What is a curio cabinet?
With a name that derives from the curiosities that they’re intended to store, curio cabinets are artful display cabinets that pack a stylistic punch. Curio cabinets are primarily recognizable for their tall and narrow profile and glass sides. Unlike bookcases, which expose collectibles to the elements, curio cabinets enclose contents, to protect them from dust, party fouls, and other passing mischiefs.
As previously mentioned, most curio cabinets consist of a wood or metal framework accented by glass sides. The glass sides ensure that a curio cabinet’s contents can be readily admired, while multiple shelves provide ample storage space for stowing (and showing!) chic collectibles. Curio cabinets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with some displaying rounded fronts or arched tops. Still, others maintain a shape best be likened to an armoire or credenza. Corner curio cabinets (curio cabinets that tuck neatly into a corner) are also common and remain a mainstay favorite of designers looking to fill underutilized corners in a dining room.
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Lead image by Sarah Natsumi Moore