China Cabinet Display Ideas

A china cabinet is an integral (though optional) part of dining room furniture. Of course, with the concept of one room living, a dining room per se has become obsolete. Yet, there are specific dining areas, and to give it the feel of a place where delicious meals are enjoyed, one may use a china cabinet. Now before you assume a china cabinet is just used to stuff your fancy china, there's a manner in which you can make it look visually appealing and attractive. By using some display ideas for the china cabinet in your dining room, you can define your dining space, and give it an identity of its own.

How to Display Items in a China Cabinet

Just like any design, the display of items in a china cabinet requires you to follow certain design principles, so that it becomes aesthetically pleasing. As such, there are some tips you should follow before you put up your display.

• Remember to aim for balance when you are putting up various items. It could be symmetrical or asymmetrical. You could use heavy items on the side, and lighter ones in between or vice versa; or you could go from heavy to light from one end of a shelf to the next.
• Keep the display light and not too heavy on the eyes. Don't overcrowd it with too many things. Such an overbearing sight, particularly in a dining area, can be very disturbing.
• Ensure that your display is in accordance with the theme of the room in question, as well as the design of the china cabinet itself. Modern crockery displayed in an antique china cabinet will not look as great as fancy, elaborate china.
• Finally, for greater appeal, create a color scheme that runs through your entire display. This again would be a part of the theme of the room. You don't want your cabinet to stick out like a sore thumb.

Ideas to Set Up a China Cabinet Display

You really don't have to be a qualified interior decorator to come up with display ideas for your china cabinet. However, you do have to be an interior decorating enthusiast so that you can bring together various elements to create the perfect display. Here are some Ideas that will help.

• Obviously, the first element that will make it to the cabinet is your fancy china. Remember, keep items that you do not use too often out there. They should look sparkling and new. Make room for plates of various sizes, bowls, glasses, and other dishes.
• You may use a plate rack to put up the plates in order of their size, or you may place the dinnerware against the back of the cabinet to show off their design. When you do this in a descending order, starting from the back, make sure the design on the plates is visible. This adds a unique quality to the display.
• As mentioned earlier, even glasses are a part of china cabinet display. The various types of glasses (wine, champagne, martini) should be displayed according to their type. On the other hand, you could also mix and match these designs for an interesting look.
• Not only china, use other elements to enhance the display. You could use those fake food display bottles that have various vegetables in them. These add a dash of color along with design to the display. Further, you may use some small statuettes to add to the display.
• A lot of people like using mirror at the back of the china cabinet, against which the entire cabinet display will reflect. This adds an interesting third dimension to the whole appearance.
• Apart from the china itself, you could have shelves of varying sizes from top to bottom. This allows you to display your china, along with adding a tall element for display on the last shelf. This could be a tall decorative jar filled with potpourri or fake vegetables, or a simple tall vase. In such a case, use lighter china at the top, and the heavier china below.
• Include other prints in the display. For instance, instead of the mirror, use a wallpaper to cover the back of the cabinet. Just remember to ensure that the design does not clash with the prints on your china itself. This idea is particularly great if you have solid colored china in a solid colored cabinet.
• Further, for an open china cabinet, use fabric to cover the shelves on display. Make use of old shawls and scarves to add texture to the overall display.
• You may also use dim string lights or a lamp to add to the display of the cabinet, particularly on special occasions.

How you set up the display on your china cabinet boils down to your idea of visual appeal and your creativity, along with the theme of the rest of your dining room furniture. Don't go by the standard norms of display. Break those norms to create a masterpiece with knick-knacks all around you!