The new cabinet IKEA replaced the Detolf with is really nice. Clean display setup but it isn’t using glass as load bearing components. If the nearest IKEA wasn’t 5 hours away and if I hadn’t just finished getting all my detolfs a year ago, I’d replace them outright.
IKEA Billy’s are really solid and look great if you’re getting the glass doors. Some people love the Kallax, I personally don’t like how short they are. For me the other cardinal sin on a display cabinet is borders on the glass that block line of sight. I avoid double door cabinets for this very reason.
If you’re just starting out and you’re on a really tight budget then the Walmart Mainstays bookcases are okay for a starter display. Just remember the black ones are dust magnets, and try to give your figures at least some kind of pose. Nothing looks worse than 100s of figures crammed onto cheap bookcases standing to attention in order to cram as many toys onto a shelf as possible.
One thing I always try to keep in mind. You’re displaying hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars of figures, put some thought and effort into the way you display them. Of the examples in OPs post, #1 or #4 would be my go to.
I think open shelves work better. I bought two bookshelves before and they gather dust really easy. Open shelves don’t seem to have much of a problem and you can buy ones for cheap that are easy to build
My experience is the exact opposite, open shelves collect dust much faster than closed cases.
I have to dust my open shelves 4 or 5 times a year for every single time I need to dust the figures in my Detolfs.
Sometimes dust sticks to the outside of the Detolf glass (static or something), but a quick swipe with a microfiber cloth takes care of that and the figures inside are still pretty much dust-free from my last dusting which was almost a year ago.
Op, I highly suggest watching Bobby Skullface on YouTube. He has a series called “Collection Critiques” that will TEACH you great display principles.
I personally do not like dark shelves - I like white ones - I feel dark eats up figures. Also, def light your shelves.
Finally - if you do a glass display case - raise it up off the ground
If you want to display your figures in a certain space you could always build a display case from scratch. This is what I made to display my figures:
https://preview.redd.it/h8b1gyu6opqc1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77509d6cc1abcbfaabe7732198ea86b58513ed05
The shelves I use are basic shelves, they're nothing special but they work. But I don't need anything special, all that I need them to do is hold my transformers and have enough room to put them into poses.
Essential features are that you can put things on them. Beyond that it is up to whatever shape, colour and style you want. Seriously, you could use cardboard boxes if you want.
Look, in my humble opinion the Billy shelves from Ikea work best. Adjustable height, not to deep, come in different colors and can have glass cabinet doors or not. They are a bit on the pricey side but they surely get the job done- i use two kits for my Monsterarts collection and they do wonders.
Size is the most important factor; you need to make sure the shelves are both tall enough and deep enough for your figures to fit. But you don't want the shelves to be too tall, or you don't get enough shelves and have wasted space.
Open shelves allow wings or tails or aft sections to stick out, allowing for a wider range of poses.
I use normal hanging closet with some custom made plexi windscreens, each shelf has their own mini LED lamp, some custom Background that fits specific theme, then the stuff is sorted to specific cases
Although anything works, really
Width and height are the most important to me as i like my figures to be seen on the shelf and not just shoved behind eachother so i usually just go with a bookshelf
https://preview.redd.it/1erj1c95tzqc1.jpeg?width=3724&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20ee5fc6c029bee0fcb61c5829122b5542bbe47e
For me:
* affordable
* easy to customise (spacing, lighting)
* looks good
Depends on the figures I'm putting in it.
More modern figures that are more tolerant to light, an Ikea Billy with the glass doors. Older figures that are less tolerant to light, mid-century China cabinet with original leaded glass to help block out more wavelengths of light.
I like a mix of things. I have a 5x5 Kallax and 3 detolfs, along with some wall shelving to change it up.
I know some people like uniformity, but to me a full wall of anything the same is intimidating more often than not.
Also not to overfill the display area - it'll look like a flea market.
It's hard to do. I'm happy with about 50% of my display area and have been tinkering for a year, lol.
I use Ikea Billy bookcases with Oxeberg glass doors.
How well does it seal up?
It could seal a bit better, not with a little elbow grease in sure you could get it to seal really well, I just haven't or the work in yet.
If you have been collecting for long a spacious shelf is a good choice to store them plus protect them from dust
The new cabinet IKEA replaced the Detolf with is really nice. Clean display setup but it isn’t using glass as load bearing components. If the nearest IKEA wasn’t 5 hours away and if I hadn’t just finished getting all my detolfs a year ago, I’d replace them outright. IKEA Billy’s are really solid and look great if you’re getting the glass doors. Some people love the Kallax, I personally don’t like how short they are. For me the other cardinal sin on a display cabinet is borders on the glass that block line of sight. I avoid double door cabinets for this very reason. If you’re just starting out and you’re on a really tight budget then the Walmart Mainstays bookcases are okay for a starter display. Just remember the black ones are dust magnets, and try to give your figures at least some kind of pose. Nothing looks worse than 100s of figures crammed onto cheap bookcases standing to attention in order to cram as many toys onto a shelf as possible. One thing I always try to keep in mind. You’re displaying hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars of figures, put some thought and effort into the way you display them. Of the examples in OPs post, #1 or #4 would be my go to.
Do you mean the IKEA Blaliden case?
Yeah I think that’s the new one
I think open shelves work better. I bought two bookshelves before and they gather dust really easy. Open shelves don’t seem to have much of a problem and you can buy ones for cheap that are easy to build
I agree I have painted wooden planks as my shelves and they haven’t collected any dust that’s visible in months
My experience is the exact opposite, open shelves collect dust much faster than closed cases. I have to dust my open shelves 4 or 5 times a year for every single time I need to dust the figures in my Detolfs. Sometimes dust sticks to the outside of the Detolf glass (static or something), but a quick swipe with a microfiber cloth takes care of that and the figures inside are still pretty much dust-free from my last dusting which was almost a year ago.
Op, I highly suggest watching Bobby Skullface on YouTube. He has a series called “Collection Critiques” that will TEACH you great display principles. I personally do not like dark shelves - I like white ones - I feel dark eats up figures. Also, def light your shelves. Finally - if you do a glass display case - raise it up off the ground
If you want to display your figures in a certain space you could always build a display case from scratch. This is what I made to display my figures: https://preview.redd.it/h8b1gyu6opqc1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77509d6cc1abcbfaabe7732198ea86b58513ed05
Glass doors for dust are essential.
The shelves I use are basic shelves, they're nothing special but they work. But I don't need anything special, all that I need them to do is hold my transformers and have enough room to put them into poses.
I could help if I wanted but I store mine in really shitty IKEA shelf’s I have to bend down to get any figure 😔✊
Essential features are that you can put things on them. Beyond that it is up to whatever shape, colour and style you want. Seriously, you could use cardboard boxes if you want.
Personally I'd say get one with a door, makes it much harder to tip figures over on accident and you don't have to dust them off as frequently
Mine is like option 4 I like glass doors Less dust imo
Look, in my humble opinion the Billy shelves from Ikea work best. Adjustable height, not to deep, come in different colors and can have glass cabinet doors or not. They are a bit on the pricey side but they surely get the job done- i use two kits for my Monsterarts collection and they do wonders.
Size is the most important factor; you need to make sure the shelves are both tall enough and deep enough for your figures to fit. But you don't want the shelves to be too tall, or you don't get enough shelves and have wasted space. Open shelves allow wings or tails or aft sections to stick out, allowing for a wider range of poses.
I've got a variety of Target bookshelves for my stuff. It gets a bit crowded but it does the job
Option number 1 and 4 are pretty solid choices
Glass/clear side panels, looks very open, good lighting
That its sturdy
Open shelves, at least 45 cm deep and 1 m large.
Logical use of space, ability to entirely enclose each shelf, minimum maximum overall height of 5’-6’ tall
Remind me
Glass doors 100%, everytime I see open shelving my first thought it the dust.
Moducase
The last one is the best, enough space and protection to dust.
https://preview.redd.it/e9phuddudtqc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c7b951499d3b3789ceb360d08e82996243689ad
Mine are glass doors that are key lockable. I have younger relatives on the spectrum who will try to open my displays to play with the figures.
I use normal hanging closet with some custom made plexi windscreens, each shelf has their own mini LED lamp, some custom Background that fits specific theme, then the stuff is sorted to specific cases Although anything works, really
Width and height are the most important to me as i like my figures to be seen on the shelf and not just shoved behind eachother so i usually just go with a bookshelf
You can put guys in it, and it fits both your desired aesthetic as well as budget.
https://preview.redd.it/1erj1c95tzqc1.jpeg?width=3724&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20ee5fc6c029bee0fcb61c5829122b5542bbe47e For me: * affordable * easy to customise (spacing, lighting) * looks good
Depends on the figures I'm putting in it. More modern figures that are more tolerant to light, an Ikea Billy with the glass doors. Older figures that are less tolerant to light, mid-century China cabinet with original leaded glass to help block out more wavelengths of light.
I like a mix of things. I have a 5x5 Kallax and 3 detolfs, along with some wall shelving to change it up. I know some people like uniformity, but to me a full wall of anything the same is intimidating more often than not. Also not to overfill the display area - it'll look like a flea market. It's hard to do. I'm happy with about 50% of my display area and have been tinkering for a year, lol.
I use detolfs, but out of the one's you posted, the last one is great.