How to Decorate a Modern Curio Cabinet

A modern curio cabinet can be a vital decorative accessory for a dining room or a living room. Due to the influences of the 1950's, curio cabinets are often viewed as outdated or old-fashioned pieces of furniture. In order to keep your curio cabinet looking contemporary, you must update the items that you choose to display in the cabinet. That doesn't mean that you can't display your grandmother's antique china, but it does mean that you will have to incorporate modern elements into the curio cabinet design. With a few practical suggestions for curio cabinet modernization, you can create the perfect accent to any living room or dining room.

Instructions

1. Paint the Curio Cabinet a Light Color

   Curio cabinets have notoriously been painted or stained dark colors over the years, and this look is a bit out-dated. For a modern style, paint your curio cabinet a lighter color. Some color suggestions include soft golden yellow, off-white, pale green, and light mocha. You will notice a big change in the overall appearance of your curio cabinet once you have painted it a more contemporary color.

2. Add Mirrors to the Back Wall of the Curio Cabinet

   Mirrors have a great way of adding depth and character to a room. Since you don't want your curio cabinet to appear lifeless or old-fashioned, use some simple mirrors placed on the back wall of the cabinet to create an open feel. Mirrors are reflective, so they can be used to increase the dimensional and lighting elements in your living room or dining room. A curio cabinet will look bigger and more attractive once you have added mirrors to the back wall.

3. Choose Colorful Items to Display

   Colorful pieces of glass and pottery make the biggest impact when decorating a curio cabinet. Simply choosing art glass that has vivid hues of color will immediately enhance that area of the room, and add a modern visual appeal to the living space. If possible, you can try to tie in colored display items that complement the colors in the design of your living room or dining room. If you have some older pieces that are sentimental that you want to include in your collection, feel free to incorporate those into the curio cabinet design.

4. Use a Common Medium to Bring Harmony to the Curio

   Choose a beaded vine, a berry reed, straw, taffeta, or raffia to incorporate into the design of your curio cabinet. This type of natural medium will bring uniformity to the case and tie all of the decorative items together in a visually appealing manner. Use these mediums in a whimsical way, so they are dispersed naturally and symmetrically throughout the curio display. A modern curio cabinet can be a vital decorative accessory for a dining room or a living room.