How Do You Display Your Dolls?

I use Detolf cabinets that sit on Lack TV stands from IKEA. The LED lighting is also from IKEA, installed after they were set up at home. I have modified/reinforced Kaiser doll stands for everyone except my winged boys on the bottom ends. They have more heavy-duty "invisible/fly" doll stands. Also hot glue sueded them all for extra stability. Just need more cabinets to get the rest up and on display.

 

Wow, that looks awesome @AmberLeigh !

 

@AmberLeigh what do you mean by heavy-duty "invisible/fly" doll stands? I am always on the look out for stands and I love how your dolls are displayed. How did you modify the Kaiser stands?

 

Thank you @Nell!

@jessholy Thank you, I got the invisible/fly stands from Alice's Collections in the 70cm size. It offers the most support out of the stands I've tried. Just want to note that the thick wire metal piece that holds the doll up is kind of difficult to manipulate and my boys are far too heavy to get the "flying" effect they show on the website. For the Kaiser stands, I needed them to be locked in at max height. With the moveable waist grip piece inserted into the base piece, I zip-tied the adjustable part at the bottom of the loop on each side horizontally. Then a third zip tie was used vertically to "lock" the movable part in place by going under the bottom loop and going up through the top. The stands are so much more stable than before if you're okay with them not being adjustable. Here are a couple pictures to show what the modification looks like:

 

Similar to some other people, I keep mine in a glass cabinet. It protects them but I can still see them & the cabinet is just a cheapish one from IKEA ^^

 

I would love a display case but at the moment they just sit on a shelf

 

@AmberLeigh Thank you for the link and the photos! I like how you stabilized the stands - it's secure but not really permanent, so you can always cut them off as needed. I also love all your Soom dolls. What sized Kaiser stands did you get for your dolls? Did you order straight from them or go to a store or order off of Amazon? I also love your set-up. The glass cabinets are gorgeous.

 

@jessholy You're welcome, glad I could help! Thank you for the kind words I purchased these Kaiser stands that come in packs of three off of Amazon.

 

@AmberLeigh Thank you for the amazon link! I don't have the space for a set-up like yours but I do want stands so I can actually have all my dolls standing and use them for photographs and such.

 

I’ve used those Amazon stands that @AmberLeigh referenced - but only for my
55cm guys. For the taller guys I found a more hefty Kaiser stand that I *really*like.
It works all the way to the 70cm EIDman (and possibly taller) and is very stable.
you can find it here:
https://www.amazon.com/Kaiser-Doll-Stand-4001-White/dp/B00TIYE18G

a photo of my SIDman on this stand

Spoiler: kaiser 4001 stand

Spoiler: “back view”

 

@Robyn_in_WA Thank you for the pictures and the link! How is it more heavy duty than the previously mentioned ones? And what did you add at the bottom to avoid foot slippage? That looks like it really works!

 

@jessholy - the Kaiser 4001 is a larger, heavier stand than the 3075 - meant for larger dolls.
The base is larger and the metal is thicker - the waist part is also heavier. (I think both
amazon pages give dimensions) and the waist grip doesn’t need to be held up by
ziplock pieces - it stays up as it’s not all the way to the top. yes the 4001 IS more $$
but imho it works brilliantly for the bigger guys. I live in earthquake country and I’d
not put one of my 65+cm guys into the 3075 as I need the extra stability.

Ahh! You notice my little anti-slip piece!! It’s the “rubber” stuff that you get for
putting in the kitchen cupboards - comes in a roll. I don’t recall if I got that at the
grocery store or at the drugstore. Comes in various colors - easy to cut with scissors.
I put it on all of my doll stand bases - whether these Kaiser stands or the saddle
stands that have the wood bases that my gals use.

 

@Robyn_in_WA The Kaiser 4001 stand was on my radar and looks like great option, it's just a shame they don't make them in black.

 

Would it perhaps be possible @AmberLeigh to use spray paint to paint the
4001 stands black? I’ve used the Krylon spray paint fairly successfully before.
(I like the stands being white or tan - so haven’t painted these stands however.)
Certainly it would be easier to go black over white than the reverse.
Just a thought….. These 4001 stands *really* are stable and nice!

 

My husband spray-painted one of my Kaiser stands black, and unfortunately it left marks on my doll. I’m guessing that the factory paint on the stands is baked on, and less likely to rub off and leave marks.

 

@Robyn_in_WA Really appreciate you sharing this recommendation, it was the push that I needed to go ahead and order some stands for my own collection! I ordered some 4001s as well as a couple of smaller sizes. They should be arriving tomorrow, I'm excited to give them a try

 

In the doll closet for sure

 

I hope that you like those stands as much as I have @Gamine !!

I hadn’t thought of the paint rubbing off @beamlette - that would have been
an unhappy surprise, I’m sure. Maybe just painting the bottoms then?
And using black shelf liner as anti-slip padding??

 

@Robyn_in_WA, as long as you don't put the doll's bare feet on the spray-painted bottom, that should be okay. The spray paint leaves the stands with a matte surface that is less slippery, too.

However, using the webby non-slip shelf liner in black may not be a good thing. I had a tool drawer chest that came with that kind of shelf liner in black, that I used to store doll shoes, and found that it reacted with the shoe soles and stuck to them, leaving sticky residue on the shoe soles. Sorry to be a buzz-kill about the webby shelf liner

I replaced the webby non-slip shelf liner with a lightly-textured clear plastic shelf liner that came in rolls. I *think* it was a Contact product, but can't recall for sure; I do remember that I bought it at Home Depot! I had several strips remaining after lining the drawers, and got the bright idea to stick pieces of the strips to the standard shiny-finish Kaiser stands to keep doll feet from slipping. Waste not, want not, lol!

 

Wow @beamlette ! I’d never have guessed that a black shelf liner
could interact with shoe bases!! I have always used the Contact brand
liners and have never yet had a problem. But would have been very
unhappy to have had shoes go sticky on the bottom. The clear shelf
liner sounds like a *great* idea! Waste not, want not - for sure!!!