How to use a china display cabinet
If you have small collectibles to store and show, for yourself or your guests to enjoy, as a conversation starter or as pure entertainment, antique china display cabinets are the type of furniture that you should consider.
Although made in the past centuries, since becoming popular in antique Georgian England, for the purpose of storing precious china items, they are very versatile and can nicely display any small and fancy item.
Whether china or ceramics, silver or figurines, glass or gold, porcelain or wood, or anything else, china display cabinets were designed for the main purpose of displaying the pieces preserving the items from dust and smoke, pests, from possible breakage and even theft.
They usually were made of glass, to the front and often to the sides in the vertical ones (typical display cabinets and curios), and to the top and sides in the horizontal ones (display cases and showcases).
The glass would allow the pieces to be viewed better and let in more light than bookcases, for example.
Appropriate upholstery and sometimes glass shelves and mirror backs would allow the contents to stand out more and be better enjoyable, from all angles.
Display cabinets are usually placed in well lit places where homeowners and guests can easily see them and the contents. Think about extra spotlights and modern and efficient lighting to make a showpiece out of it.
The items stored and displayed should fit in the environment, even more than the display cabinet itself, with external pieces in someway connected and associated to what’s inside the cabinet, same period or style or materials for example, Victorian, Edwardian, ivory, silver, rosewood, ebony, and so on.
The display cabinet itself should stand out attract attention. However, it should not conflict with the rest of the room design and colours. If the wall is dark, use a light coloured wood cabinet, like oak, if it’s light, you want a darker wood cabinet, like mahogany or rosewood.
A formal environment will require a more formal piece, especially as far as finish; go for french polished antique cabinets.
A lockable cabinet could provide a degree of security, from children for example, but don’t rely on them being safe from burglars; a locked cabinet could actually attract more attention and a break-in, with heavy damage to the piece.
That’s why antique cabinets should have a working lock, to preserve value as an antique, but shouldn’t necessarily be locked if frequent access is required.
Pieces inside should be displayed in a way that they are very viewable, so far apart. Don’t fit too many items, think about another cabinet, in a different spot if different, or next to each other with a little space if twins, which are almost impossible to find as genuine antiques.
They should also be spread out in a balanced way, with more smaller items around fewer larger ones, to compensate and balance.
The focal points, the center of any group of items, usually a larger or more important one, should be behind the center of the glass panes of the cabinet, not behind the frame. Think also about balancing the contents of the display cabinet on the various shelves, but at the same time think about lighting and eye-level in the specific situation.
To learn more, get some inspiration by museums, which are often full of neat and tidy display cabinets of all sorts, with appropriate lighting.