Things to Do With Trophy Cases That Actually Look Good at Home

When people ask me for things to do with trophy cases, they usually say it with the same nervous laugh: “I have one, but it looks like it belongs in a school hallway.” Fair. A glass cabinet full of dusty plastic cups is not automatically charming. But the case itself is often well made, especially older wood models with solid hinges and adjustable shelves. I would not throw one out before trying to give it a new job.

I learned this after finding a narrow oak trophy case at a Brooklyn estate sale for $35. It had a cloudy acrylic door, one missing shelf pin, and a permanent smell of gym storage. Six months later, it holds our board games, a small lamp, and the twins’ increasingly strange collection of rocks. The case is now one of the most useful pieces in our dining room. Taste is free. Everything else, we thrift.

Start by deciding what the case needs to hide

The first of the practical things to do with trophy cases is to stop treating them as display-only furniture. A glass door does not require a collection of precious objects behind it. It simply gives you a chance to conceal visual clutter while keeping it easy to reach.

Try measuring the inside before buying anything. Write down the width, depth, height, and distance between shelf holes. A typical wall-mounted case may hold paperback books, framed photographs, small baskets, folded napkins, or a stack of vinyl records. A deeper freestanding case can handle serving dishes, craft supplies, board games, or office files.

My oak case holds six standard board games on the bottom shelf, two canvas bins in the middle, and a row of framed family photographs up top. The bins cost $6 each at a thrift store. I left the glass mostly empty around the photographs because objects need breathing room; otherwise the whole thing becomes a tiny museum gift shop.

Before styling, vacuum the corners, wash the glass with diluted dish soap, and check every screw. If the back panel smells musty, leave the doors open in a dry room for a day. Do not seal a damp case with paint or wallpaper. That is how a $35 find becomes a $35 mildew problem.

Turn it into a bookcase without making it look fussy

Books are one of my favorite things to do with trophy cases because the shelves already create order. The trick is mixing vertical and horizontal stacks. Line up taller books at one side, then place a short stack beside them. Add one object with a different shape, such as a ceramic bowl or small framed sketch.

Do not pack every shelf from edge to edge. Leave two or three inches of open space at one end so the case looks intentional rather than crammed. If the shelves are shallow, use paperbacks, cookbooks, children’s books, or slim art catalogs. Heavy hardcovers belong on sturdy lower shelves, not on a thin panel that bows when you look at it sternly.

I once put a tall glass vase in ours because every decor photograph told me to. Gouache knocked it over in approximately four minutes. The vase broke, the cat remained unrepentant, and I replaced it with a low stoneware bowl for $4. The bowl has survived two years and looks better anyway.

Make a small bar or coffee station

A trophy case can become surprisingly good drink storage. Use the lower shelves for bottles, the middle shelf for mugs or glasses, and the top for cocktail napkins, a sugar bowl, or a small framed menu. This is especially useful in a rental where you cannot install cabinets or build a bar.

For a coffee station, keep the machine outside the case unless there is generous ventilation and a nearby outlet. Heat and steam trapped behind glass are a bad combination for old wood finishes. Store mugs, filters, beans, tea tins, and a little tray inside instead. The case keeps supplies together without making your counter look like a cafe exploded.

A removable shelf liner protects old wood from rings and crumbs. I like cork sold by the roll, but a leftover piece of oilcloth works too. Avoid permanently gluing anything until you know the case can handle it. Rental-friendly changes are usually the smartest changes, and nobody needs a trophy case renovation that costs more than the furniture.

Use it for plants, art supplies, or the entryway

One of the more cheerful things to do with trophy cases is create a plant cabinet, but proceed carefully. Most houseplants need airflow, and a closed glass box can become hot and humid near a sunny window. Use the case for pots, watering cans, plant books, and propagation jars instead of sealing living plants inside it. A small fern can sit on top if the surface is stable and the light is right.

For an artist or a child, the cabinet makes excellent supply storage. Put markers, watercolor pans, sketchbooks, yarn, or model pieces in shallow trays. Clear containers let you see what you own, while the door prevents the dreaded craft avalanche. I would not use a tall case for toddler supplies, but it works beautifully for older children who can open the door carefully.

Near an entryway, use it for gloves, hats, sunglasses, dog-walking supplies, and seasonal accessories. Add one basket for items that need to leave the house. That basket is important. Without it, the cabinet becomes a beautifully lit monument to everything you forgot to return.

Paint, paper, or leave the original finish alone

Before reaching for paint, decide whether the case has a finish worth keeping. Real wood with scratches can often be cleaned with a damp cloth and finished with a small amount of paste wax. Test any product on the back or underside first. A warm oak case can bring needed contrast to a room full of pale walls and light furniture.

If the surface is laminate, veneer, or ugly orange varnish, paint is reasonable. Remove the hardware, lightly sand glossy areas, clean off the dust, and use a bonding primer before applying two thin coats. A quart of decent cabinet paint usually costs less than $35, and you will have plenty left for a small stool or frame.

I painted a metal trophy case deep green after living with it unpainted for three months. The original silver finish made it look like a school equipment cabinet. The green took one afternoon, plus a frustrating wait between coats, but it now works against our brick wall. I kept the inside white so the contents would not disappear.

Wallpaper on the back panel is another low-commitment move. Use removable adhesive or cut a piece of patterned paper to fit behind the shelves. A small print is enough; busy paper plus busy objects equals visual yelling.

A simple weekend plan for your case

These things to do with trophy cases work best when you do not buy accessories first. On Saturday morning, empty the case and photograph the hardware. Measure the shelves, clean the glass, and decide whether the case belongs in the living room, dining room, office, or entryway. By afternoon, sort the contents into three groups: useful, decorative, and genuinely ready for donation.

Next, choose one color story. Wood plus cream and green feels calm. Black metal plus red and cobalt can look graphic. Painted white plus colorful books suits a child’s room. Limit yourself to three main colors and vary the textures instead. Glass, paper, woven baskets, and ceramic objects will keep a small display from looking flat.

Finally, load the heaviest items low, secure a tall case to the wall, and leave some empty space. If the glass door sticks, do not force it; adjust the hinges or replace worn hardware. A case that opens easily is useful furniture, not a precious prop.

The best things to do with trophy cases are the ones that solve a real storage problem. Put the old awards in one box if you cannot part with them, then let the cabinet hold the things your home actually needs. Mine no longer looks like a hallway display, and that is the whole victory.