Do you like little houses? I do. Through the years, I have collected a number of these decorative, little houses to display at Christmas time. Most I bought second hand; one I got in a family gift exchange game. The problem is we also live in a little house, so deciding how to display them is a challenge.
For a number of years, we put them on top of our kitchen cabinets. I switched out the corded lights for remote control LED lights which worked okay. It was a little tricky getting the houses up there and centered to my liking. Poor Dan. And while this display adds a nice ambiance to our kitchen area, you can’t really see and appreciate them being so distant.
So, this year I wanted to try something different. We had a metal shelf in the basement, so we brought that upstairs. It had held our Christmas totes, but we set the empty totes on the floor for now.
Once we had it in place, I knew what I had to do. Off to Lowes for some paint. I used 2 cans of spray paint. It could have taken a third can, and I may do that some day. I also used Dollar Tree foam board, covered with Dollar Tree glitter cloth (glued down) to set the houses on. We still use the remote control LED lights. These use batteries, so we limit how long we leave them on, saving the big display for Christmas Eve and Christmas night. If someone has a better solution for the lights, please enlighten me (ha ha) in the comments below.
I am thrilled with how the painted shelf turned out. It blends in beautifully. And I really like how I used something I already had. I just updated the shelf with two cans of spray paint. To be honest, I would really like to display these houses horizontally and maybe use the plug in lights, but we just don’t have the space for that in our home. If you’ve seen or have a clever display, let me know in the comments below. Until then, I’ll remember the saying, “If you don’t have what you like, like what you have.”
Here’s the final result:
Thanks for reading. Enjoy the your home and the season!
Chambers on the Road 
Great idea! We have a set of Department 56 Houses that I collected at one time, plus a bunch of little people doing things (skating, shoveling, etc), trees, and other accessories. It all got too much for me, and I would be OK with getting rid of it, but my husband likes to figure out a way to display it each year. It does look festive.
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I love the Department 56 houses. Some of the ones I have are Department 56; I get them when I can find them secondhand. Sometimes not putting something out for a year or two can “reignite” the joy in it. I agree that it does look very festive. It’s nice that your husband takes on the task of displaying your collection. Enjoy the season!
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Hope you have a Merry Christmas too!
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That looks so nice. You did a wonderful job of displaying your little houses.
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Thank you, Peggy. Enjoy your day, your home, and that beautiful countryside where you live. The pictures on your post today were so calming and peaceful.
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Thanks Betty. Stay safe and well.
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What a beautiful display. You are the master of finding ways to use what you have and making something remarkable. The shelves with the spray paint are perfect!
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At my age, I do not want nor need to accumulate more stuff! I like looking at what I already have and using that. I appreciate your compliment; thank you. I hope you are enjoying the season. Just think, 2021 will soon be here along with the vaccine! Enjoy your day!
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Great job of repurposing with the end result of a stunning display, Betty!! Well done!!
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Thank you! Stay safe and enjoy the season!
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What a beautiful display. You are the “MacGyver” of your household. Taking what you have on hand and transforming it into something wonderful and useful. Have a great weekend.
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Thank you! Enjoy your weekend, too!
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Great display Betty. I had to sell my tiny village when I sold my house but kept the fabric shop. You did a good job on the display.
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It’s nice you kept the fabric shop. Any particular reason why you kept that one? My favorites of the houses I have are the Glass Shop and the Bookstore. I like stained glass (used to do it as a hobby), and, of course, I love to read. If I ever do need to downsize, I like your idea of keeping one special house. Thanks for your compliment, and enjoy your day!
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You are so resourceful, Betty. I love these type of posts as much as your travel ones.
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Thank you, David. I get way more satisfaction out of doing something creatively rather than just going and buying something. Plus we have more money for travel. 🙂 Enjoy your weekend and this beautiful season!
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That looks great! I had a collection of little houses that I also displayed at Christmas but when my husband and I retired and downsized – it was one of the things I had to give up. I gave some to children and grandchildren and I enjoy seeing them under their Christmas trees or on a shelf.
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Thank you! Giving your little houses to children and grandchildren when you downsized was the perfect idea! You gave away the houses but not the enjoyment of them. In fact, you spread the enjoyment around! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day – and the season!
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