What To Put In A China Cabinet? (15 Styling Tips)
A china cabinet is a decorative glass furniture piece that is used to display porcelain and ceramic items that include dishes, plates, bowls, cups, and glasses.
These cabinets are mainly for decorative purposes that are placed in a living room or a dining room to showcase an impressive collection of items.
There are a number of common items to put in a china cabinet besides the typical dishes, plates, and bowls but other interesting items include vases, pitchers, cake stands, silverware, wire baskets, fake plants, ornaments, books, photographs, collectible, trophies, and storage boxes.
All of these items displayed in a beautiful arrangement can be a valuable addition to any space that creates a striking accent feature.
Below, you’ll find the best items you can choose to design and decorate your china cabinet that will make it stand out and look its best.
Here are your best options:
Table of Contents
Best Items To Put In A China Cabinet
Dishes
The first item to put in a china cabinet is dishes. This could be actual China dishes or maybe your favorite set of dishes in your chosen design.
Now you can keep a color scheme that is consistent but you can also play around with different colors for an interesting look.
If you’re looking for a particular dinnerware set, check out this beautiful set on Amazon:
Consider showcasing a few bowls, cups, saucers, mugs, glasses, and a stack of dishes on each shelf.
If you’d really want the dishes to stand out, you could paint the back of the cabinet in a vivid or bold color to make the dishes pop out.
Vases & Glassware
Another great item to add is decorative vases and glassware. This could be simple ceramic vases or colored glass vases with patterns.
They can definitely fill up empty space and add interest to the display.
Consider pairing this option with the dishware idea above. Or you could always have an entire china cabinet dedicated to displaying a set of different vases depending on the style you’re going for.
Pitchers
Place at least one or two pitchers in the china cabinet for bulky and large items. This should add interest and character to the design.
If you’re decorating according to a theme, you can always choose a pitcher that will match the overall display.
Votive and Candles
Add a few votives or candles to your arrangement by placing them in between other items or on top of a stack of dishes. This is a small item that adds a touch of shine and life to the display.
Cake Stand
Cake stands are definitely a suitable item to add to a china cabinet. You can add various different-sized cake stands or place one or two on the shelf with other items.
These cake stands can be left on their own or you can place other items on top of them for example, a stack of mugs or a simple pot plant to decorate it.
Silverware Display Case
If you have a fancy collection of gold silverware, showcase them in the china cabinet.
This will make your cabinet appear more valuable and interesting but it will also fit right in with the rest of the items above.
This is a small detail that will definitely have a large impact on the way the display looks.
Wire Baskets
Baskets are another great item to put in a china cabinet that fills empty space but also makes the display and arrangement more wholesome.
You can easily fit a small woven or wire basket depending on the style and theme of your display and you can leave them as is or store other items in the basket.
Plants
To add a bit of texture, color, and good vibes to the china cabinet, place a few fake plants in between other items or create an entire collection of your favorite succulents.
This look especially awesome with a china cabinet that is decorated with one solid color but adding a small bit of green can really make the display look more inviting and pleasant.
Since the china cabinet has glass doors, it may not be a good idea to keep a real plant as the plant may not thrive in this location. Greenery always makes any place or space more inviting and modern.
Things To Put In A China Cabinet Besides China
Now that you know the best and most common items that go in a china cabinet, let’s take a quick look at the more unique options to decorate with that aren’t china:
Ornaments
Decorating a china cabinet with ornaments is a smart, easy, and awesome idea. You can choose to display any type of ornament and even fill the entire cabinet with different ornaments.
Fit in a couple of smaller ornaments with the items above for a modern and creative display.
It’s hard to say exactly which ornaments to display as this depends on personal preferences but any pretty and fancy ornament will be suitable for this cabinet.
Books
Books are another great item to put in a china cabinet besides china and you can fill a couple of shelves or all the shelves with books.
You could even alternate the shelves by placing a stack of books along with other items like dishes, ornaments, plants, and vases for a cool aesthetic.
Photographs
Personalize a china cabinet by displaying some of your favorite photographs of landscapes, places, outings, trips, or family photos.
Here you can fill the shelves with photographs or you could simply pair them with other items. This is an easy way to add personality to the display.
Collectibles
The next idea you can consider is decorating the china cabinet with collectibles instead.
This could be your favorite card collection, vintage cars or cameras, toys, models, action figures, or rare items.
It’s also a great way to show off your personality and charm with the items and collectibles you choose to display in this cabinet.
Trophies
Other fantastic items to put in a china cabinet are your trophies and achievements.
This is a great place that is secure and safe behind glass doors but also a way to remember and feel proud of your past achievements. You can also add a couple of photos, quotes, and pictures for some of those events to make it more special.
Decorative Trinket Boxes
Decorative storage boxes can also look amazing in a china cabinet. These are usually small or large boxes with a fancy design on them.
Check out this gorgeous decorative trinket box on Amazon
This item can also be displayed with any of the other items on the list.
If you don’t want to purchase a decorative box, consider making your own decorative storage box using seashells, white pebbles, beads, or glass that will be a nice addition to the cabinet display.
Alternative Way To Use A China Cabinet
Turn It Into A Bathroom Storage Cabinet
Now if you’re wondering if there is any other way to use your china cabinet, the good news is that there is one, in particular, you might love.
Take a quick look at the example above. This decor successfully incorporates using the china cabinet to store bathroom essentials like extra towels and items that are well coordinated in terms of color and arrangement.
Each shelf is well-maintained and organized which makes this display so attractive. Following this idea will definitely add an extra touch of elegance and style to your bathroom decor.
Final Thoughts
To wrap things up, the best items to put in a china cabinet are porcelain or ceramic dishes in a fancy or beautiful pattern that instantly grabs your attention.
Placing other items alongside like a stack of plates, a few pot plants, a couple of jugs or decorative vases can create a stunning display.
If you’re looking to store other items besides china, there are plenty of excellent options that will definitely suit the china cabinet.
This could be personal family photos, your favorite books or collectibles, a showcase of your trophies and achievements, fancy decorative boxes, or small ornaments to fill the space.
You don’t even need to fill up the entire china cabinet with all of these items.
With just a select few, you can easily make your china cabinet look gorgeous. You can mix things up for a creative display or you could narrow it down by selecting a few similar items in each category.
Either way, these items are the best to put in any china cabinet.
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