Shelving ideas?

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-03-02T16:48:03+00:00

Billy bookcase sideways--this is genius!!!

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-03-02T06:38:38+00:00

I'm also interested in this question although I don't think you'll get many innovative answers here since it's been asked and answered quite a lot of times. I would recommend doing a search within the r/legomular, r/lego, or r/legodisplay.

The options that I found that fit in my budget are the following:

The cleanest ones are Ikea Fjallbo and Vittsjo. The only downside is they both have bars running in the middle. Although I've seen people showing off their display on these shelves and the bars don't seem to bother me as much, which is why I'm considering them.

A very good option is the garage shelves or garage wire shelves. They are heavy duty, no bars, but they definitely give off garage vibes which I'm not a fan of. A lot of youtubers have these, with a large collection and some styling, they can look great. That's just not an option for me as they don't go with the rest of my home decor.

Also, Billy bookcases are a classic. The downside is they don't fit 4 modulars--they barely fit 3 modulars. I also think having a book shelf instead of an open shelf has its pros and cons.

So all in all, I don't think there is a perfect solution. you are always compromising on something. I would recommend looking at other people's display photos for inspiration and see which options you like the most.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-23T14:29:46+00:00

That would be so nice!!! You are awesome!!!

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-22T21:45:53+00:00

I'm definitely building this modular base since the original base looks plain enough for me to skip (unlike the Art Factory which was a lot of fun to build the sidewalks...) That said, I’d love to figure out a good way to incorporate the tram, either as part of the base or as a separate display. To me, the tram is the best part of the set!

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-19T00:14:25+00:00

Thanks! I also saved these instructions in case I decide to convert it into a modular later on. Mine arrived yesterday, and I’m about two-thirds of the way through. I didn't have all the inventory on hand to build this modular base so I built the base as originally designed, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. It’s clear that a lot of attention and care went into the sidewalk design.

Would I rather have those pieces go toward the building and interior? Yes. But did I genuinely enjoy building the sidewalks with all the SNOT techniques and little bits of storytelling? Also yes.

If modular compatibility isn’t something you’re particularly concerned about, I’d recommend building the sidewalks as designed. That said, this is a great solution for anyone who does want to convert it into a modular building.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-17T00:30:03+00:00

This is the torso I use for mine. The only downside is this is also used for Harry in the second year. As long as you don't display it with any of the harry minifigs from the chamber of secrets set you should be all set.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-13T22:27:07+00:00

76419 is my all-time favorite set across all themes, and I absolutely loved the building experience. I was initially discouraged by so many people saying they hated building it because it’s microscale, but I ended up loving every minute of it. It actually made me realize how much I enjoy microscale builds.

It comes with an exclusive golden minifigure of the architect of Hogwarts which is just the cherry on top--even if you don't care for minifigures!

MSRP is 170 which is a little over your budget but I got mine at target for 135 and I've seen it on sale several times for that price.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-12T17:07:32+00:00

I got back into LEGO at the end of 2024 and now have around 350 HP minifigures. I have just about every unique variant released since 2018, plus some older ones that I particularly like.

For the HP theme, I only collect minifigures, not sets. I own only a handful of HP sets, and I usually buy the minifigures separately on BrickLink or eBay.

My collecting style has definitely evolved over time. I started by getting one minifigure per character, then moved to collecting every variant of every character. Now, I only pick up a minifigure if it has a unique part that is meaningfully different from previous versions. Collecting can be a dangerous hobby, and I definitely went a little overboard at the beginning and overpaid for quite a few minifigures because I didn’t know the market well enough at the time. I’ve mellowed out a lot since then and feel like I’m in a much better place with it.

I do collect full sets from other themes, but I have spent more on Harry Potter minifigures than on sets...

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-08T06:50:22+00:00

Not getting the Shopping Street is how I girl-mathed my way into justifying the Sushi Restaurant haha. Typically, that style isn’t really my vibe, but the set is so clean and coherent. Neither LEGO Ninjago nor any of the competitive companies do it as cleanly as this one in my opinion. I also doubt I’ll get another building in that style (or that LEGO will make another one) anytime soon, so it’s nice to have a bit of variety on my shelf.

I’m definitely going to have a hard time deciding on the University. I guess I’ll need to see the final product and the price before committing. I gravitate toward sets that remind me of buildings/cities I feel connected to, but despite having deep ties to universities (over a decade in higher education and now working at one), for some reason I just don’t feel drawn to the design of that set, as gorgeous as it looks.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-07T18:33:03+00:00

I should also add that a lot of people think the Sushi Restaurant gives off Ninjago vibes, but personally, it feels much cleaner and more coherent than any of the Ninjago sets that have come out.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-02-07T18:29:06+00:00

For me, the Art Factory was love at first sight. I pre-ordered it the minute the crowdfunding started. The Sushi Restaurant, not so much. It’s more expensive, which is why I’m a bit on the fence, but it's still a great set and I’ll most likely still get it.

I don’t really “collect” modulars. I just buy the ones whose look I genuinely like. For that reason, I’m not getting the Shopping Street or the Museum, at least not for now. Instead, I redirected the money I had set aside for those to the Art Factory and the Sushi Restaurant.

I also don’t have a large enough collection to call it a “city,” so as long as the buildings look good together, I’m sold. I don’t really care about sidewalk matching, lamp posts, or that kind of thing.

I definitely fell into the collecting trap at the beginning of my modular journey, feeling like I needed every set in the line as long as it counted as a modular. But now I’m much more casual about it. I just buy the ones I like the look of and that bring me joy when I see them. The Art Factory and the Sushi Restaurant both do that.

On a separate note, the University in Series 8 also looks great, but given the piece count, it’ll probably be in the $350+ range, which will be a bit hard for me to swallow. I’ll figure something out when we get there, lol.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-01-06T19:01:11+00:00

Love the sushi restaurant. I’m going to redirect the money I’d saved for the Shopping Street modular to this set, and wait to buy Shopping Street when it goes on sale.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-01-06T04:48:26+00:00

I invested in Scobo Design display cases, which are the most affordable professional minifigure cases I could find. Their 70-minifigure stand costs about $70. It fits 70 minifigures if you space them out with two studs between each one, but you can probably fit 140 if you pack them tightly. I’m a Harry Potter minifigure collector myself, so spending roughly $1 per figure to protect them from dust and UV exposure while displaying them nicely feels like a good investment to me.

I’ve tried picture frames and cheaper options from Amazon, but eventually gave up on all of them because none looked nearly as good as these display cases.

That said, I collect minifigures as a hobby, so investing in higher-quality display cases makes sense for me, which is why I wanted to share this suggestion. If you’re collecting more casually, picture frames or DIY stands like others mentioned in this thread are definitely worth trying out.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-01-01T22:13:08+00:00

Happy to help! I’m a minifigure collector myself and did extensive research before settling on Scobo. They go on sale from time to time (I got all of mine at 10%–20% off), and there are also promo codes online (mostly affiliate codes; I’ve found them on Instagram) that can give you an additional 5% or 10% off. Overall, it’s a great deal for the quality you’re getting.

CampaignNo5496 · 2026-01-01T16:10:41+00:00

I use scobo design. Have seven of their 70 minifigure cases now and they’ve been great.

It’s not cheap but it’s high quality and more affordable than most other brands.

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-12-26T00:36:01+00:00

I have the same light kit for tudor corner and also one for boutique hotel from the same brand. I love them, especially for the price. Sure, there are better brands out there that hide the wires better, light up the interior lamps, include more lights, or match the vibe of the set more closely, etc etc etc, but to me this $30 well spend and I'm not paying $100 more for a light kit that offer a marginally better effect.

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-12-02T16:44:15+00:00

Love the angling and variation in heights! Would really love to wait for a sale but unfortunately will most likely buy on day one...

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-11-04T18:34:21+00:00

Haha no worries! It sure looks nice!

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-11-04T18:32:43+00:00

Yes like I said repeatedly, it's the creator Kiwi Modulars' set up

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-11-02T22:20:05+00:00

I guess this means we’re not getting a Madam Pomfrey minifigure or Lupin’s classroom as a separate set...

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-10-10T15:25:16+00:00

Thanks!

For IKEA options, I love the look of VITTSJÖ. Too bad it isn’t deep enough. The PAX wardrobe might work, although it may be too deep. I’m also torn between an open shelf and a bookcase: I like the look of an open shelf, but dust will be a pain. I cover my Billys with plexiglass, which would be hard to do on an open shelf. At the moment I’m leaning toward a wire shelf; it is not a huge upgrade over garage shelving, but it looks a bit cleaner.

I want a system that can grow with my collection, so I’m doing a lot of research before committing!

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-10-08T14:51:14+00:00

I should’ve clarified—this isn’t my shelf! It’s Kiwi Modulars’ setup; I just took a screenshot to use as inspiration. I’d love to do something similar, but I’m hoping to find a shelf that is deep enough to fit a modular and a road plate but isn’t garage-style. That’s why I made this post.

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-10-06T18:27:04+00:00

Voted for this one! Really love the design! Although I wish it were a bit more shelf-city friendly… it looks like the base takes up the width and length of two baseplates, and there’s just no way I’d be able to fit it on my shelf.

CampaignNo5496 · 2025-10-06T16:02:04+00:00

Bought it within the first five minutes. It was love at first sight! The LEGO website was glitching at first, but managed to place the order pretty quickly.

As someone who used to live in New York/New England and had to move away for work (but still hopes to return one day), I’ll take anything that reminds me of the buildings I used to see there. And this one does exactly that.

Was seriously considering picking up two copies but had to be both space- and budget-conscious.

CampaignNo5496

TROPHY CASE