhaps a cream Milbos would make a nice house for them! BTW, Chris/Lixx used rechargeable LED string lights and velcro-ed them along the case to add additional lighting... This one is dimmable with remote control https://www.amazon.com/Counter-Dimm...le+led+for+display+case&qid=1613087629&sr=8-5 This one is cuttable (is that a real word?), so you can custom adjust lengths... https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Dimma...0MB52Y0XJ5M&psc=1&refRID=21A2RGQRY0MB52Y0XJ5M Lots of rechargeable light options, including the round puck lights that match the one in your son's case (don't get the ones that run on batteries, they go through a LOT of batteries fairly quickly). Fun selection of toys, but I can clearly see he needs more!
The issues I've had with any sort of lights with batteries, I had a puck set from CostCo or somewhere similar, but they died at an extremely rapid rate, even when not in use. I know this guy (https://thecollectioncorner.com/) has been making lights for a long time, I just wish I could justify the price point. I also know some of the smaller Ikea TV stands work well as risers for the detolfs, as another suggestion.
As others have commented, I have found the rechargeable or battery operated lights just eat through batteries; they are great for clothing wardrobes, where you just need an extra bit of light for a minute, but running them for a display case, for hours, is less successful. I have his lights plugged into a WEMO timer, so it is set to come on for 30-minutes before his bedtime and then I either turn it off manually or, on the days he doesn’t manage to drag out getting ready for bed, it turns off on the timer. This means the case is nicely lit and all the GID pieces get a reasonable charge. As a child, going to sleep with GID toys glowing is pretty fun! Regarding his collection, some of it are pieces from mine, that is he now the custodian of, but a lot of it are bits he has received for birthdays, Christmas or saved his pocket money up for. He loves drawing and has an appreciation for the amount of time, skill and energy that goes into creating and producing these pieces of art. He isn’t on social media, but enjoys taking photographs of his and my toys, as well as learning about new pieces being released by artists he has gravitated towards. There is zero pressure from me and off his own back, he has explored the world of soft vinyl, production, etc via YouTube and what he can find to read. It gives us another thing to bond over and that is one if the massive positives I take from collecting. PS - yes, a cream coloured case, filled with GID would look superb!
This is what my main display looks like. Looks pretty empty compare to most display here... Most of my toys are still on another continent which helps keeping things neat I guess.
Finished my display case/shelves. Originally just some fitted storage units when we moved in, took the fronts off, added some runners, sliding glass doors and lighting, now to fill with more sofubi!
Yeah, that horizontal layout is killer. And bonus points for what appears to be books arranged by spine color...
Love the way it look, just a fantastic display! The lighting is good that it looks like a Kaiju museum and that it is located above the bookcase is a plus, I imagine a very comfortable armchair in front and then taking a good book from the shelf to start enjoying it, but at the same time being able to contemplate your favorite toys would be like the Shangri-La for me.
^ completely agree, an armchair in viewing distance seems a natural fit. @djkemp, this is so well-executed. What type/brand of lighting are you using there? I've struggled with finding anything that bright.
The vintage toys really seem to fit with the style of the room. Beautiful setup. I love the parquet wood flooring too. (I only know the word for this type of flooring because of Animal Crossing.)