Summer Memories...and How to Preserve Them

It's hard to believe the summer is almost over. But as the cooler weather sets in, the days get a bit shorter, and football season begins, it's time to admit it....Summer 2013 will soon be just a memory.

So how can you keep those summer memories alive during the upcoming cold winter days? At Fine Home Displays, we've got a few ideas for you!

Were you lucky enough to squeeze in a beach vacation this year? Want to remember strolling along a nice wide sandy beach, with the warm ocean waters tickling your toes? Well, if you collected some sea shells during your visit, a glass dome is the perfect way to display them, and bring  back those memories!

If you've collected many shells, then filling the dome to the brim is a great way to showcase your collection. But if you've got a few showstoppers or unusual sea shells, then placing just a few inside your dome will highlight their beauty.

If you collected not only shells, but also some sand from your favorite beach, you may want to make what I call a Beach Globe. I got the idea from a beautiful piece of art that I fell in love with and bought from a local gallery in Columbus, Ohio's Short North, PM Gallery.

Aren't these just great? Just gazing into it makes you feel beachy...and you can almost hear the ocean waves! Well I thought how great it would be to create something like this but with sand and shells that I actually collected while on vacation.

I happened to be fortunate enough to take a vacation this year on the beaches of South Carolina...one of my favorite places. I've gone for years now....and always miss it between visits. So this year, I decided to make my own Beach Globe. 

Once I returned home, I let the sand I collected sit out in an open bowl so that it could fully dry. I also washed the shells I selected, and let them air dry. Once the drying process was complete (I gave it a good 48 hours), I got my 4" x 4" dome ready by dusting out the inside with a clean. lint free cloth. Then, I used Elmer's glue to put a thick bead of glue in the groove of the oak finish base where the dome rests. Then, I turned my dome upside down, placed my shells in, and poured the sand over top. Once I had the amount in that I wanted, I grabbed the base and put it on the upside down dome like a lid. I pressed them together, and carefully turned the dome right side up and placed it on the counter to let the glue dry. This took about 24 hours. I'm loving the finished result!

Now, whenever I'm longing for the salty air and the hot sand between my toes, I can look to my Beach Globe and remember what a great time I had with my family this summer. I think I'll even use a Sharpie to write "Summer, 2013" on the bottom of my Beach Globe.

I used a 4" x 4" dome, but really, you could select any size. 

A smaller 3" x 4.25" glass dome would be perfect for smaller shells or a collection of beach rocks from the rocky shores of New England, as in the picture above on the right.  Or for larger shells, you could use a slight larger dome, like our 5.5" x 8" display dome (again in the photo above). It would be really cool to use one of our larger domes, like a 10" x 10" or a 12" x 15" if you had a collection of large sized shells....like conch shells!

If you've collected just a few special shells like the ones in the above photos, you may even want to display them on their own inside a glass dome like this.

We'd love to hear any ideas you have about how to create a memento from your summer vacation! And let us know if you need any help selecting the perfect display accessory for your summer memories!

Find us on Google+: Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Lyenochka Djakov

Special Discount to Celebrate Redesign of the Fine Home Displays Website!

If you've been to our website in the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed some changes. We have always focused on finding the best quality merchandise to help you display your pieces of art, dolls, figurines, plates, sports memorabilia and other collectibles, but we have spent the first half of 2013 working very diligently to make your shopping experience a better one at Fine Home Displays.

The biggest change is the entire layout of all of our pages. We've changed them so that when you come to any of our different category pages, you will now see much more of our products in your first screenshot. We previously included a short description of each product on the category page so that you could only see one product at a time....maybe two if you had a large screen. Now, when you get to the category page...let's use Plate Stands and Easels as an example, you can see many more of the items we have to offer.

More product is visible on each page!

We are hoping that this makes it easier to browse through each category of product. Rather than having to scroll endlessly down a page, and then wait to get to the next page of product, you will be able to see everything on one page with minimal scrolling.

If you want to find out more information about any of the individual products you see, you can simply click on photo, or the name of the item to get to the detail page where you will find an in depth description of the product.  You may also find links to other products that might interest you once you are on the product detail page. You'll also notice on the detail page for each product that now, the photo of the product appears right along side of the description. Whereas with our old layout, you had to choose whether you wanted to see the photo or read the description, now you can do both at the same time!

Now it's easier to learn about each product!

Another big change we made was to the layout of the page you land on when you click the Products tab at the top of our website. We know that this is the first place people go when they visit our website, so we wanted to make it as user friendly as possible.

So many different types of products to peruse! You can display anything!

Now you can see many more product categories on one screenshot, which makes your browsing and shopping easier and more fun.

The other big addition that you may notice is that when you start to scroll a bit down any page on our site, a blue arrow will appear at the bottom right corner of your screen.

Look closely at the bottom right corner for the magic blue arrow!

Have you ever scrolled down to the bottom of a webpage and then wished that there was a way to quickly get back to the top of the page without having to do all of that scrolling? Well we have! So we helped to create this little blue arrow. When you click it, it will take you right back up to the top of whatever page you are on....and you will not have to do any scrolling! Our little blue arrow does all of the work for you.

Here's a close up!

While we've made some changes, and will continue to make updates to help make it easier for our customers, one thing remains the same. We aim to offer the widest selection of display accessories available, and offer the best in customer service. To celebrate our updates with you, we are currently running a special, through the end of July for Display Days followers, $15 off orders over $75 with the coupon code EZSHOP. Remember to enter the code, and hit the apply button so that you see the message, "Coupon Applied". Keep checking our website to see the changes we have coming soon!

Enter the code & click the Apply Button to get your discount!

Happy Shopping! And remember, you can Contact Us by email any time, or call us at 866-381-2343 for assistance in selecting the perfect display accessory.


Find us on Google+: Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Lyenochka Djakov

Help Dad Get His Collection on Display for Father's Day!

It's been so chilly here in the Midwest these last few days that I almost forgot about Father's Day! It just doesn't feel like June yet...but I took one look at the calendar and thought, "Today is the perfect day to give Display Days readers some ideas for Father's Day gifts!"

One great way to get some ideas for the Dad in your life is to take a look at some of our past posts on Display Days. You may see a post that really reminds you of something your Dad might like. An even better idea is to visit our Pinterest Boards. I know I've talked about Pinterest before...because I'm in LOVE with it! If you haven't checked it out yet....what are you waiting for? Simply put, Pinterest is an online bulletin board for you to "pin" your ideas to whenever you want. If you are visiting a website and see an item or an idea that you really like, you can copy and paste the URL into a new pin. Or, if the website you are on is up to speed, the way that Fine Home Displays is, the page may have a "Pin It" button for you to use. This is what it looks like:

And here is what it looks like on our website...it's small, but look at the bottom of the photo. There are links to our Facebook, our Twitter, our Pinterest, our Delicious and our Google+ pages.

Just click on the Pinterest logo to add this item
to one of your Pinterest boards. So Easy!

If you're having trouble navigating Pinterest...just go to our boards first by either clicking here or going to Pinterest and searching for Fine Home Displays. You should see our logo pop up under the search bar when you do this. We have entire boards focused on specific display categories, like pocket watch displays, coin displays, sports memorabilia displays, and shot glass displays. Take a look at our pins on these boards to get some great ideas for your Dad.

Now that I've got my mini lesson on Pinterest out of the way, let's get back to Dads!  If the Dad in your life collects anything, chances are good that there are probably at least some of his "prized possessions" still in boxes in his closet, his "man cave", or in the basement or attic. Imagine the surprise on his face on Father's Day if you had collected his prized mementos and gotten them together in some sort of a display as a gift for him! If that special guy already has some of his collectibles on display, you can take your cue from him, and get a display case, dome, or whatever is needed that coordinates with his other displays.

Coordinating baseball memorabilia cases

 If he doesn't have any of his collectibles on display, you may have a bit of a daunting task ahead of you! You may have to sort through all of your Dad's/Grandad's/Husband's/Uncle's...etc. collection, and sort them into categories. Let's say your guy has a special interest in baseball memorabilia to stick with the theme of our photos, and he's collected baseball cards, signed baseballs, baseball jerseys, and baseball bats. Just going through everything and organizing it either by type of item or by player, or team could be a huge gift. You could make it even more meaningful by creating a master list of the collection. The presentation of that list could make quite a nice gift for that disorganized Dad!

Sorting through and organizing a collection
is a gift all by itself!

Another fun and helpful gift for a Dad who doesn't yet have his collection on display is to print off some of those display ideas that you can find on Pinterest. Take a look at some of the great collections on display I found when I searched for sports memorabilia displays:

What a collection!

Perfect way to display sports memorabilia for the Dad
who loves to work out too!

What a cool sports bar set up!

In the the first photo you can see that this collector has had the collecting bug for a long time! If your Dad has quite an extensive collection, this might be a good photo/Pin to share with him. This looks like a great place to host a party for the big game!

The guy who created the look in the second photo is obviously a gym buff...but he's set up an awesome gym in his own home! What better way to stay motivated while you're working out than to be in the midst of either your own awards or sports memorabilia from your athletic heroes? Plus, it's a great way to add a little bit of warmth and personality to a home gym. This actually looks like a room that you would want to spend some time in.

Maybe because it's almost Happy Hour, but I'm loving the third photo! The framed sports jerseys against the sand blasted brick looks so cool! Like a real sports bar...only in your own home! Looks like there might be more collectible goodies under the glass on the bar. Looks like a fun place to hang out with friends.

You could create an entire "look book" for the Dad in your life so he has plenty of great ideas to get started with displaying his collection. And then of course, a nice card letting him know how much you care, and including an offer to help him get it all on display would be the finishing touch to a wonderful Father's Day!

If you find an idea on Pinterest, and have more questions about which display accessory might help create the perfect look, remember that Fine Home Displays is always here to help! Just contact us via email, or call us at 866-381-2343 and we'll do our best to answer all of your questions.

Find us on Google+: Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Lyenochka Djakov

Heartfelt Thanks to All of the Service Members Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

Because we specialize in creating commemorative displays, we have had the pleasure of working with a fair number of US service members. Whether they are active duty or reserves in the Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, National Guard or Coast Guard, we are always happy to help celebrate a retirement, a change in duty station or a promotion by supplying the perfect display case, coin display, or other special accessory.

We've also had the solemn task of helping a parent or spouse select a memorial flag case, medal case or glass display dome for their loved one who has died in the service of our country. While it is always with a deep sadness and sympathy that we work in these situations, we consider it the ultimate privilege. It is truly an honor to be a part of commemorating a member of the US military who has made the ultimate sacrifice for all US citizens.

On this Memorial Day, all of us at Fine Home Displays want to thank all of the service members who have given their lives in the protection of our country, and to thank their families too. While this is just a small expression of our thanks, we are offering $15 off any purchase of $75 or more for the entire week. Please use code MEMORIALFHD at checkout, and don't forget to hit the "apply" button.

Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Lyenochka Djakov

Plate Racks, Display Cases, Plate Easels....All Made in the USA!

One of the things that the Fine Home Displays staff finds the most joy in is being able to provide customers with the best selection of display accessories in one, easy to browse store. The products we sell...glass display domes, shadow box cases, plate stands, plate hangers, coin boxes, tiered plate displays, cup and saucer hangers and stands...are hard to find at any bricks and mortar store. If you can find these items at all, usually the store just has a few, and not the styles you were searching for. Or, what we hear even more often from customers is that when they are shopping for collectibles, and see the display accessories they want in the antique store, they are frustrated because the display accessories are not for purchase, they are only for display! It really is wonderful for us to be able to help someone find that perfect plate easel, or plate frame, or display case for their treasured collectible!

Many of you who have searched for display accessories know that most of them are made overseas. In fact, many of the products we sell are made in China, India, or Europe. We are happy work with manufacturers all over the world to get these sought after products for our customers! But in recent years, we have really focused on trying to find manufacturers and craftspeople in the USA to supply our products. Slowly, we have added more and more product to our site with the tag, "MADE IN THE USA", but we had no idea just how many products we had that are made in America until this week. We decided to run a search of our product database, and came up with 8 web pages of American made display accessories in our store! 

We've had awesome display cases that are made in the US for a while now. If you've shopped with us, you've seen our beautiful doll displays, curio cases and shadow box display cases.

Amazing craftsmanship enhances this
beautiful doll.

What a wonderful way to display family
keepsakes!

           

The sliding doors make it easy to access
these collectible toys!

But what is newer for us is our line of plate displays and easels along with cup and saucer displays

that are made in the US. We are so happy to have found a few wonderful manufacturers who are also small, family owned businesses that are as committed to providing the best display accessories as we are for these hard to find displays!

And when it comes time for the Christmas holidays, we've got you covered there too, with a great selection of wreath hangers and stocking hooks that are made in America too!

You may not think of these as traditional display accessories, but we also have coat hooks and key racks...again, all made in the USA. These are not only really functional for your home, but they are high quality, and look great even when there is nothing hanging on them!

Sturdy coat hanger also holds backpacks and purses!

Just one of many designs in this single hook!
Great for keys, jewelry, purses, coats and more.

It is almost Mother's Day,and you have just a bit of time left to get Mom the perfect gift. Why not shop from our collection of items made in America?  If you need a bit of assistance, you can always contact us by email or call us at 614-299-0922. Remember, we really love to help people find the display accessory they've been looking for! So use our expertise when you're shopping!

Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Special Discounts on Plate Easels, Domes and More!

It's that time of year when antique shows, art fairs and flea markets can head to the outdoors again. The staff at Fine Home Displays thought that since you might just be itching to get out there and search for some perfect additions to your collections, we'd try to compile some helpful tips to make the hunt more fun...and then of course, some tips on how to display your finds! And because we love our customers, we've also created some very special discounts just for the readers of Display Days! So keep reading to get some great information about collecting, and some great savings at Fine Home Displays!

If you've shopped with us before, you know we have a huge selection of spoon racks and spoon cases. But did you ever think about displaying more than just spoons in them? Traditional Home featured a wonderful article about South Carolina Silver, which got us to thinking...why just display spoons in those lovely display cases? Why not sugar servers, salad forks, dessert forks, and on and on?

Forks, sugar servers & spoons would
all look great in a spoon rack!

This article really does a great job of giving a bit of history on silver created in South Carolina, as well as what to look for to make sure you are getting the genuine item. Plus, they shared some amazing photos of some beautiful pieces of silver! Take a look at this Jack-and-the-beanstalk sauce spoon from c.1850, and imagine it on our single spoon premium case or even on a lucite spoon display stand.

Look at that detail! Amazing!

Perfect case for that intricate sauce spoon!

Spoon displays can be fairly pricey, especially if you take the premium option, which are hand built in the USA. Since you may have shelled out a pretty penny purchasing your silver at the next antique fair you attend, we're extending our $15 off your order of $75 or more special just for Display Days followers. Just enter code SPRINGSALEFHD at checkout, and be sure you hit the apply button! If you have a large collection of silver spoons, forks and other cutlery, now is the time to stock up on display cases for them to take advantage of the savings.

Moving on from silver to stoneware....white stoneware to be specific, our friends at Well Styled Home  posted a helpful article on how to decorate with white stoneware. There is something so elegant about decorating in a monochromatic style, whether it's white or another color.

Monochromatic design = simple elegance

All these different hues of white in all of the different shapes and sizes, arranged just so....well, it's positively stunning! This article really gives some great tips on arranging the objects you have to make the most of them. Of course, Fine Home Displays is also a great place to find plate easels, tiered plate stands and bowl stands to help set up your display perfectly. With all of the different styles, from simple to decorative, and sizes of stands we offer, you'll be able to create an arrangement that engages the eye.

White against that blue..so pretty!

If you've opened your wallet to purchase as many pieces of stoneware or other dishes as is shown in these collections, you might be hoping for a bit of a discount on your display accessories. Well, we can help with that. Just use coupon code EASELSAVER20 at checkout (and don't forget to hit the apply button!) to save 20% off your purchase of plate easels and bowl stands.

You might even consider a few glass display domes or bell jars to house some of these wonderful pieces! Imagine how beautiful that would look either in a hutch, or on a table. And speaking of glass domes, there are so many items you can display under a one of these! How about a stack of cafe-au-lait bowls? 

Bell Jars to keep these covered

Well Styled Home wrote another great article about collecting these beauties! A few bell jars on this table would not only enhance the look of the bowls, but they would also have a real purpose and function...one to cover the stack of bowls, and a smaller one to cover the bowl of strawberries....a very pretty way to keep everything bug free on an outdoor table.

Ahhh....so elegant...and practical!

After hunting for the perfect bowls or plates, we know you may not be in the mood to spend more for your display accessories, so we've cooked up one more nice discount for you on our glass domes. Get 20% off any glass dome or bell jar with coupon code BFDOME20 at checkout (Don't forget to hit the apply button!).

So there you go....a little assistance to get you excited about shopping for your favorite collectibles this Spring, and a little savings to help you display them perfectly in your home...as if you needed motivation! Be sure to follow Display Days by email (look on the right side of your screen just above the Google+ Badge to sign up) to be sure you always know about the sales we feature just for our followers!

Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

Finally, Plate Frames for Larger Plates!

For some time, our customers have been asking us for quality plate display frames that can hold larger plates. We've always had Round Red Walnut Finish Plate Frames and Round Oak Plate Frames, but these only hold plates sized 6.5" - 10.25". And besides that, they do not have glass covering the plate. These suit the needs of many who have an assortment of antique or collectible plates to display. In fact, these are our most popular plate frames. But for those with larger plates, these do not fit the bill.

Great frames for collectible plates!

For people looking to matte their plates, we've had more limited options....or more like, option! We have had only one size of octagon plate frame that could accommodate plates sized 8" - 9.5" in diameter. So if you had smaller or larger plates, and wanted them in a matted frame, you were just out of luck!

Beautiful frame, but only for 8" - 9.5" plates!

One other thing about the plate frames that we have carried in our store over the past years....while very nice, and of outstanding quality, these are all imported from overseas. We pride ourselves on having at least some items in each of our product lines that are made in the USA, but in this category, we had been unable to find a craftsperson in the States who made frames for plates that met our quality standards.

We have kept up the search for more varieties of plate frames, and in 2013, our diligence has paid off! We found a manufacturer of amazing octagon plate frames right here in the United States. And, what is even better is that they will make frames to accommodate plates ranging in size from 4" in diameter all the way up to 12" in diameter! Finally, some gorgeous, US made plate frames for both larger AND smaller plates!

What an elegant display of a keepsake plate!

These frames are available in solid oak for 6" - 9" plates and for 9" - 11" plates, in a variety of finish colors.

Oak frame with no plate

Variety of finish colors available!

We also have these octagon frames available constructed from MDF, which allows for almost invisible joints, and none of the shrinking and swelling that can happen with wood. Plus, our MDF finishes will not darken or lighten over time. They are also a bit less expensive than the solid oak frames, but are equally as beautiful. The best part is the size range available! You can display a 4" - 7" plate, a 7" - 9" plate, a 9" - 10" plate, a 10" - 11" plate, or an 11" - 12" plate in this style of plate frame. And these frames are available in all sorts of finish colors and velvet matte colors. Amazing!!

Rosewood Finish with
Champagne Velvet

Many Finish Colors!

           

With all of these size ranges available, you may be a bit overwhelmed, and confused about how to measure your plate so you can be sure you are selecting the right size frame. If you refer to our earlier post about how to measure your plates by clicking here, you are sure to get the information you need. Of course, you can always contact us by clicking here for more assistance. We are happy to help!

This is the first time in our history that we have been able to offer this level of quality in a plate frame paired with this type of selection in finish colors and plate sizes! And we've got even more coming, because our manufacturer also can make this style of frame to hold two plates together in an elongated octagon. Keep checking our site because these will be up and available soon.

These frames almost have the look of elegant shadow boxes. They allow you to display your plate and keep it protected at the same time. You can hang these on the wall, or you could even display them in a larger plate or platter easel on a shelf or tabletop. 

Admittedly, these frames do come with a higher price tag than our imported frames. But we think that you will find the craftsmanship of these beautiful frames, along with the fact that you are buying a completely American made product, to be worth the cost. At Fine Home Displays, we strive to offer as many American made products as possible, despite the fact that these cost more. We enjoy supporting businesses owned and operated in America, and we think that our customers do too!

Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.

How Do I Choose the Right Display Case or Glass Dome?

When you have a few special pieces that you would like to put on display, it can make shopping for the perfect display accessory to complement your treasure a bit tough! 

We've had many customers tell us that they feel overwhelmed when they find Fine Home Displays and see just how many types and sizes of shadow box cases, display cases and glass domes we have available!

Domes,

Shadow Boxes,

                                                             

And Cases! Oh My!

But our great service doesn't stop with the huge selection we have of glass display cases, glass display domes, wood trim display cases and shadow boxes...we really pride ourselves on helping you find the display case or dome that will truly enhance the collectible or piece of art that you would like to display.

You'll see in the product descriptions on our site for these items that we typically recommend at least 1.5" - 2" of clearance on all sides of the item you want to display for glass domes and cases.  This may seem like a lot of space, but this is really the minimum to allow. There are a couple of factors that come into play here. First, on glass display domes and glass or acrylic display cases, you have to take the thickness of the glass into account. This thickness is typically 3/8". Then, on glass display domes, and glass or acrylic cases that will be resting on a base, you also have to consider the depth of the groove that the glass sits in. This can be up to 1/4".

Wow! That really is a lot to take into consideration. You may even want to allow for more than our recommended amounts of space around your item to display. Take a look at some examples. Here is an item that has plenty of clearance space around it inside this glass dome.

This statue has plenty of room which creates a pleasant
viewing experience

While there is quite a bit of space around this figurine, it actually enhances the viewing experience. The first thing you notice as you look is the piece itself. Then you notice the elegant dome. The larger dome in this case really complements the collectible inside of it.

By contrast, take a look at this picture of an item with not quite as much room to breathe inside it's display dome.

A tight fit for this globe!

Although "do-able", this dome is a bit small to appropriately house this beautiful globe. What you notice first about the display is that the globe is almost hitting the top of the dome, rather than the jeweled beauty of the globe. The best way to put it is that this dome almost detracts from the object on display rather than complementing it, because the sizing is what catches your eye, rather than the item itself.

You can use this same guideline with square, rectangular and octagonal display cases. Set up your display on a piece of paper, add 1.5" - 2" (or more) to all sides of the display, and draw the size case you want around it. If you want a dome, draw a circle...if you'd like a square case, draw a square....etc. That will give you a good idea of how large the case will actually be, and how the amount of space around the object will look. Don't forget to consider the height! With domes, remember that the dome starts to curve in about 2/3 of the way up the height, so if your display is wide at the top, you may have to go with a taller dome. With display cases, remember that the edges at the top can interfere with viewing the objects inside if the case is not tall enough. The bare minimum here is 1.5", but we would recommend closer to 2.5" - 3" of clearance at the top.

An exception to this spacing rule would be if you are filling a dome or case with a collection of objects like buttons, seashells, pebbles or the like, as in the photo at the top of the post. These types of displays are meant to be sort of a collage of objects, and actually look very cool when there are as many objects as possible inside the case or dome.

As for shadow box displays, the thickness of the wood trim of the case must be taken into account for the length and width measurements, and then the thickness of the backing and the foam inside the case for the depth measurement. You will notice in all of our item descriptions, we list the interior dimensions for your convenience. So it is quite easy for you to decide whether your item will fit inside the case. However, you still may want a little bit of clearance on the length and width dimensions in order to get the best look for your display. For the depth measurement, it is always better to have the case be a little too deep, rather than too shallow. You can always put a bit more padding into a case that is too deep to ensure the perfect fit for your item, but you can't make a case that is too shallow any deeper. Take a look at a few of these displays to get an idea of spacing.

Great ideas for shadow box displays!

Even with this information, the idea of selecting the right size case for your collectible, artwork or craft item may seem daunting. No worries! We are happy to help you...just contact us and let us know what you'd like to display, and what the size of the display is. Then we can make some suggestions for you, and you can select what you think will suit your needs.

Of course, much of this is quite subjective. There are some people who prefer even more space around their collectibles inside of a case, while others prefer a very close fit. Our suggestions and "minimum" spacing requirements are recommendations that will ensure that your item or items will fit well into the case. When you call or email us, we will be sure to take your preferences into consideration when coming up with case and dome sizing.

Ultimately, Fine Home Displays wants to help you enjoy and protect the collectibles and treasured pieces that you have invested in over the years.



Fine Home Displays - FHD Unlimited, Inc.