Planning a Pony Room: Tips from the Pros?

[Rosette]

This winter, we're moving cross-country into a new, larger home.  For the first time in years, I will have the chance to have a dedicated pony room.  (Instead of the hybrid guest/pony rooms and nursery/pony rooms since my children were born.)  And this time, instead of making do with the hodgepodge of mismatched bookshelves and make-do storage solutions of my past, I plan to PLAN my Pony Room and purpose-design it from the ground up. 

For those of you with big collections, what tips (or cautionary tales!) do you have from your own Pony Room creations?  What do you wish you'd done from the start?  What has worked the best for you?  What particular products/storage cases/IKEA cabinets would your recommend?  What organizational methods have made your collecting life more enjoyable?

From looking through past Pony Room threads, I know that I love the all-white, built-in, floor-to-ceiling look of collections like ashlyne's and aadra's.  I've used bookcases and shelving for years and I know that I'd like to graduate to glass-fronted cabinets to close out the dust.  I need a storage solution for my G1 MOCs and love the look of pegboard, but am afraid of what that might do to the cardboard being hung up over a long period of time.  (Any thoughts or experience on that?)  I also would like to have my Paradise Estate set up, not in pieces on shelves anymore, so I'm thinking I'd like to have a custom-built table for the center of the room--like a train table with a green carpet/faux grass surface. 

From a functional standpoint, I need a pony room that works well to contain/display/organize a lot of small accessories/pony wear pieces (because I'm an accessory junkie! ) in addition to ponies.  I also want to figure out good organizational solutions to storing and accessing all the extra ponies I have for sale.  Because, besides vending at Pony Fair last year and selling on etsy for few months the year before that, I've not found the time/space to inventory, clean, list, and sell my extras for the better part of a decade and that has created a ridiculous mountain of unsorted pony lot boxes.  :/

So!  Details, advice, links are all appreciated.  I'd love to get organized and figure out the best way to build out my LAST pony room. 

Post Merge: June 25, 2013, 07:22:46 AM

Also, though this is probably a terrible/disastrous idea mixing pony rooms with plumbing, I sometimes think building a perfect "Pony Spa" sink/countertop inside my pony room would be so convenient!

(Until it floods the room somehow.)

But other than that, I picture a sink and a giant white countertop for drying. 

(And then I picture the middle-of-the-night flood that happens when a pipe bursts and I change my mind.)

But think how great it would be if it didn't endanger the collection!   

[Sebby6]

Congrats of getting a pony room! Mine was 13 years in the making, so I know how you feel.

I used the Billy book cases from Ikea. They are actually the cheapest option out of their white shelving unit, they are perfect size for 2 rows of ponies, you can get extender bits for them so if you have high ceilings they go all the way to the top and you can get glass doors.

If I had to give just one piece of advice I would say make sure you put some "people" space in there. If you make it a pure pony room, then you end up with a museum that you might go and look at occasionally.
Mine is decked out with a couch, bean bags, a small coffee table and a cd player, so I can spend time in there.
I've been known to spend whole evenings in there when Mr Sebby is out just listening to music, being on the Arena and looking at the ponies.

Here is my room if you want to look for some inspiration

http://sebby6.darc.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=6564

p.s. - make sure to factor in some storage. There will always be things that doesn't display well, so better get a chest of white drawers or something than end up with boxes on the floor

[Rosette]

If I had to give just one piece of advice I would say make sure you put some "people" space in there. If you make it a pure pony room, then you end up with a museum that you might go and look at occasionally.

Thanks for sharing your pictures and your advice.  It NEVER occurred to me to put seating in there.  That's really brilliant, the idea of a super comfy chair and a side table or something.  Where else would I sit and page through my inventory guides? 

[Jinxxy]

I really can't top what Sebby said, as mine is that whole hodge podge/other reasons type of pony room, but I would second the comfortable seating part!
If you had a TV in there or something too it might be a cool "me time" place where you can jsut go and be around hundreds of smiling faces.

I've never had that problem because my pony room is my bedroom/crafting room/office..

HUGE CONGRATS on getting a room 100% for ponies! Make sure to take lotsa pics for us!

[Rosette]

If you had a TV in there or something too it might be a cool "me time" place where you can jsut go and be around hundreds of smiling faces.

Ooh.  I like that idea--with a DVD/VHS player to play pony episodes, too.   

[Aurora]

People space! That's what I need! I am looking for a day bed, which would be perfect. I can put my pony bedding on it, a few plushies, and I can sit and enjoy the ponies. A bean bag would be good too, though!
My pony room is still a mash-up of used shelves that I get for cheap, but every time I see a "pony room" thread I go in and drool. I'm still pretty excited to actually have a pony room that isn't in the basement, where it might flood, so I'm not quite to the point where I NEED to have better organization.
Things I really love in my pony room- drawers. Places where I can stash things that aren't quite ready to display- I have a white dresser that has 3 drawers, one for each generation until 4 came along and ruined my plans. I don't have many g4 accessories that are out of box, though, so it still works fine.
I have a mix of shelves and wall-hanging ponies, and I think the pegboard would be a good idea. If you are worried about the cardboard sagging over time, you could get some of those plastic tabs they use in stores- you might be putting a sticker on the cardboard, but it would save the cardboard tab from bending. It's what I would do, even on a G1. It shouldn't decrease their value or their display-ability.
I'm not sure where you could buy those, but if you know anyone working in retail they could probably filch a couple sheets for you.
I have a bathroom upstairs that no one else uses, just because the hubby never goes upstairs- so I don't need a spa area, I have a whole separate room for it. Then I don't have to worry about extra plumbing. It also keeps the water nightmares from haunting me- only the ponies in the bathroom get near the water, so no packages can get wet.
I love my windows, they have airy curtains on them to keep out the light, but I love opening them and letting the fresh air in. I know windows could mean danger, but after having the ponies in a room with no windows, I really appreciate them.
 I have a display table for Paradise Estate in the middle, like what you want, and I'm glad I put it at grown-up height. It would look really cool if it was down lower, but it is harder to play with and see inside the rooms if I have it at train-table height. It's at kitchen-table height, and that's about perfect. Someday I might even move it a little higher, just so it's easier to see into the rooms, but not so high that I can't see into the swimming pool. Maybe kitchen-counter height? Then I could have shelves under it, too...

Man, I really need to go play in the pony room now! Congrats on your room- I can't wait to see pictures!

[himmie]

I use the IKEA Billy bookcases with foam board risers for the majority of my collection. (I eventually want to have doors for ALL of them...) Unfortunately, where my ponies currently are, the ceilings are just a touch too short for the extra-height shelves IKEA offers with the BILLY series. (I love the built-in look.)

I have a MALM 4-drawer dresser as storage. The drawers are deep enough for ponies stand up in it, which is nice for sale ponies and extras. It matches the shelves nicely, as well.

I also have an EXPEDIT (sp?) shelf, the 8-compartment one. I use it for plush, SSN, pretty pony, a few playsets.

No suggestions for MOC/MIB ponies, I have yet to figure that one out. Hopefully someone else will have some good ideas!

I cannot wait to see photos of your room!

[Kiwi]

Can't really help on the mis-matched shelves, that's what my pony room is (a couple pantries with doors, a DVD shelf, a ladder style shelf, and an Expedit shelf/desk comb from IKEA). Most is stuff we've used for other purposes in our past apartments, but don't need for those uses anymore - so now they have ponies.

One of my favourite pieces in there is my Expedit shelf/desk combo - it gives me shelving, plus a desk to do crafts at
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[munchy]

As others have said the Billy bookcases from Ikea are the nicest in my opinion. I think they even have corner ones to maximize your display space. I've always wanted a pony spa area too! Maybe something like a camping sink that's self contained and doesn't use a lot of water? It could prevent any flooding problems. You'll definitely want something with drawers too! I like to use the ones with the fabric drawers they have at target but depending on how much you need to store you may need an actual dresser. If you're OCD with checklists and labels like I am you'll probably want a desk or a table too. Congratulations and good luck!!! I can't wait to see it all finished!

[shabbychicdee]

going to stalk this thread. big congrats btw, yay for pony rooms.
sebby love your room hun. 
i am still in the big collection with limited place dilemma stage  so i have finally let them out into the bedroom on one large bookcase but the rest are still in boxes allover the place, tucked away. i really do long for the day i can have a pony room. they were in my daughter's nursery/bedroom when she was a baby but now we have moved to a smaller house and the kids share a room.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellesgallery/sets/72157624167329469/
my g4 collection is in my dry carpeted garage but now its been getting too cold to go down there to appreciate it

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[ValeofSpring]

At the risk of being the nagging grandma pony of the thread, let me add be sure to think about protecting your ponies from lots of light coming in from the windows and, if possible, dust.  I *LOVE* looking at the pony room pics but I always wonder what people do to minimize light and the need to clean frequently.  I am a bit neurotic about my ponies, so fortunately I only have about 18.  Best of luck with your room.  Post pics!

[HoustonCollector72]

my pony room was my office , well still is , but ponies took over the walls and everything else LOL
It all has been finding its place there,improvising, and  optimizing spaces ,everything is evolving in there, some areas where other ponies lived ,new ones have moved in ,is fun how you have to evolve as you get more items, It is awesome to create a  pony room from the ground up .
if you want to look at my pics ,for what to do or not to do , I'm craving  nice glass displays for many of my ponies . maybe in the future.
I did try a bookcase ,it was dark and have to give it away , i felt it did not work for ponies, so yes ,white or pastel colors are the best

[Sebby6]

At the risk of being the nagging grandma pony of the thread, let me add be sure to think about protecting your ponies from lots of light coming in from the windows and, if possible, dust.  I *LOVE* looking at the pony room pics but I always wonder what people do to minimize light and the need to clean frequently.  I am a bit neurotic about my ponies, so fortunately I only have about 18.  Best of luck with your room.  Post pics!

Well I have blinds as well as curtains and the blinds stay shut whenever I'm not in there.

[BerryMouse]

Most things already said
I have 5 white Billy shelves in my pony room.
But I wish those glass doors for the Billy's won't be so expensive - I would love buy more.
For now only my Customs are behind glass.

Oh and I also have an old glass cabinet for all my pinkie pies.

I display all kind of ponies, plushies and Customs but no acc. those are stored in a wardrobe.
Also all "for sale ponies" and baits are boxed up and stored in a wardrobe =)

What do you wish you'd done from the start? 

That I would have chosen one of the bigger rooms lol

Example pic: (looks like most pony collections =))
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[hathorcat]

I second everything Sebby covers.

My pony room is lined wall to wall with Billy bookcases [and a few Billy cd cases because they are handy to fill small gaps :]. And having searched they are easily the least expensive, decent quality white bookcases I could find. There is a good reason so many pony collectors will recommend this brand.

I too have people space in my pony room - there is a day bed and TV from which I, my puppy and my laptop can sit, Arena surf and admire the ponies.

My on recommendation perhaps at the start is to calculate your space. I have done this wrongly a couple of times before the pony room was complete. Work out how many shelves you have, how many ponies you have and then work out how many ponies should sit on shelves. The first time I made this error I ended up spacing ponies too far apart and ran out of space and then in the next room move I packed them too close together and ended up with one bookcase with 3/4 shelf space left. In the long run its much easier to work out how many ponies need to sit on each shelf.