Things You'll Need:
- China or Curio Display cabinet
- Display items
- Velvet cloth
- Color wheel
- Portable wireless puck lights
- Framed mirrors
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Step 1
Determine your design theme. The theme should be the same as what you use for the room where the China cabinet is located for cohesiveness. If you are decorating in a Victorian theme in the room, make sure your display items relate to the Victorian design. After all, it may look odd to put modern sleek pieces in a Victorian theme room.
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Step 2
Do not overcrowd your China cabinet with too many pieces. Overcrowding of pieces would make the display look too busy and people looking at them may not be able to appreciate each piece this way. Display in odd numbers. If you have big pieces, make sure to just display 3 items in one shelf. Do it in 5’s, 7’s or 9’s for smaller pieces, leaving enough space in between each piece.
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Step 3
Be sure to balance your display items. For example, if you are displaying your grandmother’s heirloom china, make sure to put the biggest piece at the center- this could be the tureen, big platter or big bowl. Then display each place setting together in pairs on each display level and putting the center pieces to “anchor” your design.
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Step 4
Display like items together. If you collect porcelain dolls, put only porcelain dolls or anything that has something to do with the collection. For example, doll houses or doll furniture can be displayed together with the dolls. Mixing and matching can be allowed as long as it stays within the same theme of the overall room’s design.
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Step 5
Make sure to think of color when displaying items in your China cabinet. Think of the main color in your room and make sure it matches. It doesn’t mean use the same color everywhere or on every piece, make sure that the color of the collection or pieces will blend well with its surroundings for a more pleasing visual experience. Use the color wheel as your guide.
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Step 6
Use fabric to soften your design. If you have a collection of brass items or anything made of heavy material, you can soften the look by using fabric. Using velvet fabric draped on the shelf would make the item pieces pop. Imagine a collection of Samurai swords against a red velvet fabric, the sharp and shiny blade of the swords would be more evident than when you just put it on top of a glass or plain wooden shelf.
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Step 7
Use mirror and light for reflection and to add dramatic effect. Some China cabinets already have mirrors built into the display; however, there are some that do not have mirrors. You can add framed mirrors that you can place behind or under your display to reflect on your pieces. Make sure to turn on your display lighting to put more attention to your display items. If your China cabinet doesn’t have its own built-in light, you can purchase portable or wireless puck lights that you can attach to the underside of the top of your cabinet.
