Nowadays, china cabinets have changed quite a lot from what they used to be. They are no longer used just to display old heirlooms, nowadays they are used to display all kinds of collectibles such as mementos collected during trips, books, various collectibles and any other types of items which can fit in the tight display area of a china cabinet. The only thing you need to remember when displaying any kind of items in a china cabinet is that the cabinet needs to remain uncluttered and needs to look as balanced as possible. Here is a quick guide on how to display your valuable collection in china cabinets properly:
First of all, you need to think of a theme for the whole design. The best way to do it is to choose the same theme as theme for the room the china cabinet is in. For example, in case the design of the room is in the Victorian style you need to choose items for display that fit this style and contribute to the design.
When you are arranging the items in the china cabinet make sure you do not make it overcrowded. There should never be too many pieces stuffed inside. In case you put too many pieces in the china cabinet the people who see it might not be able to appreciate all of the items or might not even be able to see all of them.
When arranging the collection, make sure it always stays balanced. For example, in case you need to arrange a china set make sure you put the biggest piece in the center. This is almost always a big bowl, a big platter or the tureen. Anchor the whole design around the central piece of each shelf and make pairs of items around it. Put all the items that are similar on the same shelf if that is possible. In case your collection is made up of porcelain dolls you should put them and only them in the china cabinet. Anything else you add should have something to do with the collection that you are displaying.
On the other hand, if you have several smaller collections you can arrange them on different shelves, but make sure that the collections that are more similar are closer to each other. If you have a collection that is a lot different from the rest put it either on top or at the bottom separated from the rest of the collections.
When arranging your collection make sure its color matches the colors in the room in which the china cabinet is. You do not need to put only the items that are exactly the same in terms of colors, but make sure that they at least go well with the rest of the decorations in the room. For example, in case you have a good collection of samurai swords you should put it against a bright color such as red instead of just on a wooden shelf. This will add appeal and will accentuate your collection. If you have multiple valuable collections that follow different themes you can choose to arrange them in separate china cabinets – also know as særskilt vitrineskabe by the Danish home interior designers.
Useful guidelines for displaying your collection in a china cabinet