It's Playtime! Fun and Fabulous Toy and Doll Collections by Houzzers
If you're toying with the idea of showing off your dolls, be inspired by these playful collections by Houzzers around the world
Some people find them a bit creepy, while other people are addicted to collecting them. Take these playful homeowners from around the world; they prove that toys and dolls don’t have to be confined to kids’ bedrooms. As anyone who collects toys and dolls knows, they’re for show all over the home. So what’s the appeal for adult collectors and what are some of the best ways to store and display them? Let’s take a look at some of the funnest collections on Houzz and find out.
Up high. You wouldn’t want anyone messing with your set of vintage Ken dolls, would you? So be sure to put them up high and out of arm’s reach.
Fine print. Old printer’s trays are collector’s items in their own right. They’re also the perfect place to store and display smaller dolls and toys.
More: 9 Creative Ways to Use an Old Wooden Printer Tray
More: 9 Creative Ways to Use an Old Wooden Printer Tray
Behind glass. If you love your toys – or they have value beyond just your attachment – display them behind glass, like this collection of exotic dolls that look like they have come from far-flung places.
This rare doll collection is not only under glass, but under lock and key, too. It’s from a preserved historical Victorian home in San Francisco, the Haas-Lilienthal house. The caretaker found the dolls in a trunk and transferred them to this wooden cabinet, to better display them.
Meet and greet. In this Art Deco apartment in Melbourne, ‘Chubby Chops’ stands at the front door to greet visitors. The doll, purchased from a Melbourne antiques market, is perfectly in keeping with the other collectables in this fascinating home.
See more of this home
See more of this home
The owner of this Blue Mountains cottage loves to collect vintage dolls and mannequins. “I don’t know why. They’re charming but slightly creepy,” she says. “And they’re evocative of childhood and old department stores.”
See more of this collector’s cottage
See more of this collector’s cottage
All together now. For maximum impact, consider gathering all your treasures of the same kind in one spot. Whatever it is you love, if you have a large collection of one item, put them altogether for a powerful visual effect.
This fun glass cabinet decorated with buttons is the ideal home for a collection of toy robots and cars.
The owner describes this is as her ‘Wunderkammer’, which is a ‘cabinet of curiosities’. It was in fact purchased from Coco Republic, and cabinets like this are perfect for storing and showing off your prized toys or dolls, but keeping curious fingers at bay.
Mantelpiece chic. Toys can look pretty stylish, too. Just one or two displayed on a mantelpiece can make a simple statement.
Dedicate an entire room. On the other hand, if you have the space and you happen to have a huge collection of antique toy cars you’d like to show off, you might want to dedicate a whole room for a gallery. Just add a sofa.
The attic room can often be a good space if you really need an entire room – and it’s out of everyone’s way.
Floating. Lots of purpose-built, floating shelves can provide the space for a special collection. In this home office, the owner displays an antique toy train collection that started a few years ago when his wife picked up a train from a flea market as a gift. He now has more trains than the shelves can hold, so he rotates his collection.
In this San Francisco apartment, the owner has collected toys from Mexico, as well as locally in San Francisco’s Chinatown and a local variety store.
In the study. If you happen to have a passion for old fire trucks and everything related to them, how about keeping them in your study? Lots of in-built shelves and cabinets will make a great home for your treasures.
Anywhere you have space. If you’re a passionate collector, but have limited space, then you’ll find the space somewhere for your collections, as this collector did in her one-bedroom Manhattan apartment. The owner Jeanie Engelbach said of her style: “My personal design influence is based on my nine-year-old self: candy, cartoons and late-’70s pop culture.
“I love bright colours and anything that sparkles and shines.”
“I love bright colours and anything that sparkles and shines.”
Just a few little favourites you’d quite like to put on display somewhere? Just make a neat vignette among your books on the shelves.
In a jar. A simple way to show your collection of rubber balls – a large glass container.
TELL US
Do you have a special toy or doll collection and a special way to show it off? Please show or tell us in the Comments.
MORE
Prized Collections: The Art of Gathering
11 Look-at-Me Ways to Show Off Your Collectables
Shopping for Vintage Finds … at Grandma’s House
Do you have a special toy or doll collection and a special way to show it off? Please show or tell us in the Comments.
MORE
Prized Collections: The Art of Gathering
11 Look-at-Me Ways to Show Off Your Collectables
Shopping for Vintage Finds … at Grandma’s House