where to display props?

Hey y'all.

The recent postings here of show-off threads have been inspiring. It's great to see so many collections, large & small--and see how creatively they've been displayed.

For years I've kept my lightsabres displayed in my studio/work area. My studio's set up in the finished basement area. It's nice there--but always cold. I'm also the only person who ever goes down there. So the collection has essentially been private.

I'm thinking about moving them into the main area of the house--the living room.

Is this too geeky/nerdy? I've asked my non-prop friends, and they're divided. But I've seen that 40 Year Old Virgin movie, and wonder if this is neat--or just makes me look like a hideous misfit with a sabre fetish?

What are opinions here? Decorate your main living space with props--or keep it more subdued in a less viewable area?

Ultimately it's my house, so I'll display them where I feel it works best--but I'd love some folk here to weigh in with their opinions!

Fire away!

I think its all about how you display them. Ive got my collection in my tv room, and have tried to keep it organized in a museum like fashion with exhibits. So far i have gotten many compliments from non proping friends.

i think if you can keep it tidy you'll be fine. If it gets to the point where its cluttered and it seems you are running out of room then it may look fetshy.

We have a "proper" living room, all posh and grown up..pretty boring really.....then my second (back) living room, all proppy with a bigass TV and filled with (mainly JAWS these days) stuff.

This room has hosted everything fover the years, from lifesize vaders, troopers, Jasons and Kruegers to sabers, swords and sharks.

I think its a great room - every guest I have ever had loves this room the most. Even real grown up people who are accountants and stuff...clergymen even.

Everyone would like a toy room, but some people are too far gone down the road of blandness to admit it.

Relish in your geekdom sir, display your toys boldly. They do no harm, in fact they bring a little bit of joy and wonder to folks, and lots of pleasure to YOU, I wager.

Nowt wrong with that.

Plus my kids proudly show their friends - to 10 years olds, its the height of coolness to have a Dad who isnt boring.

The wife and I both collect this junk (movie/film props and wardrobe, screen used and replica), so we’ve got it all over the house, from the bathroom to the kitchen.

Excellent points!

Although, this 'sir' is actually a 'madam.'

And Protokev--I'm aiming for a museum look with good lighting. I've kept the collection focused on only lightsabres--so no jumble of miscellaneous stuff.

I like how several members here have used under cabinet lighting for dramatic effect.

As mentioned... if you display them tastefully and avoid clutter, I think they not only look much better, but people will also think they are cool... believe it or not. Many won't even know what they are.

Avoid displaying action figures in the package or anything like that.

Ah, begpardon - Madam it is! Same applies exactly!

You know, it's true that people don't know what they're looking at. I had a couple repair guys out last year--and they got really freaked out. They thought I had a collection of silencers/gun parts.

Bizarre.

Silencers? I would SO run with that!

"Yeah, I did some spec ops work years ago, tools of the trade ya know! That little one off to the right, I tried using that on Fidel Castro years ago, that's how the "Bay of Pigs" thing got started."

jediscout said:

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You know, it's true that people don't know what they're looking at. I had a couple repair guys out last year--and they got really freaked out. They thought I had a collection of silencers/gun parts.

Bizarre.

Did they do a good/quick job though?

lol, yes.

Look at them as art. You would display art, right? Some of my meager collection is displayed in my little apartment. Some stuff, I really choose not to. I feel your home, be it apartment or house, should really reflect YOU. If you feel that your prop collection would reflect you to those who you have over, then why try and hide that?

Just my lil two cents. I have since drawn the line at cheesy posters though. LOL

Hey Scout,

You're obviously proud of the collection (and no doubt rightly so) and I think moving them up and sharing them a bit seems like a nice idea.

Personally, I keep the bulk of my pieces in my basement display room, but that's mainly because I have a wide range of stuff, in lots of sizes (some quite big) and it just seemed to make sense to group it all together.

It doesn't mean my wife and I don't have fun with the other rooms, adding some little themed elements and fun sci-fi posters and such. But the props, by and large, are all together in that room.

In your case, you're not dealing with large mannequins or anything over-the-top. You've got the potential to put together a really classy display with some dramatic lighting... I think that's the sort of thing that can really enhance an otherwise "normal" room.

Qui-Gonzalez said it well... these are ART. Approach their display as such and you've got nothing to be ashamed of

best,
Tom

I occasionally display my stuff in the living room.
I figure it is logical because the props are film items displayed where we watch...films,
(and TV shows etc.)
My wife doesn't like my stuff AT ALL, so my items only see the upstairs about 1 month out of the year.
Here is my display for our last Firefly shindig.



I display things I can put out, and I replace the mundane pictures with my geek stuff.
The rest of the time it's in my side of the basement, which I'm making more display-friendly;
then my wife wonders why I spend so much time in the basement.

I had this display on the mantel for awhile,



but it has been replaced with a "normal" skiing display.

I'm trying to put a number of my props in shadowbox displays that I can hang on the wall.



Here's one in process.

Mike

I've got a three pieces apartment (one is the kitchen, another is the bedroom...) so all my replicas are displayed in my living room. Now, it's more like a museum and I'm in search of some new place to display the future replicas. But I'm really proud of my pieces, I'm very happy to look at them when I'm watching my T.V. and my friends are always amazed to look at my collection....they say that I'm crazy....well....I think they're right
Ah yes...I forgot....I'm single

I'm always surprised when I read about how many wives/girlfriends here just barely toleratate their husabands/boyfriends props.

I think it's a progression of collecting in your life. When I was single I had things throughout my house in every room. Mind you I've collected Toys for 25 years and have three storage buildings just devoted to toys/displays etc.
Then once you get married and " grow-up" some you cut back or devote a room or area to your collection. With two kids I enjoy their space and time so I cut back alot on displaying my items.
I'm also the type person that " shows-ff" everything I own either. I don't need elaborate display cases that are lighted for just myself to look at. If I was in the business of prop building or selling I would have more of a showroom look where people could see things.
As a Custom framer for 15 plus years , I cringe when I see images people take of their collections. Only because I see people potentially messing up their great pieces for a cheap and easy display.
Anytime I hear some bought a walmart frame with Hobby Lobby mat board and the piece is touching the glass, I get scared.
The bottom line for me is my family and life is more important than material things and I have learned over the many years of collecting that when I have the resources and time my collection will be displayed properly and not through into one room with poor lighting..lol

In our house we set up one wall for display cabinets that is adjacent to the entry in kind of an open formal casual room (but without a TV). This is a photo of it when it contained mostly SW sabers and weapons, though now, all that has been changed out to non-SW obtained mostly from here since my SW stuff has its own home now. I made the light assemblies in them from IKEA strip LEDs. They hold the strips at an angle so the light only goes onto the shelf and back.

If people are coming over that I feel will be interested, or they express interest, I turn the lights on. If not, I leave them off and it basically disappears into the shadows.

I've had similar dilemmas, but I've learned to embrace my inner geekness as I've aged. When I was in my 20's, I would quickly hide the Star Wars props and comics if a girl was coming over.
Now I have about a dozen sabers along with a jedi remote and a sith holocron displayed in a common area of my house, using a simple billy cabinet with glass shelves, glass doors and lighting.

I agree that it's art when tastefully displayed and not only am I proud of my collection, I find I get a lot of compliments from people who aren't even sci-fi fans.
I say show it off proudly. Cool things are to be shared.

Since I live in a townhouse style condo, I have VERY limited space. SO here are my update pics I took today. It's all about HOW you display them, not WHERE.

















Brad

Jedifyfe said:

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I always get so damn jealous when I see your collection, Brad. However, is the medal in the pic above going to be replaced with mine? That'd make me feel a whole lot better about you having a better collection than me.

TridCloudwalker said:

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I always get so damn jealous when I see your collection, Brad. However, is the medal in the pic above going to be replaced with mine? That'd make me feel a whole lot better about you having a better collection than me.

Thank you very much and YES it is. The MR is a nice "clean" version but the display box is too big and I like your "screen used" look.

Brad

Wait, there's a girl in here?


*pulls the ladder up from the tree house*




You could always go like I do....Put it in boxes and say "Man, I hope I've got enough room for this in 20 years."