Taking the Trophy Case Out of School
I think it's one of the most common sights in schools around the country: a glass front cabinet, filled to the brim with gleaming gold and lacquer trophies proclaiming the school's merits for everyone who walks in there, whether they're for academic awards or sports trophies. My high school had one, located right across from the library so that everyone walking in the main entrance could see all of the awards (unfortunately, our football team couldn't live up to the cabinet - they were that bad at football - but that's neither here nor there). As an adult walking past one of those trophy cases, and an adult who always is trying to find a way to increase the storage space in her apartment, there's a part of me that has to wonder if these trophy cases have to be used solely for trophies these days. What if we wanted to use them to store other items? And wouldn't a designer styled case look good set up in some chic little boutique, displaying some new jewelry or other fancy trinkets? I think it's a definite plausibility, especially given the wide variety of designs for trophy cases out there these days. super bowl trophy
Trophy cases, at least the ones in the schools I've attended, seemed to always have a very wide, boxy style to them, standing a good deal taller than my height, and a bunch of shelves inside. Taking a look at some of the more updated styles, the basic idea is still there, but the styles have grown. There are slender, corner models that would be a perfect fit in a home office or even a living room, wider, freestanding towers that stand tall in the middle of a room, extra-large models that raise pertinent items directly up to eye level, and even wall-mounted designs that are a great tool for smaller spaces.
When it comes to finishes, the school models I remember were quite simple, mostly glass with a hint of metal around the edges to support the frame. Not so with the modern styles! Modern trophy cases come in all sorts of materials, such as wood with colored finishes, polished or powder coated metal, tempered glass, and much more. The wooden designs that are aimed for residential use may have lots of decorative moldings worked into the frame to give a more stylish touch. To be fair, the classic metal styles are still around too, and they still definitely serve a purpose for retail or industrial shelving. But even the more commercial styles have become more stylish over time, featuring rounded lines and frame-less designs to look attractive while putting the spotlight on the products that are displayed in there.
A neat feature that many modern trophy cases have (at least those with glass shelves in there) is that the shelving inside is adjustable. Not all trophies and products are the same size, so why should your shelves always have to be the same height? Look for styles that support their shelves on pins - the pins can usually be adjusted within the frame in various different ways to accommodate all of the different collectibles and photos that you may want to display.
While I'm citing the differences, I should also mention all of the things that have stayed the same with trophy cases. There are many reasons why these products have been so consistently popular throughout the years, and these features help give credence to that thought.
Locks. It's simple common sense that dictates that having a lock on a trophy case located in a store or other public area is a good idea. You and your employees won't always be able to keep a close eye on the display case. By keeping the cabinet well locked you'll be able to provide a good degree of protection for your valued items. Criminals won't automatically go for the locked case; they'll search for the easy to open one that they've got a lesser chance of getting caught on. It has to be mentioned, however, that there are quite a few residential trophy cases that don't have locks built into them. So, despite how interchangeable the retail and residential trophy cases are normally, stick to locking models for stores.
Working light sources into a trophy case definitely isn't a new concept. What better way to make sure that the trophies and other memorabilia stored inside can be seen by everyone who passes by them? Modern trophy cases have turned to more modern light sources, however, to keep their products bright and shining for years to come. Instead of traditional light bulbs, many trophy cabinets these days use halogen bulbs. These halogen bulbs are long lasting and compact, bringing a lot of light from one tiny little bulb. Just plug it in and your case is ready to go. Commercial cases will have lots of lights worked into the frame, running up the sides and along the canopy to pretty much guarantee your products can't be missed. Residential models aren't as well lit, usually only featuring a singular bulb. However, this still gives the case a good ambient glow, which often works better in living rooms.
Finally, we come to the glass construction, which is how trophy cases have managed to keep all of their trophies, collectibles, jewelry, photos, figurines, and other items visible throughout the years. Most people want their trophies or products to be seen while still being protected and secured, and glass is one of the easiest ways to do so. Modern styles often utilize tempered glass in their construction as an additional safety feature. Why go tempered? Tempered panels have been treated to be stronger than regular plate glass and less prone to breakage as well (always important if you're going to constantly have customers walking past your case). In the case that tempered glass does accidentally get broken, it'll crumble into tiny little chunks rather than those sharp shards that usually occur when plate glass breaks.
Whether it's in a middle school, a high street store, or even your own living room, trophy cases are a great addition to your décor. They'll protect your valuables while making them look as best as they possibly can so that you can enjoy them for years to come.