BJDs as decorative item?

I'm not sure exactly what a 'decorative item' would be, as you still have to maintain dolls to a degree. They're not quite like a figurine, but there are plenty of people who buy a doll because they like the way it looks stock and displays it that way. None of my dolls are OCs nor do they have a story, they are just dolls I find adorable that I have purchased.

 

I've named mine, but they don't have stories. I mostly just sew for them, repose them, and take photos.
They spend a lot of time posed in my curio cabinet. As long as they make you happy.

 

I can't imagine this being uncommon! while this isn't what I currently do with my dolls, it might be the end goal for me. In fact, I was thinking of creating a display system for the pretty things I'm not using; eyes, hands, heads, etc.
Get them because they're pretty and display them only as decorations, sure! Makes perfect sense to me. I'd just be sure they aren't displayed near a window or anywhere the light can directly hit them

 

There's plenty of people who own bjds cuz they like then aesthetically and just have them on display compared to creating characters and stuff. There's nothing wrong with enjoying them however you feel you will like best!

 

I used to try to shell my characters, but I was spending a ton of money on variations on the same wig to get their hair juuuust right, was searching fruitlessly for clothing that matched the characters’ aesthetics, etc. In the end, it was really frustrating and expensive, and nothing ever quite looked the way I was imagining.

So I stopped doing that, and just started picking up wigs/clothes that I *liked*, and I’m much happier with how my dolls look now.

 

I sort of do both things at once: I create a character, but it's not usually a pre-existing one, and I don't do anything more with it than 'pasting it onto' the doll, as it were --I don't write or RP or anything else (although I might draw the character because I just draw a lot). The point of owning a BJD for me is to be able to display them, to have them 'hang around' as it were.
So I guess I'm in-between: they're more than a pose-able figurine, but not quite fully developed characters either.

 

Yes. I use my BJDs to decorate my house -- but I also decorate my house with other non-decor items I use in my life, such as jewelry. I drape my big necklaces over lamp shapes, hang my hair wreaths all over the walls alongside picture frames, and sometimes my other costumes (eg, renfest) ed up being wall decor too even though I still take them down during the season to wear them. I do the same with HBA items (perfumes, bath oils, bath bombs, lotions, makeup) in my bathroom; instead of hiding them in drawers and cabinets, they're out in the open as functional decor.

Part of it is that I often forget what I have if I don't look directly at it regularly. For dolls, I spent way too much on them to not enjoy looking at them anytime I want.

 

Yes! For sure. Dolls are beautiful and they make the house beautiful.
And there is really no required way to play with your dolls other than in a way that makes you happy and enjoy them, so please don't feel obligated to make characters if that doesn't spark your interest.

For myself, I have some dolls that are very tied to a character, some dolls that only have a name, and some dolls that have no name really but that I adore photographing. Hehe.

 

Absolutely.

I got into dolls because SixSpouse got into them first, and the first one in the house was and is a decorative item. She's gorgeous - but she gets her outfit changed a few times a year, and it's pretty rare anything else happens with her.

I like them for customization purposes, because I like elaborate, time-consuming projects, but that's by far not the only way to play.

 

Most of my dolls are characters I've made up but I usually take my time putting them together. I don't really get to play with them or photograph them too often so I have them displayed on a shelf in my room. I actually bought a fullset just because I like the way he looks so he just sits and looks pretty.

 

I have mine on display in my room, but I do play with them as well. That is, when I have time. I do like leaving them displayed, just looking at them brings me joy, when I'm too busy to do anything else with them.

 

I'm not terribly active in the crafting element of dolls these days, but I do keep a few dolls on display. So while they didn't start out as being primarily decorative items, that's definitely what they are right now!

 

I think it's always going to be up to you why you want a doll and what you use them for, to be honest! Although I do name my dolls and take photos when the mood strikes me, mostly they sit looking nice on a shelf - with the occasional repose as I see fit or if I buy them something new to wear! It makes me really happy to look over and see them over there and to be able to change how they look to suit my current mood, I don't think it's unusual to only want to have a BJD for that reason ^^

 

I like hearing from people who "decorate" with their dolls. I feel that making intentional aesthetic choices about a doll and treating it less as a collectible and more like a unique work of art produce some very stunning dolls. It's not how I personally feel, though I have bought dolls I intend for display in little dioramas. They're not the same as dolls I get for shelling OCs and they won't be the same as dolls I get for crafting projects...mixed bags are more interesting

 

Aren't they in essence a decorative item? I don't think many adult collectors actually play with them in the sense of how children play with their fashion dolls or baby dolls. Not that there is anything wrong with that by the way. Imaginitive play is a definite plus.

I pose them, redress them, photograph them and yes, even play with them once in a while. I love fiddling with their joints and seeing what poses they can and can't do. It's soothing and I love watching their delicate parts move and seeing the care that went into their make-up.

If you just want a ball-jointed doll because you feel they are beautiful and would make for a nice addition to the living room then there's nothing wrong with that. By all means, go ahead. They're your possessions so you get to play with them exactly the way you want to.

 

I'm definitely one of those people that have dolls as decorative items (though currently I don't have any room to display full time). I think a lot of their appeal is how pretty they are and their ability to hold certain poses for a length of time. I think the adaptability of BJDs is a really big draw for me, because if I get tired of one of my doll's looks I can change it to suit my tastes. Changing them for the holidays would be really cute! I'd absolutely love to have some more creepy/scary outfits for my dolls for Halloween!

 

All of my human dolls have character and stories, but my anthros don’t. They have names a very very basic personalities. LucyFaire is a demon mouse who likes to cause trouble, Kit is a sweetheart. That’s pretty much it for them. They sit in my sewing room cabinet on display. I do sometimes take them to doll meets just because they’re so much easier to transport than my SD crew, but I don’t do a lot else with them.

 

I buy dolls, paint and customize and dress them how I want them, and then use them as decorative pieces of art. Their main purpose to me is display but I want them to look a certain way when displayed.