Collectors’ items come in a myriad shapes and sizes, and it may be tricky to create a display that not just shows off your treasures, but also leaves room for future acquirements. But without stylish displays to highlight these expensive purchases, a collector’s home is scarcely different from a hoarder’s.
Luckily, the possibilities are endless when it comes to display ideas. From acrylic shadow boxes to built-in shelves, here are 7 cool display ideas that’ll best show off your bits and bobs.
1. Turn them into a coffee table centrepiece
Image credit: Exquisite Art Furniture Interior Decoration Pte Ltd
If you already have an overflowing pile of small figurines, like 100% Bearbricks or PopMart for example, here’s one unique way to neatly showcase them. This vintage-concept HDB interior features a brigade of the homeowner’s Bearbricks encased in acrylic, creating a decor piece that adds a pop of colour to their workstation.
2. Maximising impact with floor-to-ceiling shelves and LED lights
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
For a more striking look, take inspiration from this jumbo flat in Ang Mo Kio that utilised an empty wall by installing a built-in floor-to-ceiling shelf with backlit lights.
Image credit: @ethaninteriors
Alternatively, get your hands on full-height glass cabinets, which make good displays and storage for limited edition accoutrements such as sneakers, Gundam models, and even LEGOs.
Image credit: @ethaninteriors
Spice up your full-length displays with LED lights for a distinctly cyberpunk feel, but make sure to keep your collection tidy so that the overall effect doesn’t end up looking cluttered and siam diu-adjacent.
3. Making the best of your corners
Image credit: D5 Studio Image
Round-about corners are the areas your guests pass by the most whenever they visit, and homeowners should make use of this area to exhibit their limited-edition items. This recessed corner storage at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 provides a clear view of the figurines kept within, similar to the displays you’d find in a high-end boutique.
Image credit: Flo Design
Similarly, another homeowner opted for an enclosed display case built into the wall, but on a smaller scale, to show off their collection of miniatures.
Image credit: Posh Living
If you aren’t particular about others touching your figurines, opt for open shelving like what the homeowners have done in this local home at Riverside Residence. Accompanied by soft backlighting, the entire display radiates sophisticated fun.
4. Using pegboards for LEGO and Nerf guns
Image credit: @flodesignsg
Thanks to the versatility of LEGOs, they are hugely popular amongst discerning collectors. So, it’s not surprising that many entries on our list feature LEGOs. One such example is this avid LEGO collector’s home, which features a wall covered with LEGO baseplates in red, blue, and white.
Image credit: @flodesignsg
LEGO figurines are affixed to the baseplate with the help of small, black plastic LEGO strips.
Image credit: Jialux Interior
Another way to exhibit collections on walls is to use pegboards, which allow for flexibility and can be easily customised into different shapes and sizes. A local Nerf enthusiast hangs up his collection of Nerf guns on a wall-mounted pegboard, which means that they’re always within easy reach for impromptu Nerf wars.
5. Custom carpentry to store your booze
Image credit: SYRB
For all you wine moms out there with an impressive wine collection, we’ve got you covered. Instead of storing your bottles in a cabinet, perhaps displaying them on a custom shelf would be better.
This cluster home located along Gerald Drive revolves around a posh and classy concept, and naturally, a plethora of the owner’s liquor collection is proudly displayed. The minimalist custom shelf blends nicely with the existing interior concept and acts as a minibar.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Alternatively, consider building a shelf that’s integrated with your kitchen counter. This will not just give you ample storage, but also enough space to exhibit your enviable liquor collection. Local wushu celebrity Vincent Ng has done something similar for his extensive array of liquor, which stretches from his dry kitchen all the way to the porch, through his living room.
6. Using corridor alcoves as a walk-in gallery
Image credit: D5 Studio Image
Even if you live in a small home, there’s still a way to create more display storage space. The homeowners of this BTO in Upper Serangoon have smartly taken advantage of their corridor alcove and turned it into a walk-in gallery by installing glass panels, a glass door, and plenty of shelving.
7. Replicating store displays
Image credit: Imagine Sk66
Sneaker fanatics will understand the increasing struggle to make room for new purchases as chunkier designs have been popular for the past few years. This homeowner designed the wall shelf in his living room after the Air Jordan displays in Nike stores. Built-in shelving is common, but not many sneakerheads can say that they’ve replicated in-store displays at home.
The idea of being able to “shop” at home every day is an attractive one, so we can see why this homeowner went through with this renovation.
Unique display ideas to show off your collectables
Despite being ridiculously priced at times, collectables have the uncanny ability to rob us of our sensibility, and we inevitably cave in and purchase these items while our wallets protest. After spending so much money, it would be remiss not to display these collectables in their full glory.
Having a neat display will also keep your partners and family off your back about your collecting habits – with these display ideas serving as inspo, they’ll have no reason to say that your collection is taking up too much space or that it looks messy.
For more home styling tips:
- Man Caves Throughout Local Homes
- Using Giant Pegboards As Stylish Shelving Units
- This 4-Room HDB Is Like A Mini Museum With Local Icons
Cover image adapted from: Fifth Avenue Interior, Fifth Avenue Interior, Design of SCHATZ
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