Maximize your display space!

Sky, a photo by alington on Flickr.

One of the things I find difficult when displaying large sized BJDs is having adequate room for them. I have cats at home, who seem to be obsessed with mohair wigs, feathers, tulle, and so forth, so a display case with glass doors is a must.

I use the Billy bookcase system from IKEA. It's not very deep, so it doesn't use up much room in our living space, and the door options (and rearrangeable shelving) make it ideal for doll display. The center shelf is fixed as part of the case's support, but the other shelving can be moved as needed.

I ended up with a small narrow shelf and decided to try something new: displaying one of my dolls lying down. Peak's Woods aren't double-jointed, so getting the pose to look natural took a little practice. Now, my shelves look uncluttered and clean, and Sky looks gorgeous in this reclined position.

I change my entire display at least every two months, and my BJDs probably close to weekly. It gives my living space a new feel--and without legs and arms hanging over the side, it's much less intimidating to non-doll collectors. Plus, it's fun--you can use doll clothing as part of your decor.