Display space....any do's or don'ts? (1 Viewer)

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boot51

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My wife and I are in the process of having a room finished in our basement. One whole wall will be bookcases or shelves that will be devoted to various collections. I've been promised my fair share of these shelves to display K&C. I'm thinking wide, fairly deep and some good height between shelves for buildings like the farmhouse and courtyard and the Berlin tenement, etc. Also, thinly framed full view glass doors to help keep the dust off. I like curios and have several (filled with my wife's teddybears), but I'm leaning towards the built in, more permanent look, then again, if you move you can take the curios with you. Anybody have any suggestions or ideas from experience, either likes or dislikes, things to try or things to avoid as far as displaying the WWII items.
Thanks, Fred
 
Great question. I too am in the process of remodeling my collection room. I currently have a large diorama (24 foot by 8 foot) and I was thinking of using the Woodland Scenic diorama tables as a base and putting my diorama in a modified version that would wrap around a couple of walls. I would then add a set of shelves above them so that more display space is available. Or, doing the same thing you have in mind, shelving around the room with different spacing for height and depth. I want to display my stuff with accessories and space to make them look like they are in a more realistic setting. I haven't made up my mind yet. It will be an experiment in progress. Might do a combination of different things. I am not really sure yet.

But I do know that I will need a large display area for my Napoleonic’s. Simple battle tactics make that a demand not a nice thing to do. With massed formations fighting massed formations, it takes space.

My WWII stuff is smaller unit conflict and not the large massed unit type. But with the size of buildings (especially when using the K&C Berlin Building, JG Miniatures and perhaps some new Build-a-Rama') large enough display space is critical.

I have given myself all the time I need to make this change. I know it will be expensive, but I want to do it so that the completed project is one I will not want to change. Satisfaction is important. I don't want to regret putting in some system that just does not work.

Keep us posted on what you do. I will do the same. :) Michael
 
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I'm in the same situation but I think I'll going to go with the built in. Keep in mind storage which you will need for all your boxes. I'm designing a 12 foot long built in with storage at the bottom. It will be divided in three sections which the middle section will be for dioramas and the sides for figures and vehicles enclosed in glass.
 
Alexdakar said:
Keep in mind storage which you will need for all your boxes. I'm designing a 12 foot long built in with storage at the bottom.
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Sometimes I over look the most simple solutions to a problem. That has to be the solution to my storage needs also. I am currently using two spare bedroom closets but I really want to free them up for when my kids and grandchildren visit. A more protected area is ideal and the display space at waist level and below would be idea. Thanks for the idea Alexdakar. :) Michael
 
Thank you for your input Michael and Alex and I'll keep you poested on the progress. So far we have three walls in main living space all sheetrocked and plastered, left one wall open so we could do built-ins plenty deep without giving up any sq. ft. in the room itself. Right now the open wall is divided into three equal parts, and we're planning on doing display shelves left and right with cabinets in lower part of these sections and in the middle we thought we would make a recessed panel up high for future plasma TV(provided it doesn't eat into my K&C funds!) with drawers and cabinets below for all those boxes Alex mentioned. Funny how fast those collector boxes pile up and how much closet space they take up. I can't say I'll be doing any fancy dioramas, i'm not very creative, but I do want get some buildings, trees,rocks, etc. to add more interest. That's the plan so far, subject to change pending any better ideas.

Fred
 
Some other things to consider is the background of the cabinet. I was going to put mirrors but I think I will go with some kind of old world map wallpaper to save money but that could change. Also lighting is a must so I installed some eyeball recessed lighting to point to the cabinets and will add some inside cabinet lighting. Do you put locks on the glass doors? I'm sure there is a lot more stuff to consider.
 
I have a small room that I display my sets in that has a shelf that goes around 2 of the walls that is 6 inches deep. I also use some really nice looking shelves that are only 3 inches deep that work very well for displaying singles of a theme below a framed print I also have used book cases I dont have the issue yet of how to display the larger napoleonic fights I'd like to build but I think a modular system similar to what I saw when we war gamed in the Army would be ideal of course the vehicles were were using were the itty bitty ones but the terrain boards were on wheels and had locking pins so you could keep them steady and they were about 2-3 feet square and easily handled by one person.

The built ins sonud great as long as they dont get usurped for a different display:rolleyes:

Dave
 
I have to agree Alex, I've pretty much ruled out a mirrored backing....... although.......my wife let me have one shelf in one of her curios and the mirror makes my fledgling K&C collection look twice as big!
Sounds like you need one of those WWII sand tables, Dave. I'm not too up on Napoleon, but didn't he go to Egypt and take pot shots at the nose on Sphinx, that's got lots of sand around it.

Fred:D
 
Do, keep your stuff behind glass (if possible) to keep cleaning person/kids/curious Georges from finger banging or, breaking your collection. It also reduces the need for constant dusting. I tend to haunt furniture stores in search of useful curio cabinets. Do keep the stuff as high as practicable to keep youngun's from being able to easily access the shelf of their desire. Height/depth of the shelves will depend entirely on what you are going to display. Mirror backing/bases are, of course, individual preference.
 
I have my figures in six furniture grade curios, four Pulaski and two Howard Miller. They all have mirror backings which I like because you can see the sides or backs of the figures. Mirrors also let you set up one-half a British square and make it appear to be a full square.

One of my Howard Miller curios is noteable because it is much larger than the typical curio. It is 72 x 50 x 20 while the typical curio is usually only 36" wide and 12" deep. I have five battles set up in this curio: Trophy Boxer Rebellion, Frontline Battle of Austerlitz, Frontline Charge of the Light Brigade, Trophy Battle of Isandlwana, and Imperial Sudan square.

I have found that the side door curios let in more dust than the sliding front door types. I keep my curios locked in case we have an earthquake. I don't want the doors to fly open and dump all my figures out on the floor. I also use earthquake straps on the curios so that they will not (I hope) topple over.

I have made stepping shelves with mirror facing so that I can display more figures on each shelf.
 
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I also have the Pulaski cases and one Howard Miller case.Trying to figure where to put another Miller case. Surprising my wife thinks I should get one and maybe move some furniture. Only thing she don't like is you cannot rearrange them like regular furniture. I had some extra shelves made for cases. I got 7 cases in basement and 3 cases upstairs. Strategy is to put loose figures around house for awhile in obvious places till she gets tired of seeing them then says time to get another case. You never have enough storage. I mounted our old kitchen cabinets and counters in basement which made good storage and work table but they too are full now. Amazing how those little guys reproduce. John
 
John, my wife has four Pulaski curios and they are a nice way to display things, but I find that the narrow shelves do not provide enough room for a good tank battle or street fight scene etc. They'd be fine for a convoy or bridge crossing or just lining your collection up for show, but thinking the deeper the better. And you're right about the boxes, seems like they take up three or four times the space than what came out of them. Mike, can't say I need straps around the curios for earthquakes up here in eastern MA, luckily I don't have take that into consideration and I hope you put yours to the test.:)
Fred
 
Fred: I agree on the Pulaski cases being too narrow- ok to display just figures but like Alex said they began to look like a rock concert when case gets crowded. I like the Herman Miller cases- more expensive but deeper and wider shelves. Got my eye on one that is marked down. John I wonder if track lighting in front of cases would work good. Case lights don't show lower shelves at night.
 
The Howard Miller "diorama" size curio is worth hunting down. It is cherry and is also available in a smaller size which I also have. Any furniture store should have their catalog. Again it is 80 x 50 x 20. That long and wide (and might I add heavy) shelf is ideal for setting up bigger displays.
 
Mike that is what I need.I would go without a big screen TV to get one of those cases- I got the smaller one. Problem finding 6-1/2 feet of space unless I take out 3 bookcases and stero equiptment.I once told my wife "I don't need a couch" do you? she never lets me forget that.You think after the kids moved on I would have more room- not happening- still storing their stuff. They don't want to take their stuff to their houses.Maybe a nice addition would help- but then more taxes. John
 
Leadmen said:
Mike that is what I need.I would go without a big screen TV to get one of those cases- I got the smaller one. Problem finding 6-1/2 feet of space unless I take out 3 bookcases and stero equiptment.I once told my wife "I don't need a couch" do you? she never lets me forget that.You think after the kids moved on I would have more room- not happening- still storing their stuff. They don't want to take their stuff to their houses.Maybe a nice addition would help- but then more taxes. John
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John, Do what I did. I packed up all my son's stuff for him and hauled it off to a rented storage space. I now have everthing in a toy soldier room instead of having the curios scattered all around the house. Oh yes, I was forced to buy three new curios (including the two Howard Millers) to cover all the available wall space.
 
Well, let's review here; buy several humongus Howard Miller curios, build addition or finish off basement, make or buy cabinets to store hundreds if not thousands of boxes, try to explain collecting toy soldiers to friends and family who think you're getting a little wierd, hire a good divorce lawyer because wife can't take any more, win lottery to help pay for all this........ am I missing something:eek:

fred
 
Hire a personal assistant to watch ebay and inventory your collection for you. :)
 
Aah, Alex, about this personal assistant, can she............... on second thought, never mind. I'm in enough trouble.:D

Fred
 
The good thing about the collections is relatives do think it is weird and don't come around as often. Maybe that's not all bad.What I need is a personal unlimited ATM machine between cases for orders. After Africa Korp order I will have to make my cases volcano proof. I feel something is going to explode.Valentine won't help. Secure the cases now. John
 
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