How to display .... koozies? Can coolers? Coldy-holdies? Stubby Holders?
July 15, 2017 10:41 AM   Subscribe

Whatever you want to call them, I have over a hundred. How can I tasetfully display my collection?

They are mostly in a box in a closet with some scattered about. Some are quite nice and homemade or otherwise collectible. Now that I am a Grown Adult, I would like some way to maintain my collection in my house without looking like a frat boy. Can anyone think of a creative way to display them?

Most of the wall space in my living room is taken up, but I do have space in my kitchen. My kitchen is small and cozy, with hints of my aspirations in the form of a very nice gold and glass barcart. I have an unshaded, non-patio outdoor area, but no "den" or "game room" type area.
posted by tofu_crouton to Home & Garden (12 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
If the goal is just to display, and not to use - then you need to make something out of them. That may mean cutting them up. You could, for instance affix them to a piece of plexiglass and then cover the front of them with another piece of plexiglass...
posted by Nanukthedog at 10:56 AM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


You might consider storage and display systems designed for vinyl Funko Pop figures, which are an entire collectibles world unto themselves, have similar materials-driven curatorial challenges and are approximately the same size.
posted by carmicha at 10:56 AM on July 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


Or, similarly, for Beanie Babies.
posted by carmicha at 10:58 AM on July 15, 2017


Shadow box frames, especially if they're in the kitchen where aerosolized oils and dust will easily ruin them. Don't overlook hallways as a possible location for display.
posted by quince at 11:01 AM on July 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


A series of IKEA picture ledges might work! Once you find the perfect shelf, I would organize the coozies tightly (to look cozy!) and by colour in a gradient to make it look intentional and curated rather than frat boy.
posted by Juniper Toast at 11:02 AM on July 15, 2017 [10 favorites]


I, personally, like the shelves idea, or something similar that would let people get them down to have a look. From my perspective, these are worth keeping because they're fun and interesting, as opposed to objects of great beauty. Being able to handle and use them, or pick the perfect one for a friend to use, seems like half the fun.
posted by howfar at 11:23 AM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


I would use large binder clips hanging on nails on the wall. You could put up twenty or so, and each one could hold five. Unclip one you want, and return it to the back of the stack when you are finished.
posted by raisingsand at 12:31 PM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Given your brass-bar-cart aspirations, you might want to somehow "frame" the coozies with something less squishy and foamy.

An inexpensive way to do this would be wall-mounted shelves -- get some small brackets, get some boards, stain the boards -- set up so that they are exactly the right vertical distance from each other. Then you can cut smaller boards to nest vertically between each coozy -- or you could leave out the vertical boards, and just have a double shelf with a layer of coozies between the top and bottom (or, given the number you have, maybe a couple of coozy shelves).

So, essentially, the coozies are between two horizontal shelves, possibly with vertical dividers. You'd probably end up with a couple of these, though, since you have so many, but shelves in the kitchen are a good thing.

If you were really into it, though, I'd go for cubbies.

Ascii rendition! -->
   top shelf area, put cookbooks or nothing on it
---------shelf----------------------------------------
|  |  |  |  |  |  [coozies between]  |  |  |  |  |
---------shelf----------------------------------------

posted by amtho at 1:05 PM on July 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


I like the picture ledge/color gradient idea.

You're going to display them when they're covering emptied cans, correct?

If I were going to do a project like this in my house, I'd probably install a long, narrow shelf that spans an entire wall--maybe rather high up, like between the top of a doorway and the ceiling--and have the whole space filled with them shoulder to shoulder in a color gradient.
posted by Sublimity at 4:57 PM on July 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


I appreciate that they're 3D objects, and sometimes can't even be smushed up, but framing them feels very apropos for me, like those framed nautical knots (ie., knot board displays) or like framed jerseys.
posted by porpoise at 6:33 PM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


If you're into cooking, you could put mason jars in them and fill the jars with herbs/spices/teas. I'm sure there's plenty of instructions online for DIY mason jar shelving. Display your whatchacall'ems AND store yours herbs/spices/teas.
posted by aniola at 7:23 PM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


I would get strings of tiny led lights and string them through the koozies and arrange them in a festive manner.
posted by theora55 at 7:43 PM on July 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


« Older Should I buy this telescope I saw at a thrift?   |   YANMIC Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.