Display Platforms

The platform is a fundamental element that defines the layout of your village. There is a multitude of options for where to display your village and it all boils down to the personal choice of what furniture you are willing to forego using while your village is temporarily displayed. 

One of the most basic elements of any village is the platform it is displayed on. The type of platform used will vary depending upon where you will be displaying your village, your budget, and what materials your display platform is created. If you plan to display the village on a flat large table, you have vastly different options than a village that is displayed in a bookcase, for instance. 

In theory, it is simple to design a platform for your holiday village. You have a certain number of building to display and a limited amount of space to do it in. So, it is fairly simple as long as you want a flat landscape. The possibilities are endless when designing a multi-level display.  

I have set up my holiday villages in multiple ways. Each way I've setup my village I find pros and cons. One year, I set up my village in a tall bookcase with a folding table in front of the bookcase for my village to overflow onto. Another year, I set up my village in my entertainment center with a table next to it. And, another year I set up my village on my dining room table. 

Purchasing a Display

Lemax and Department 56 make display platforms and a quick google search results with pieces ranging in price from $25 - $150. The cheapest one I found, a $25 Lemax platform, is an 11x11 inch display, which fits one building.

Commissioning a custom-made display is another available option. There are many ads on eBay or Etsy for commissioning an individualized platform and many are reasonably priced.

 If you decide to create your own, be sure to read thru my list of questions to consider before getting started.  Don't forget to check out my landscaping tutorials for ways to decorate your custom display platform! 

Some Design Questions to Ponder

• How tall do you want your display to be? 
• Is there a limitation to how tall your village display can be?
• How many levels do you want to have in your display? 
• Will the display include a water element like a lake or a pier where your available area for the different levels is smaller than originally thought?
• What material are you using in your display base? Are they stable enough to create multiple levels or would you need to reinforce it?

 Display Platform Materials

• Boxes covered by paper or fabric 
• Styrofoam packaging
• Insulation foam
• Spray expanding foam
• Ply-wood 
• MDF
• Paper-mache 
• Preserved Moss 
• Plaster sheets
• Foam poster board

Foam Warning: Research the foam being used before using any type of heat on it. Certain foams create toxic fumes when melted, so proper precautions must be taken. 

Protecting Furniture

I use multiple methods to protect my wood furniture. I place a piece of cardboard underneath my village's foam platform.