Asked on Jun 19, 2015

How to display ball caps so they don't look like an Anaconda..

Becky P
by Becky P
I am newly married to my high school sweetheart, and he is a tried and true deer hunter. AND has been a bachelor for the past 13 years......we will get to that later. So, I am in the process of "unbachelorizing" his/our house. These horrid vertical blinds are going bye-bye, and I am putting up a curtain rod with grommet curtains. His one stipulation when he gave me carte blanche was the hats cannot go. Well, on a curtain rod, they will not be able to stay there because I will have to be able to open and close the curtains. With this current set up, the hats are stationary. I need a solution we can both agree on, for displaying these hats. The only wall space to use is above the rod, and the vaulted ceiling is wood. It is a mid-century modern house.
My suggestions have been shot down. (whatever......) I think I would either do a shelf and set them on it, or my favorite idea is shaker pegs, which can be added onto as the years go on. (He has pins on the hats which reflect his deer hunting skills.)
Please give me something to ponder...
  24 answers
  • Swan Road Designs Swan Road Designs on Jun 19, 2015
    Why not display them in a circular starburst manner? Maybe even utilize an old wooden wheel or wheels to attach them around the perimeter of the wheel then, as he adds to his collection, hats can be placed further inside nearer the hub. It might take a while to fill a couple of "wheels" but it might be an acceptable solution. Looks like there's space for 3 wheels above the window area,
  • B. Enne B. Enne on Jun 19, 2015
    How about in a shadow box coffee table? The hats will provide colour, stay clean, and will not take up any more space. You can make your own with little cubbies. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-Glass-Top-Shadow-Box-Coffee-Table/ http://www.pier1.com/Shadow-Box-Coffee-Table/2652460,default,pd.html
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Jun 19, 2015
    Do they all have to be displayed? How about stacking them in a drawer? Tucked one behind the other, a lot of hats will fit in a small space. What about agreeing on a certain number being displayed at any one time? They can be accessible without all being on display.
  • Suz1485202 Suz1485202 on Jun 20, 2015
    My hubby has way too many as well, last count 120?!? They are stored in a plastic under the bed roll away bin. He keeps four or five out for use ability. Keeps dust off of them and helps me forget how many he actually owns.
  • Sara Wagner Sara Wagner on Jun 20, 2015
    My hubby and I have alot of hats also, I went to Ikea and bought the rods that you get for the kitchen ,that you put under the cabinets to hang spoons and other things... You can also get s hooks to hang them with..Stack the rods and display the hats on the wall, easy for him to grab them also...
  • Rick Meszaros Rick Meszaros on Jun 20, 2015
    Please let us know what you decide to do!
  • Becky P Becky P on Jun 20, 2015
    Thanks! Such good suggestions. He doesn't actually wear the hats. They are just for display purposes.
  • Geni Foss Geni Foss on Jun 20, 2015
    I feel your "pain" lol. I saw this display design & thought that at least you would be able to display the caps in a "more confined" area. Add some personal photos, etc. & I believe you will be able to design something you will both be happy with! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hand-Crafted-Triple-Oak-Baseball-Cap-Rack-24-Caps-/400095147368?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d27877568
  • Becky Greenwald Becky Greenwald on Jun 21, 2015
    So is it the hats w/pins he values or the just the pins? If it's gotta be hats w/pins, I'd use command hooks and try to make some sort of a contained arrangement out of them clustered tightly on the wall in an appropriate place (mine would be the back of a storage room door). If it's the pins, I'd pin them on fabric, frame it, and hang it. Good luck with the transition.
    • Becky P Becky P on Jun 21, 2015
      @Becky Greenwald lol........love the back of the door idea! shssssss......don't tell him I said that. He needs hats with pins displayed. roll of the eyes........
  • Becky Wood Becky Wood on Jun 21, 2015
    What about a shelf curtain rod combo...something like this....http://prudentlypaintedvintage.blogspot.com/2011/08/shelving-in-place-of-curtain-rod.html You can buy brackets at Lowes etc and use any curtain rod you want.
    • See 1 previous
    • Becky Wood Becky Wood on Jun 23, 2015
      @ You can buy the wood piece that you use on the end and a board to make the shelf at Lowes or Home Depot. Then use the rod you have already bought. Do a google search and you should find several examples. You can buy wooden pieces at Michaels and Hobby Lobby also, but don't know if they would have a large enough shelf piece. Good Luck
  • Susan Susan on Jun 21, 2015
    Is there another room (think man cave..:-) he could display to his hearts content and you could have your drapery and all would be well in your world....:-)
  • Lori Mccutchen-Harris Lori Mccutchen-Harris on Jun 22, 2015
    I'm thinking a clear plastic tub in the garage. lol Good luck!
  • Gale O'Neal Gale O'Neal on Jun 22, 2015
    The inexpensive expandable wooden hat racks set up on a wall in the garage would work. He can grab the "hat of the day", get in the car and go! Comes home, plop it back on rack and tomorrow wear a different one!
    • Kelly S Kelly S on Jun 22, 2015
      @Gale O'Neal , we have a 50 peg rack that needs to go back up lol. We took it down to paint the wall 3 years ago and just never got any of the pictures or hats racks back up. Ours is in the bedroom on his side of the bed.
  • Becky P Becky P on Jun 25, 2015
    So, I did get curtains hung, and currently waiting on painters before I can do anything with caps. Right now, they are on a shelf stacked in year order, above the tv. I told him not to fret, it is temporary. But who knows, it could be permanent if I procrastinate enough. lol
  • Paticia G Paticia G on Aug 09, 2015
    store them in the trash can for trash day !
  • Lisa Lisa on Aug 10, 2015
    Closets are for hats so they don't get dusty. If he's got deer trophies, that's enough. Please don't tell me you have camo bedding...
    • Becky P Becky P on Aug 11, 2015
      @Lisa lol, no, but have camo throws! They are so comfy. (the bedroom is purple hued)
  • Kayo Frazier Kayo Frazier on Aug 13, 2015
    Here's my 2 cents...If it is possible, I would make a room dedicated to his hunting. He can display his hats, his guns, trophies, and any of the equipment needed for hunting in the closets.
  • Jane Jane on Aug 16, 2015
    My sister collects vintage hats of all sorts, When she downsized to a smaller house, she did not want to get rid of her hats. We put up curtains in the guest room that slide on a rod. Then we strung a cord from one curtain hanger to the other in front of the curtains. We used clips to hang the hats from the cord like on a clothesline. It is a very pretty "valence".
  • Terry Terry on Feb 08, 2016
    There are some really cool display ideas on Pinterest. I typed in Ball Cap Displays and came up with these three....and many others.
  • Leslie Leslie on Feb 14, 2016
    Find a way to display a few at a time, like in the office, and switch them out occasionally so your husband can actually enjoy them. Not trying to offend you or hubby, but they look ridiculous as they are now.
  • Leslie Leslie on Feb 14, 2016
    BTW, your curtains look really nice.
  • Neyda Neyda on Nov 16, 2016
    Sorry but your hubby is a grown man. Incorporating these caps into a living room decor is just plain wrong. I agree with Leslie, display a few of them in the office or in a room dedicated to his hunting, along with all the guns and other paraphernalia.
    • Becky P Becky P on Nov 22, 2016
      Thank You Neyda. I agree, but when I moved in, I was told I couldn't touch the hats, or the deer heads. I don't mind the deer at all, because I decorate "rustic". But the hats? That's another matter. lol
  • Mim24306792 Mim24306792 on Jun 14, 2017

    My husband of 41 yrs. Loves his caps, but I live in an area that that you can dust four time a week & it's covered again. I bought a special, plastic hat at the flea market to wash in washing machine or dishwasher. But if I could find a type of sealed hat stand I'd buy it. Hubby keeps four diehard caps out to wear, & the rest have been stored in a vacuum sealed bag underneath our bed.... I hope you come up with something great.