In an era when wedding china is likely to be replaced by something more virtual (NFT art, anyone?), the china cabinet can seem like a defunct artifact. Yet designers remain devoted to this one-time workhorse, recasting and reimagining it in a multitude of new ways. For those who maintain an affinity for the china cabinet — or have simply inherited a hand-me-down one and are wondering what to do with it — that’s good news. If you’ve been considering adding a china cabinet to your space, you’re doubly in luck! Ahead, we’ve collected the best designer ideas to freshen up this debonair display case up for the 21st century!
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Go Neo-Traditional
For all those who’ve subsumed grandma’s china cabinet and don’t know that it jives with their youthful aesthetic, don’t hesitate to mix it among less antiquated pieces. For her family’s own dining room, designer MA Allen synced as traditional breakfront china cabinet with neoteric pieces. To pull it off, MA sourced a Georgian-era dining table and Federal buffet to work with the cabinet and form a traditionalist base. On top of that, she layered traditionalist pieces—but with a modern twist. A brass chandelier (Sputnik in style), an ornate rug (rendered in a millennial pastel palette), and candlesticks (neon, not neutral) make the room’s china cabinet feel fresh, but not alienated.
Cast it as a Kitchen Helper
If the open shelving trend intrigues you, but ultimately, leaves you feeling cold, try a china cabinet. A china cabinet, whether a traditional cabinet or a corner china cabinet, allows you to procure a similar look to open shelving. However, it negates the need for meticulous editing when it comes to your shelves’ contents. In the farmhouse kitchen above, KitchenLab Interiors uses a rustic china cabinet to organize everything from cake cloches to cookbooks. If you fancy a similar look, try opting for a piece with wide, open shelving. China cabinets with dainty shelving meant purely for plates aren’t likely to accommodate larger items like mixers or colanders easily.
Open Door Policy
At their worst, china cabinets get a rap for being stuffy. One reason for it? Their glass-front doors designed to shield precious treasures can feel elitist to some. (Consider it the at-home edition of behind-the-counter jewels.) To keep your china cabinet feeling welcoming to all, try looking for a model without doors. Or, alternatively, remove some of the doors, if need be. The design firm J. Hirsch Interiors selected just such an open-air china cabinet for the dining room above. Glassware displayed on open shelving feels both accessible and provides more visual allure. Trapped behind glass, speciality glass can easily loose its luster.
Say it with Paint
Most china cabinets, even more modern china cabinet designs, fall into the “brown furniture” category. Whether you’re a fan of traditional brown furniture or not, the look can be decidedly heavy. (Especially given a china cabinet’s size.) To freshen up a wood cabinet, consider doing as designer Dina Bandman does, and opt for a painted model. In Dina’s room, an unexpected mint green color gives new life to the china cabinet concept. Lattice-panel doors and a ticking stripe interior further enhance the non-traditionalist riff.
Go Back to Basics
A china cabinet can be an intimidating piece to alter thanks to its sheer size, but don’t be detoured. If springing for a full exterior paint job causes you pause, consider simply coating the interior in color. For a formal dining room, the firm Brockschmidt & Coleman elected to use a china cabinet with a sea foam hue interior. The cabinet’s interior color echoes the room’s robin egg blue accents. Simultaneously, it works to substantiate the cabinet as a thoughtfully-designed piece. Another takeaway tip: sconces, placed on either side of the cabinet, can make it feel more like a built-in feel.
Curate Curiosity
Our final takeaway—there’s no rule that says a china cabinets must stockpile porcelain. Try doing as the firm Eclectic Home New Orleans does in the library above and fill one with framed photos. Not only does a china cabinet add a feeling of importance to collections, it keeps them looking tidy. (Much tidier than, say, an open tabletop would.) Try using a cabinet for not just photos, but sweeping collections of any kind. Antique books, figurines, crystals or even folded textiles are all perfect treasures for stowing in a china cabinet.
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Lead image design by Christina Nielsen / Photo Credit: Nick Guttridge
